To G. J. Romanes   15 April [1878]¹

My dear Romanes

I can assure you that I was astonished when I read the list & read it over again as I could not believe my eyes that you were omitted.— I was truly grieved.—² Long before you were proposed I have had many talks with the President³ & others on their principles of selection, & I could clearly see that age & general position in scientific society (such as being a Professor &c) had great weight.; also, (& this perhaps is quite fair) having been proposed during several years; youth in itself appears to be a disqualification however much & good work may have been done.— I am thoroughily convinced that the Council endeavour to the utmost to act honestly without any personal feeling, according to such principles as they think ought to guide them.— I can solemnly declare that though I have spoken about your Medusa work to many persons, no one has ever doubted about its high value.⁴ I wish that I had cut the list of the 15 names out of the Times, for I cannot remember them. I saw that age, & patronage of Science & position had done much.—

Finally let me most earnestly beg you not to withdraw your name, whether or not you care about being elected; for all would say that you had withdrawn through ill-temper & would otherwise sneer at you.— According to my judgment the Council has made a gigantic mistake.

Yours very sincerely | Ch. Darwin

P.S. | If you agree (& for Heaven sake do so) to have your name resuspended, I believe that as your proposer I must write to the Assistant Secretary.⁵ I wish that you could sometime find out whether this is the case.