WCP5343

[1]

Down Bromley Kent

23^rd Dec[embe]^r [18]59.

My dear Hooker

I received last night your "Introduction"¹, for which very many thanks: I am surprised to see how big it is: I shall not be able to read it very soon. —

It was very good of you to send Naudin², for I was very curious to see it. I am surprised that Decaisne³ sh[oul]^d say it was same as mine. ^Naudin He gives artificial selection as well as a a[sic] score of English writers; & when he says species were formed in the same manner I thought the paper would ^certainly prove exactly the same as mine. But I cannot [2] find one word like the Struggle for existence & Natural Section. On the contrary he brings in his principle ^{(p. 106)} of Finality (which I do not understand) which he says with some ^authors is fatality, with others Providence, & which adapts the forms of every Being, & harmonises them all throughout nature. —

He assumes (like old geologists assumed the forces of nature were formerly greater) that species were at first more plastic. His simile of tree & classification is like mine (& others), but he cannot, I [3] think, have reflected much on subject, otherwise he would see that genealogy by itself does not give classification. — I declare I cannot see much closer approach to Wallace & me in Naudin than in Lamarck⁴ — we all agree in modification & descent. —

If I do not hear from you I will return Revue⁵ in a few days (with the cover). — I daresay Lyell⁶ would be glad to see it. — By the way I will retain the volume, till [4] I hear whether I shall not send it to Lyell. I sh[oul]^d rather like Lyell to see this note; though it is foolish work sticking up for independence or priority. —

Ever yours | C. Darwin [signature]