My dear Wallace

Thanks for your note. I did sometimes think of going to Norwich, for I sh^d. have very much liked it, but it has been quite out of the question.² We have been here for 5 weeks for a change, & it has done me some little good; but I have been forced to live the life of a drone, & for a month before leaving home, I was unable to do anything & had to stop all work. We return to Down tomorrow.

Hooker has been here for 2 or 3 days, so that I have had much talk about his Address. I am glad that you will be there.³

It is real good news that your Book is so advanced that you are negotiating about its publication.—⁴

With respect to dimorphic plants: it is a great puzzle, but I fancy I partially see my way—too long for a letter & too speculative for publication.⁵ The groundwork of the acquirement of such peculiar fertility (for what you say about any other distinct individual being, as it would appear, sufficient, is very true) rests on the stamens & pistils having varied first in relative length, as actually occurs, irrespectively of dimorphism, & the peculiar kind of fertility characteristic of dimorphic & trimorphic plants having been secondarily acquired.

Pangenesis makes very few converts: G. H. Lewes is one.—⁶

I had become, before my nine weeks horrid interruption of all work, extremely interested in sexual selection & was making fair progress. In truth it has vexed me much to find that the further I get on, the more I differ from you about the females being dull-coloured for protection.⁷ I can now hardly express myself as strongly even as in the Origin.⁸ This has much decreased the pleasure of my work.—

In the course of September, if I can get at all stronger, I hope to get M^r J. Jenner Weir (who has been wonderfully kind in giving me information) to pay me a visit, & I will then write for the chance of your being able to come & I hope bring with you M^rs. Wallace.⁹ If I could get several of you together, it w^d. be less dull for you for of late I have found it impossible to talk with any human being for more than half-an-hour, except on extraordinary good days.—

Believe me | My dear Wallace | Ever yours sincerely | Ch. Darwin