To J. V. Carus   21 March [1868]¹

My dear Sir—

Many thanks for your corrections   Lucaze is very bad.—² I am writing this letter in London & have not here the first Edit.; but in the Reprint vol. 2 p.294, the number of the note is given 7 & is “Pagets Lectures &c p.257”, but by mistake is added to end of the previous note 6.—³ When I return home I shall find no doubt Prof. Hartmanns work; & if you have any communication with him please give him my sincere thanks.⁴

I am very much obliged to you for sending me so frankly your opinion on pangenesis, & I am ⁠⟨⁠sorry⁠⟩⁠ it is unfavourable; but I cannot quite understand your remark on pangenesis selection & the struggle for life not being more methodical.—⁵ I am not at all surprised at your unfavourable verdict; I know many, probably most, will come to the same conclusion. One English Review says it is much too complicated.⁶ I must tell you Huxley’s⁷ joke: “Genesis is difficult to believe, but Pangenesis is a deuced deal more difficult”.— Some of my friends are enthusiastic on the hypothesis, & to me it has been a great relief, as affording some material bond by which so many phenomena can be connected. Sir C. Lyell says to everyone, “you may not believe in pangenesis, but if you once ⁠⟨⁠understand⁠⟩⁠ it, you will never get it out of your mind”.⁸ And with this criticism I am perfectly content. All cases of inheritance & reversion & development now appear to me under a new light;—whether this is false or true. Sir H. Holland maintains that it will be accepted until some better hypothesis is invented;⁹ & with this also I am perfectly content. But I shall weary you.— I do hope that my book may be at least successful enough that you may not regret the great labour which you have bestowed on it.

With cordial thanks, believe me | My dear Sir | Yours very sincerely | Ch. Darwin