From Alfred Newton   11 February 1870

My dear M^r. Darwin,

The gratification of which you are pleased to write is I can assure you mutual—¹ I am exceedingly glad to find that my notice of your investigations with regard to Pigeons satisfied you—but I cannot refrain from saying that the admirably lucid manner in which you placed the results before your readers rendered the task an easy one— indeed you will see that nearly every phrase used is your own—

I sometimes think that the labour expended by the Recorders is very inadequately appreciated by the scientific public— therefore your praise is doubly welcome— Almost every author considers that he is unfairly dealt by by his work being subjected to compression, and you are nearly the first who has told me that he was content now with the result as it appears in the ‘Record’.

I shall not soon forget the pleasure I enjoyed during my late visit to you and I am rejoiced to learn that you were none the worse for the excitement which simultaneous occurrence of so many raræ aves was likely to produce—²

D^r. M^cCann’s pamphlet of which I promised to let you know the particulars is entitled ‘Anti-Darwinism’ & is published by Bryce & Co., Glasgow— It is no real criticism of your theory but a virulent attack on Hooker & Huxley—from a metaphysical point of view which I in my ignorance cannot reach.³

I have been reading the article you told me of in the ‘North British Review’— the geological argument & that based on Sir W. Thomson’s researches are out of my line, but the assertions & reasoning with respect to the Zoological aspect are I think to be fully & entirely answered—⁴ Pray make my compliments to M^rs. Darwin & your daughters.⁵

& believe me | yours very truly | Alfred Newton