From Hermann Kindt   23 October 1865

In his letter of 17 October 1865, Kindt had asked CD to send an autograph and to correct an enclosed biographical sketch.

The autograph by CD appeared in the Autographic Mirror (L’Autograph Cosmopolite) 3 (1865), no. 262. CD’s copy of the journal has not been found. For the autograph CD reproduced a paragraph from the last chapter of Origin 3d ed., p. 514: I have now recapitulated the chief facts and considerations, which have thoroughly convinced me that species have been modified, during a long course of descent, by the preservation or the natural selection of many successive slight favourable variations. I cannot believe that a false theory would explain, as it seems to me that the theory of natural selection does explain, the several large classes of facts above specified. It is no valid objection that science as yet throws no light on the far higher problem of the essence or origin of life. Who can explain what is the essence of attraction of gravity? No one now objects to following out the results consequent on this unknown element of attraction; notwithstanding that Leibnitz formerly accused Newton of introducing “occult qualities & miracles into philosophy.”— Charles Darwin p 514 3^d Edit of “Origin” The biographical sketch is in Autographic Mirror (L’Autograph Cosmopolite) 3 (1865): 82–3.