Sir/

I have unwisely undertaken a newspaper controversy with the Rev^d. W. P. Lyon—the author of “Homo v. Darwin”—¹ In one of his letters he quotes the following passage as if from yourself,

“M^r. Darwin tells us that natural selection is a kind of god that never slumbers nor sleeps, that scrutinizes everything, is ever selecting what is useful” &c &c²

May I ask whether you will kindly inform me—(if you can do so without giving yourself any trouble) yes or no, on the enclosed P. Card, whether I am right in supposing that the part of the sentence I have underlined is not yours at all, but added by M^r. Lyon. The only passage I can find in your writings to correspond is that in the “Origin of Species” (5^th. Ed^tn) chap 4 p 96,³ but I am afraid to charge him with the error without your confirmation   The words added (as I suppose) seem to me to give a different & an unfair meaning to the sentence.

apologizing very much for having to trouble you about such a matter,

I am | Yours truly | F. W. Harmer

C. Darwin Esq F.R.S.