To J. D. Hooker   31 March [1858]

Down Bromley Kent

March 31st

My dear Hooker

I send off by carrier tonight Ledebour to be forwarded per Deliverance Coy.—1 I have kept it longer than I expected, as I found two or three things to look into.— Many thanks for the loan.—

I progress slowly with my hazy discussion.— Will you read it? when fairly copied; you can take your time; it will not be very long, though longer than I expected. If you have much to say on it, I wd meet you in London to save your time; and if you will read it, I would tell you the one or two main points on which your opinion would be of much value to me.— I hope I am not asking a very odious favour.— I never before bothered myself with such a perplexing subject.—

I have just been reading Huxleys paper on Aphis:2 it seems to me quite admirable & most philosophical. How he upsets Owen’s spermatic force & whole hypothesis of words!3

Farewell, my dear Hooker.— My paper will not be ready & copied for a week or two, if you will read it. Adios. | C. Darwin

Have you read Buckle I think you would be interested in it;4 I have been extremely, as I have, also, with Livingstone.—5

I have just received a present of L. Jenyns Metereology.—6

1
Ledebour 1842–53.
2
T. H. Huxley 1858.
3
See the two preceding letters. See Correspondence vol. 6, letter to T. H. Huxley, [before 12 November 1857], for CD’s comments on Owen’s hypothesis.
4
The first volume of Buckle 1857–61, which CD recorded having read early in 1858 (Correspondence vol. 4, Appendix IV, 128: 23). CD and Hooker had met Henry Thomas Buckle at a dinner party (see letter to J. D. Hooker, 23 February [1858], and letter from J. D. Hooker, [25] February [1858]).
5
Livingstone 1857. CD entered this work in his reading notebook on 12 April 1858, noting: ‘(the best Travels I ever read)’ (Correspondence vol. 4, Appendix IV, 128: 23). The book had been recommended to him by Hooker in 1857 (see Correspondence vol. 6, letter from J. D. Hooker, [2 December 1857]). Notes on Livingstone 1857 are scattered throughout the Darwin Archive (see DAR 45, 46.1, 47, 205.2, and 205.11 (2): 78–80).
6
Jenyns 1858. See following letter.

Manuscript Alterations and Comments

1.1 per] over ‘to’
2.6 before] interl
3.1 on Aphis] interl

Please cite as “DCP-LETT-2248,” in Ɛpsilon: The Charles Darwin Collection accessed on 5 June 2025, https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/dcp-data/letters/DCP-LETT-2248