My dear Hooker

I send just a line to thank for Begonias & the very curious Oxalis, which arrived quite safe.— I am low about the Plant=case, & cannot keep it hot enough.—²

It is not at all worth while to write about wild Gooseberry, unless you wish to have it in garden.—³

I keep obstinate about crossing & could argue till doomsday, but will not bother you.—⁴

I infer from G. Chronicle that you have read your Wellwitschia paper & I heartily wish you joy;⁵ for it is great satisfaction finishing a job. It is certainly the greatest pleasure about a book. I inferred from one of your notes that you did not think much of Huxley’s Lectures;⁶ they seem to me capital; perhaps not deserving of such a man’s time, but otherwise, as it seems to me, excellent.—

I have finished my Linum paper⁷ & an abstract of Bates’ paper⁸ for N. Hist Review—thank God—& today have begun to think of arrangement of my concluding chapters on Inheritance, Reversion—Selection & such things & am fairly paralysed how to begin & how to end & what to do with my huge piles of materials⁹

Ever yours affect^ly | C. Darwin