To Joseph Hooker 14 April 1860

My dear Joseph

On returning the Ed.R. to Sedgwick I write thus- "You have so pencilled it that I have ventured to direct your attention (in a soft pencil easily rubbed out) to a few passages which seem to justify an opinion held by the leading Naturalists of London respecting the Author, vis. that he has a theory of his own to be matured, & is vexed at having been somewhat forstalled. Whether such an idea be right or wrong I can't say, but there are sentences which look wonderfully like private pique, & some that are certainly irrelevant, & unnecessarily sneering: seeing how far the Author really does agree with the idea of succession by modification (in some way or other) of successive generations. Tho' I don't believe C.D. has solved the problem, it is very clear that O. is looking forward to its solution, & apparently that he is to be the solver. If it be in the power of Man to solve it I hope he will, but in the mean time I think he need not be quite so supercilious upon an honest, hardworking, & painstaking fellow labourer. I am told this article has lowered O's reputation for fairness in the eyes of some eminent Naturalists who studiously avoid, as much as they can, mixing themselves up with the "Odium scientificum" if such an expression be allowable".

I appended the following notice to the scribble board, & read it out & hung it up.

"Gentlemen are requested not to scrawl or scribble on the dissecting boards. An unlimited supply of "Foolscap" is at the service of any one who is obliged to have recourse to these expedients for keeping awake: or, perhaps, the backs of the schedules may answer the purpose."

L.M.H. has heard from [illeg.] F. this morning

Ever Yrs affects

J. S. Henslow