To T. H. Farrer   6 May [1869]¹

My dear M^r Farrer

Thanks for your note. I doubted about degradation, & had not slightest objection to gradation, because I did not like the idea, & knew nothing about the facts.

I disliked & still dislike the idea because I can see no reason for it. V. cornuta (I believe) & certainly V. canina & odorata produce perfect flowers adapted for a cross, & small closed flowers to insure a stock of seed through self-fertilisation. V. tricolor which it seems stands near one end of the series does not produce the small closed flowers, & is only very moderately fertile when the visits of insects are prevented.² Hence I can see no meaning in degradation, but every step in progress w^d be advantageous.

Yours very sincerely | Ch. Darwin

—But to invert a saying of Agassiz “Nature often lies” & does things quite contrary to theory.—³