My dear Sir:

I feel deeply indebted to you for your kindness in writing to me.¹ I, however, did not send you the article referred to. One of my sons, Grant Allen, had written to me repeatedly to send him some numbers of the “Canadian Monthly” containing articles of mine, which I at length did; and by a letter of his which reached me only by the Post before yours, I learned that he had re-sent one of the⁠⟨⁠m⁠⟩⁠ to you. The occasion of my writing that article was this: Professor Watson, a very able Scotchman here had written a paper, which he seemed to think totally annihilatory of the Darwinian hypothesis of the genesis of morality, but which I believed to abound in loose, unguarded statements, and to contain a false, because a garbled and inadequate, statement of your views.² I was honestly charged with indignation on your account—owing you so much—and my article was the result of the explosion   And here let me say, that you have many warm friends in Canada of whom you have never heard and are never likely to hear anything; for the true man is ever dear to the true of heart and sound of head.

And now let me ask one favour from you. My son, Grant Allen, will be in London probably in a few days; and if you would allow him the privilige of just calling to see you for half an hour, you would, I think, confer a great pleasure on him—for he esteems you very highly—and a great obligation on me.³ He is a young man of some ability and full of enthusiasm for whatever is true and strong and beautiful. He has one of the finest tempers and is the most free of any I have ever met, from the jealousy and envy which disfigure the characters of so many literary men, so that I often wish I knew less of their personality than I do. I think you would like him.

I must here tell you that many years ago I was on the very threshold of your great discovery. It was thus: I was about to write a lecture on the appearances of design in the world, and amongst other things I was drawing attention to the fuchsia with its long pistil & drooping head—just the position to ensure its fecundation—when all at once it struck me, what if thousands of other flowers had been accidentally—natura naturans—produced with a similar structure but had perished, owing to the circumstance of their standing erect whilst their neighbours survived. Still I should have been wholly incapable of making good and fortifying my position by that wealth of illustration and proof which your vast knowledge enabled you to furnish   Many a one, I dare say, before Columbus (or Harvey) had entertained, in a shadowy, indolent way, his thought, but lacked the fiery soul, the adequate knowledge, and the resolute purpose to carry it to its final, fruitful issue—victoriously.⁴

I again thank you for your kind approval of my paper, & especially for writing to me to say so.

Your’s faithfully | and with great respect, | J. A. Allen

Charles Darwin Esq

P.S. My son is the author of “Physiological Æsthetics”, &c.⁵