Dear Sir

In the course of 10 days we are to have a paper read (in connection with a literary society of wh I am a member) on “Darwinism & its relation to Theological Thought”¹ There will likely be a debate afterwards & to have a clear apprehension of the subject I lack some knowledge, knowledge that I cannot find in Encyclopedias nor any other source, so I have thought of applying to the fountain head— I acknowledge I might have bought your works & studied them—but my dear sir I am a young man up to the neck among business² & therefore have not time, for what little time I have I am devoting to other studies meantime

I know that your great idea is natural selection but do you hold & teach in your works that man is evolved out of an inferior species— that one species changing into another thro endless ages at last man comes on the scene as a developement superior but produced from all that has gone before. Do you hold that in contradistinction to the narrative given in Genesis that God created man by the word of his power & that from the dust of the Earth.³

I hope you will do me the favor of replying to these queries— perhaps the natural impetuosity of youth may account to you for my boldness in thus addressing you

I have the honor | to remain | Yrs very truly | J. H Martin

I may mention that it is a reverend gentleman who is to read the paper referred to—⁴