Dear Darwin

Many thanks for your letter¹   I thought I had expressed the adaptation theory in the passage p 30 beginning “The doctrine of Cuvier”— Possibly you mean that I have not given examples of the special means—² as to special facts if I had given only one or two (& more than a few I had no space for), they would have been cavilled at—their value greatly depending on their number   I was anxious to put forward such arguments as seemed to me unanswerable & which addressed themselves not merely to specialists—

I said not much about the adaptation view though entirely agreeing with it because the answer would have been that the argument cut both ways as whether an animal by circumstance Natural selection &c became suited to locality in conformation habits &c—or was specially created for p⁠⟨⁠arti⁠⟩⁠cu⁠⟨⁠lar⁠⟩⁠ circumstances the adaptation would equally be a necessity— an animal or plant must within limits be adapted to circumstance or not be at all—

I wanted the authorities much to press on you the chair of the British Assn. but all agreed your health would not stand it & I now agree, for it is most trying & exciting work even when as at Nottingham most successful³

yrs most truly | W R Grove

I have only just returned