Sends Origin to JP. Says it is as yet only an abstract. Fears JP will "fulminate anathemas" against it. Asks him to read it all straight through, otherwise it will be unintelligible.

Is not so foolish as to expect to convert anyone. CD remembers how many long years his own conversion took. Hooker "has completely given up species as immutable creatures".

Though many facts of palaeontology may be against his theory, CD begs JP to consider whether a theory wholly false could explain several classes of facts – which CD enumerates.