My dear Hooker

I am particularly glad of the reference about Leguminosæ, as I am at a dead lock with regard to them.² Botanists seem to differ so much about Campanulaceæ, that I have given them up almost in despair, & cannot but think old C. C. Sprengel was right.—³

What a letter of Col. Portlock;⁴ it beats hollow all the many proofs which I have seen how little men, who are not naturalists, understand of Nat. History.—

I shall write to Harvey as it will cost him only a brief answer.—⁵

How I do wish I lived near you to discuss matters with.— I have just been comparing definitions of species, & stating briefly how systematic naturalists work out their subject:—Aquilegia in F. Indica was a capital example for me.—⁶ It is really laughable to see what different ideas are prominent in various naturalists minds, when they speak of “species” in some resemblance is everything & descent of little weight—in some resemblance seems to go for nothing & Creation the reigning idea—in some descent the key—in some sterility an unfailing test, with others not worth a farthing. It all comes, I believe, from trying to define the undefinable.

I suppose you have lost the odd black seed from Birds Dung, which germinated— anyhow it is not worth taking trouble over— I have now got about a dozen seeds out of small Birds dung.—⁷

Adios— | My dear Hooker | Ever yours | C. Darwin