My dear Hooker

It is most generous of you & Huxley to think of taking up, for my sake, & more especially on the grounds of justice, the false & shameful attack on George.¹ I think, however, that this is too disagreeable a job for any one to undertake without a strong personal motive. I can assure you that the possibility of such a thing never occurred to me; but I am deeply gratified by your sympathy. I have been wishing for some time that M^r Mivart w^d give me an opportunity of coming to an understanding with him; & why it did not occur to me to write direct to him I cannot imagine. Do you not think it w^d be a good plan for me to send him the enclosed note? If Huxley & you, on further deliberation are inclined to take any step in the matter, you can forward this letter & enclosure to Huxley. I expect that M^r. M. will refuse to answer; & in this case I should repeat that I was convinced that he was the author, & that it was as false, malicious & base an article as ever was written. You & Huxley, whether or not you do any thing, ought to read (& this w^d take you only a few minutes) George’s article on Marriage in the Contemp. for Aug. 73 & the passages about him in the Q. Rev. for July 74, so as to judge whether I am right in saying that there are no grounds for the direct accusation & the hideous innuendo which follows.

You ought also to read George’s short statement in the Oct. Number of the Q. & the Reviewer’s rejoinder.² Those who have read the article in the Q. & the rejoinder agree with me in thinking that the accusation was most direct, the excuse mere equivocation. If you & Huxley think I had better send the enclosed note to M^r M. I will do so at once, as I sh^d be very glad to know on what terms to stand with him. I should have said that my reasons for believing that the Article was written by him are slight peculiarities in subject & style, & 5 unusual expressions or remarks which he has lately employed in his acknowledged writing

My dear Hooker | yours affectionately | Ch. Darwin