Ɛpsilon

To Archibald Geikie   27 February [1861]1

Down Bromley Kent

Feb. 27th

Dear Sir

You cannot know how much your note has pleased me.2 I am naturally, & I hope not only selfishly, deeply interested in the progress of opinion on the mutability of species. I have long been convinced that species will be held to be all aboriginal creations as long as the geological record is looked at as nearly perfect.3 Therefore you may believe with what high satisfaction I have read the remarks of one, who like yourself has large & practical knowledge of geology.4

He who can shake the general belief that we should be able to trace the mutation of species in our formations, if they (ie species) have changed, will I believe do high service to natural science; & this will be in your power.—

Again let me thank you for your note; though I was far from expecting that anyone would thank me for so trifling a present.—5

I have just finished correcting a new Edit. of the Origin with some additions, & I will do myself the pleasure of telling my Publisher to send you a copy, as soon as it is out.—6

Pray believe me | Dear Sir | Yours very faithfully | Charles Darwin

1
The year is established by the reference to the publication of the third edition of Origin; see n. 6, below.
2
Geikie’s letter has not been found.
3
CD wrote about the imperfection of the geological record in chapter 9 of Origin (pp. 279–311).
4
Geikie was a member of the Scottish branch of the Geological Survey of Great Britain (DNB). See also Correspondence vol. 9, letter to T. W. St C. Davidson, 30 April 1861 and n. 4.
5
Geikie may have written to thank CD for the presentation copy of Asa Gray’s pamphlet on Origin (Natural selection not inconsistent with natural theology. A free examination of Darwin’s treatise on the origin of species; A. Gray 1861) that CD sent him in late February 1861 (see Correspondence vol. 9, Appendix III).
6
The third edition of Origin was published in April 1861. Geikie’s name is on CD’s list of those sent presentation copies (see Correspondence vol. 9, Appendix VII); his name is not on CD’s list of those sent presentation copies of the second edition (see Correspondence vol. 8, Appendix III).

Manuscript Alterations and Comments

2.2 (ie species)] interl

Please cite as “DCP-LETT-3073F,” in Ɛpsilon: The Charles Darwin Collection accessed on 5 June 2025, https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/dcp-data/letters/DCP-LETT-3073F