WCP5339

[1]

Down Bromley Kent

21¹

My dear Hooker

Pray give my thanks to M^rs. ^Hooker2 for her extremely kind note, which has pleased me much. — We are very sorry she cannot come here, but shall be delighted to see you & Willy^{3 (our boys will be at home)} here in 2^nd week of January or any other time. — I shall much enjoy discussing any points in my Book with you. —

I think the copy of your [2] Introduction for Wallace had better go to Stephens'⁴. — Will you send me a copy? I hate to hear you abuse your own work. I on the contrary so sincerely value all that you have written. It is an old & firm conviction of mine, that the naturalists who accumulate facts & make many partial generalisations are the real [3] benefactors of science. Those who merely accumulate facts, I cannot very much respect.

I had hoped to have come up for the Club tomorrow, but very much doubt whether I shall be able. Ilkey seems to have done me no essential good. I attended the Bench on Monday & was detained in adjudicating some troublesome cases 1 ½ hour longer than usual, & came home utterly knocked up & cannot rally. — I am not worth [4] an old button.

It is curious about Revue Horticole.⁵

Many thanks for your pleasant note. | Ever yours | C. Darwin [signature]

I feel confident that for the future progress of the subject of the origin & manner of formation of species, the assent & arguments & facts of working naturalists like yourself are far more important than my own Book⁶: so for God's sake do not abuse your Introduction.

[5] P. S. | I have this minute received another most interesting letter from you with Asa Gray's⁷ — but I am feeling so sick that [6] I cannot read Gray's —

Your remarks are excellent — specially about explaining too much, yet I cannot yet see my error. —