My dear Hooker

I was actually wishing much to hear what you thought on the two subjects, to which your note, received this morning is chiefly devoted.— I did not like to give up the time to form a very certain judgment to my own satisfaction, in Falconer v. Huxley. But the article struck me as very clever.—² I rather lean to the Huxley side, & without Falconer can say that he could have told, without the knowledge of habits of any bears, that the Polar bear was carnivorous & the brown bear frugivorous from structure alone, I think Huxleys argument best.—³ But to deny all reasoning from adaptation & so called final causes, seems to me preposterous.⁴ But I am most heartily sorry at the whole dispute: it will prevent two very good men from being friends.— It was a pity that Falconer ludged in Owen into Huxley’s “id genus omne” & not fair; but I deprecate the contemptuous tone of Huxley on compilers &c. What is a Lecturer but a compiler?—⁵

I have been very deeply interested by Wollaston’s book,⁶ though I differ greatly from many of his doctrines. Did you ever read anything so rich, considering how very far he goes, as his denunciations against those who go further, “most mischievous” “absurd”, “unsound”. Theology is at the bottom of some of this. I told him he was like Calvin burning a heretick.—⁷ It is a very valuable & clever book in my opinion.— He has evidently read very little out of his own line: I urged him to read the New Zealand Essay.⁸ His Geology also is rather eocene, as I told him. In fact I wrote most frankly; I fear too frankly; he says he is sure that ultra!-honesty is my Characteristic: I do not know whether he meant it as a sneer; I hope not.—

Talking of eocene geology, I got so wrath about the Atlantic continent, more especially from a note from Woodward (who has published a capital book on shells) who does not seem to doubt that every island in Pacific & Atlantic are the remains of continents, submerged within period of existing species; that I fairly exploded & wrote to Lyell to protest & summed up all the continents created of late years by Forbes, (the head sinner!) yourself, Wollaston, & Woodward & a pretty nice little extension of land they make altogether!⁹ I am fairly rabid on the question & therefore, if not wrong already, am pretty sure to become so.—

I have just reread your note & it seems to me that there is great justness in your remarks on Huxley & the general question, being discussed as it has been discussed.—¹⁰

I have enjoyed your note much

Adios. | C. Darwin

P.S | 18^th Lyell has written me a capital letter on your side,¹¹ which ought to upset me entirely, but I cannot say it does quite.— Though I must try & cease being rabid & try to feel humble, & allow you all to make continents, as easily as a Cook does pancakes.—

P.S. | Just think of this question & tell me at Club,¹² I believe N.W. portion of America is rather more temperate than middle parts of America & of Asia; are there, any plants there common to Europe & not found in middle parts of America & middle parts of Asia?