To J. D. Hooker   27 May [1855]

My dear Hooker

It is such a pleasure to me to write to you that I must at once answer your note. You will have seen my report in the Gardeners Chron.—¹ I did not follow your suggestion of making a mere report, as I thought a bit of discussion w^d. make it more interesting; I did not care about being a little rash in speculating in a temporary publication like a newspaper.— We are come to a complete split on the philosophy of extension of continents: have not I been audacious in attacking poor dear Forbes’ theory?² You did not quite understand me in supposing that I meant only branches of trees; I meant whole plants: I must, however, try whether a herbaceous plant with fully ripe seeds will float, for a few weeks in sea-water.—³ What gave me great confidence in this notion of the fruit floating (which by the way partly answers the objection of dioecious plants, requiring seeds of both sexes) was, after writing to you, getting some gaping pods of laburnum &c &c heads of Compositæ, & putting them in salt-water, & how beautifully they close:⁴ I was perfectly astonished at the way the heads of a Dandelion & Colts-foot shut itself up.—

When we meet, I sh^d. like to know what you think of the landing of the seeds, which I remember you thought a great difficulty. All I want to show, or ever in most sanguine moments expected to show is the possibility in the long course of ages of a few plants being transported by currents. The real interesting thing would be to get a list of the Azores plants, & try & get the seeds of as many as I could, & test them; & by Jove I will!

Can you give me reference to Watson’s Paper⁵ or best list of the plants of this archipelago?— I am astonished at my own audacity in the way I have attacked E. Forbes & his followers; but is it not well that a word sh^d. be said on the other side. When such men as Wollaston, speaks of Madeira “as the sure & certain witness” of the Miocene continent.—⁶

I am extremely glad to hear that Carpenter appreciates your essay;⁷ because it raises C. in my estimation, & he already stood very high from the manner in which he has done his Comparative Physiology.—⁸

You ask about my Photograph; I have been done at the Club; but if I really have as bad an expression, as my photograph gives me, how I can have one single friend is surprising.⁹ My Brother has a large drawing of me, by Lawrence,¹⁰ of which he has had some photographs made & no doubt, if anyone really wished, others could be made.—

I wish I c^d get some Saxifrage seed: I have tried two seedsmen in vain.—

Perhaps you will be so kind, if in your power tell me where list of Azores plants can be found. I am trying your list;¹¹ but many of your plants are tender, & I fear I shall fail for want of hot-house: & the seedsman could not spare me many seeds of many of the kinds. Have you Hedysarum gyrans at Kew? I have tried to get a plant in vain. Is it easily propagated (I know absolutely nothing about it, it may be most precious or most common) if it be common I sh^d. like to have a specimen, (i.e. if I c^d. keep it alive in House) to try one of my very most foolish experiments with.—

Is Viola tricolor with only 4 sepals to calyx & only 4 petals to flower, (without the petal with the spur) a curiosity, I found one the other day,—only a single flower.— (now it is dry, the calyx looks as if it had 5.) do not notice this without it interests you, for it does not interest me.—¹² But I will enclose it.—

Forgive this long note— Do not be irate with my audacity on seed-transportal & believe me my very dear Hooker | Ever yours | C. Darwin

When will the new Edit. of your Journal come out?.¹³