Dear Huxley

I have thought & enquired much about Westwood & I really think he amply deserves the Gold Medal. But should you think of some one with higher claim I am quite ready to give up. Indeed I suppose without I get some one to second it, I cannot propose him.—¹

Will you be so kind as to read the enclosed, & return it to me.² Should I send it to Bell?³ —that is without you demur & convince me. I had thought of Hancock,⁴ a higher class of labourer, but, as far as I can weigh, he has not, as yet, done so much as Westwood.— I may state that I read the whole “Classification”⁵ before I was on the Council, & even thought on subject of Medal.

I fear my remarks are rather lengthy, but to do him justice I could not well shorten them: pray tell me frankly whether the enclosed is the right sort of thing; for though I was once on Council of Royal I never attended any meetings owing to bad health.⁶

Yours very sincerely | C. Darwin

With respect to the Copley Medal, I have strong feeling, that Lyell has high-claim; but as he has had Royal Medal, I presume that it w^d. be thought objectionable to propose him;⁷ & as I intend (you not objecting & converting me) to propose W. for the Royal, it would, of course, appear intolerably presumptuous to propose for the Copley also.—