To T. H. Huxley [17 July 1865]1
Down
Monday
My dear Huxley
Forgive my writing in pencil, as I can do so lying down— I have read Buffon:— whole pages are laughably like mine.2 It is surprising how candid it makes one to see one’s views in another man’s words— I am rather ashamed of the whole affair, but not converted to a no-belief— What a kindness you have done me with your “vulpine sharpness”.—3
Nevertheless there is a fundamental distinction between Buffon’s views & mine. He does not suppose that each cell or atom of tissue throws off a little bud; but he supposes that the sap or blood includes his “organic molecules”, which are ready formed, fit to nourish each organ, & when this is fully formed, they collect to form buds & the sexual elements:—4 It is all rubbish to speculate as I have done; yet, if I ever have strength to publish my next book, I fear I shall not resist “pangenenesis”, but I assure you I will put it humbly enough—5 The ordinary course of development of beings, such as the echinodermata, in which new organs are formed at quite remote spots from the analogous previous parts, seems to me extremely difficult to reconcile on any view, except the free diffusion in the parent of the germs or gemmules of each separate new organ; & so in cases of alternate generation.—6 But I will not scribble any more. Hearty thanks to you, you best of critics & most learned man.
Yours most truly | C. Darwin
I was delighted to see the 3rd Editn. advertised of your “Man”.7
Your last note made us all laugh.— The future rummager of my papers will I fear, make widely opposite remarks—8
Footnotes
Bibliography
Correspondence: The correspondence of Charles Darwin. Edited by Frederick Burkhardt et al. 29 vols to date. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. 1985–.
English catalogue of books: The English catalogue of books. Comprising the contents of the ‘London’ and the ‘British’ catalogues, and the principal works published in the United States of America and continental Europe. Compiled by Sampson Low. 3 vols. London: Sampson Low, Marston, Low, & Searle. 1864–82.
Olby, Robert. 1963. Charles Darwin’s manuscript of pangenesis. British Journal for the History of Science 1: 251–63.
Variation: The variation of animals and plants under domestication. By Charles Darwin. 2 vols. London: John Murray. 1868.
Summary
Has read Buffon; whole pages are like his own. But CD is not converted to non-belief. There is a fundamental distinction between Pangenesis and Buffon. Fears he may not resist publishing it, but will be cautious.
Letter details
- Letter no.
- DCP-LETT-4872
- From
- Charles Robert Darwin
- To
- Thomas Henry Huxley
- Sent from
- Down
- Source of text
- Imperial College of Science, Technology and Medicine Archives (Huxley 5: 221)
- Physical description
- ALS 4pp
Please cite as
Darwin Correspondence Project, “Letter no. 4872,” accessed on 26 September 2022, https://www.darwinproject.ac.uk/letter/?docId=letters/DCP-LETT-4872.xml
Also published in The Correspondence of Charles Darwin, vol. 13