My dear Sir.

When I read your Article, it certainly made me think that you wished indirectly to throw doubt about my observations & I did not like the indirect manner of your doing so,—as it then seemed to me, More especially as you did not state that my observations had been fully confirmed by Prof^r Hildebrand, which I mention in my book.—¹ Nor do you allude to the statement by D^r. Alefeld, that there are no Heterostyled Linums endemic in N. America, though this may be erroneous notwithstanding that it has just been confirmed²

It seemed to me that you were bound at least to state whether your plant was long or short styled.—³ Such a manner of treating the work of other observers did not appear to me the way to encourage truth.

But after your letter just received I shall never think again on the subject, & I hope that you will not do so, except perhaps to make you pause for a few minutes—⁴

I remain | My dear Sir. | Yours faithfully, | Ch. Darwin.