To J. D. Hooker   [27 October or 3 November 1859]¹

My dear Hooker

I have read your discussion, as usual, with great interest.² The points are awfully intricate, almost at present beyond the confines of knowledge. The view which I should have looked at as perhaps most probable (though it hardly differs from yours) is that the whole world during the Secondary ages was inhabitedby Marsupials, Araucarias (mem fossil wood so common of this nature in S. America) Banksias &c, & that these were supplanted & exterminated in the greater area of the north, but were left alive in the south.—³ Whence these very ancient forms originally proceeded seems a hopeless enquiry.—

Your remarks on the passage of the northern forms southward, & of the southern forms of no kinds passing northward, seem to me grand.—⁴ Admirable, also, are your remarks on the struggle of vegetation: I find that I have rather misunderstood you, for I feared I differed from you, which I see is hardly the case at all.— I cannot help suspecting that you put rather too much weight to climate in case of Australia:⁵ La Plata seems to present such analogous facts, though I suppose the naturalisation of Europeans plants has there taken place on still larger scale than in Australia.

You see that I have no remarks worth sending— You use in first page “whose” funnily!

You will get 4 copies of my Book, one for self, & 3 for the foreign Botanists, in about 10 days or sooner,—ie as soon as the sheets can be bound in cloth. I hope this will not be too late for your parcel.—

When you read my volume, use your pencil, & score; so that sometime I may have a talk with you on any criticisms.—

I have been very bad lately; having had an awful “crisis” one leg swelled like elephantiasis—eyes almost closed up—covered with a rash & fiery Boils: but they tell me it will surely do me much good.— it was like living in Hell.—

Your affectly | C. Darwin