Last night I said to myself, I would just cut your Introduction, but would not begin to read, but I broke down, and had a good hour's read.
Farewell, yours affectionately, C. DARWIN.
CHARLES DARWIN TO J.D. HOOKER.
December 28th, 1859.
...Have you seen the splendid essay and notice of my book in the "Times"?
(December 26th.) I cannot avoid a strong suspicion that it is by Huxley;but I never heard that he wrote in the "Times". It will do grand service,...
C. DARWIN TO T.H. HUXLEY.
Down, December 28th [1859].
My dear Huxley, Yesterday evening, when I read the "Times" of a previous day, I was amazed to find a splendid essay and review of me. Who can the author be? I am intensely curious. It included an eulogium of me which quite touched me, though I am not vain enough to think it all deserved. The author is a literary man, and German scholar. He has read my book very attentively;but, what is very remarkable, it seems that he is a profound naturalist.
He knows my Barnacle-book, and appreciates it too highly. Lastly, he writes and thinks with quite uncommon force and clearness; and what is even still rarer, his writing is seasoned with most pleasant wit. We all laughed heartily over some of the sentences. I was charmed with those unreasonable mortals, who know anything, all thinking fit to range themselves on one side. (The reviewer proposes to pass by the orthodox view, according to which the phenomena of the organic world are "the immediate product of a creative fiat, and consequently are out of the domain of science altogether." And he does so "with less hesitation, as it so happens that those persons who are practically conversant with the facts of the case (plainly a considerable advantage) have always thought fit to range themselves" in the category of those holding "views which profess to rest on a scientific basis only, and therefore admit of being argued to their consequences.") Who can it be? Certainly I should have said that there was only one man in England who could have written this essay, and that YOU were the man. But I suppose I am wrong, and that there is some hidden genius of great calibre. For how could you influence Jupiter Olympius and make him give three and a half columns to pure science? The old fogies will think the world will come to an end. Well, whoever the man is, he has done great service to the cause, far more than by a dozen reviews in common periodicals. The grand way he soars above common religious prejudices, and the admission of such views into the "Times", Ilook at as of the highest importance, quite independently of the mere question of species. If you should happen to be ACQUAINTED with the author, for Heaven-sake tell me who he is?
My dear Huxley, yours most sincerely, C. DARWIN.