To Gaston de Saporta   24 September 1868

Dear Sir.

Owing to your letter of Sep: 6 having been addressed to London and not at once fowarded here, I received it only 2 or 3 days ago, otherwise I should not have allowed so long an interval to have elapsed before thanking you most sincerely for the honour which you have done me—¹ Your letter abounds with statements & remarks of the highest interest to me. A few years ago it would have been thought quite incredible that the Genus Magnolia should have existed so long ago;² & how much light the Antiquity of the genus Fagus throws on the distribution of the existing species on which subject, I have often felt much surprise.³ I fully appreciate the importance of your observations on the antiquity of certain varieties— It is also surprising to find that paleontology aids so much in giving us the origin of our fruit trees.—⁴ I am particularly obliged to you for telling me of the excellent instance of the direct action of pollen in Pistacia—⁵ As I have formerly read with great interest many of your papers on fossil plants you may believe with what high satisfaction I hear that you are a believer in the gradual evolution of Species—⁶ I had supposed that my book on the origin of species, had made very little impression in France and therefore it delights me to hear a different statement from you. All the great authorities of the Institute seem firmly resolved to believe in the immutability of species,⁷ and this has always astonished me in the country which has given birth to Buffon, Lamarck & Geoffroy S^t Hilaire.⁸ Almost the one exception, as far as I know is M^r. Gaudry⁹—& I think he will be soon one of the Chief Leaders in Zoological Paleontology in Europe & now I am delighted to hear that in the sister department of Botany you take nearly the same view.

With cordial thanks & the most sincere respect | I beg leave to remain dear Sir | Yours faithfully & obliged | Charles Darwin