To J. D. Hooker 2 September [1860]
Down Bromley Kent
Sept. 2d
My dear Hooker
I am astounded at your news received this morning.1 I am become such an old fogy, that I am amazed at your spirit. For God’s sake do not go & get your throat cut.2 Bless my soul, I think you must be a little insane. I must confess it will be a most interesting tour; & if you get to top of Lebanon, I suppose extremely interesting.— You ought to collect any Beetles under stones there; but the Entomologists are such slow coaches, I daresay no result could be made out of them. The stupid beasts have never worked the Alpines of Britain.—
If you come across any Brine lakes do attend their minute Flora & Fauna; I have often been surprised how little this has been attended to.—
I have had long letter from Lyell, who starts ingenious difficulties opposed to nat. selection, because it has not done more than it has.3 This is very good, as it shows he has thoroughily mastered the subject; & shows he is in earnest. Very striking letter altogether, & it rejoices the cockles of my heart.— I mentioned to him that you had been thinking of answering Q.R.. but he does not think it worth your while.4
If you come across many mules or Asses look out for double or treble shoulder stripe—or trace of forked shoulder stripes;
for transverse bars on legs & trace of stripes on side of face: especially forked shoulder stripe, even trace of.— If you see, make slightest sketch,—that will be best & shortest way.—5
I am glad to hear pretty good account of Baby. Etty steadily crawls on. How I shall miss you my best & kindest of friends.— God Bless you | Yours ever affectionly | C. Darwin
I have got nothing to suggest about Arctic Flora.—6
I wrote yesterday about Drosera, give it Mr. Oliver.7
I had not heard of Review in “Once a week”8
Footnotes
Bibliography
Correspondence: The correspondence of Charles Darwin. Edited by Frederick Burkhardt et al. 29 vols to date. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. 1985–.
Origin: On the origin of species by means of natural selection, or the preservation of favoured races in the struggle for life. By Charles Darwin. London: John Murray. 1859.
[Wilberforce, Samuel.] 1860. [Review of Origin.] Quarterly Review 108: 225–64.
Summary
CD has a low opinion of British entomologists.
Lyell’s ingenious difficulties with natural selection show he is in earnest.
Asks JDH to observe beetles and variation of stripes in mules on his Syrian tour.
Letter details
- Letter no.
- DCP-LETT-2905
- From
- Charles Robert Darwin
- To
- Joseph Dalton Hooker
- Sent from
- Down
- Source of text
- DAR 115: 73
- Physical description
- ALS 4pp
Please cite as
Darwin Correspondence Project, “Letter no. 2905,” accessed on 26 September 2022, https://www.darwinproject.ac.uk/letter/?docId=letters/DCP-LETT-2905.xml
Also published in The Correspondence of Charles Darwin, vol. 8