My dear Huxley

I must thank you for your extremely kind notice of my Book in Macmillans—² No one could receive a more delightful & honourable compliment.— I had not heard of your Lecture, owing to my retired life:³ you attribute much too much to me from our mutual friendship.— You have explained my leading idea with admirable clearness.⁴ What a gift you have of writing (or more properly) thinking clearly.—

It seems to me that the turning point on the reception of theory of N. selection will be whether or not it explains the recognised laws of palæontology, Geograph. Distrib—Classification Homologies &c &c— Those, like Crawfurd in Examiner, who have never troubled themselves on such points will reject it.⁵

I leave this place very early on Wednesday & return home—

I am run short of paper.—

Yours most truly | C. Darwin

On rereading your last note, after mine was despatched, it has occurred to me that I perhaps mistook your intentions when I said that the best way of under-standing domestic varieties was to take up some one branch, go to Shows &c.⁶ Probably you merely wanted to get some general idea from original sources; & that I still think you will find very difficult.