Dear Darwin

How gets on the book?.¹ I send a number of the Nation, with an article on Popular Lectures &c that seems to me remarkably good. I wonder how Agassiz likes it!—² A. Gray³ sends me the paper regularly.

I yesterday declined the invitation to be President of Brit: Assoc: at Norwich in 1868 with much pain at having to refuse so very flattering an invitation so very kindly conveyed;⁴ but the fact is that I have an insuperable aversion to high places. the acceptance would have been bad dreams in anticipation for 18 months, & a downright surgical operation at the end of it!— I believe I inherit this from my father,⁵ who never would put himself forward, or be put forward, & I am sure it paid in the end. I was also actuated by the fact that I can see no way to a good “Address”— I played out my Trump card at Nottingham, knowing that if I were called to be President (which I had already good reason to expect) & accepted, I was throwing away my best chance of success.⁶ Lastly it would stand terribly in the way of my work—both Genera Plantarum, & Insular Botany.⁷ Here above is a pretty dose of Egotism even from one friend to another

I am reprinting the Lecture in same type but other form for distribution—⁸ the only thing I do not like & could not conscientiously consult you about, was the passage about “a Wise Providence ordering &c &c” or something of that sort. (I forget the words, it matters little)⁹

It is bosh & unscientific, but I could not resist the opportunity of turning the tables of Providence over those who think & argue the contrary of its intentions—& showing those who will have a Providence in the affair, that your’s is the God one, theirs the Devils. I always felt, that if I had to print the Lecture, I should wish these passages cut out, but that this would be dishonest—so it even went forth in G. C. & now will further

What do you say to Owen’s assuring me that Mammals bones, (Deer) are found in bogs in Mauritius.¹⁰ he told me this himself.

Grove told me, at an excellent Phil. Club meeting, that Owen in his Dodo-paper, has taken again to himself the credit of continuity theory, & of showing the futility of the Type theory—¹¹ I wish Grove would pitch into him.

Bentham is doing Umbelliferæ for Gen. Plant, & finds that the two remarkable Umbelliferous genera of Madeira, Monizia & Melanoselinum, are only species of Thapsia, a Mediterranean genus, of most remarkable & exceptional habit.¹² Now this is one of those cases of genera confined to the Island being then created out of a continental form; the genus I suspect; not having ever existed on the continent. It appears to me that it will always be difficult to say whether a genus that has continental allies, is an Insular development, or an old now extinct continental genus. & the utter want of fixed system upon which genera are & must always be formed will always throw insuperable obstacles in the way of this enquiry— it is easy enough with regard to the Laurels & other things having no continental affinities.¹³

I dined at Murchisons¹⁴ on Saturday, for the first time, for many years. What a charming host he makes at a small table.

I heard very poor accounts of H. Wedgwoods¹⁵ health   how is this?

The frost has done us a power of damage¹⁶

My wife sends her kind love to Mrs Darwin—& yourself— I took her just now to the Drawing room for the first time¹⁷

Ever yrs Aff | J D Hooker

Have you read the Duke’s “Reign of Law”, & if so is it worth reading?¹⁸