My dear Sir

My second volume on the everlasting Barnacles is at last published, & I will do myself the pleasure of sending you a copy to Jermyn St¹ next Thursday, as I have to send another book there to M^r. Baily.—²

And now I want to ask you a favour namely to answer me two questions. As you are so perfectly familiar with the doings &c of all continental naturalists, I want you to tell me a few names of those whom you think w^d. care for my volume. I do not mean in the light of puffing my book, but I want not to send copies to those who from other studies, age &c &c w^d view it as waste paper.— From assistance rendered me, I consider myself bound to send copies to

• 1. Bosquet of Maestricht
• 2. Milne Edwards
• 3 Dana.
• 4 Agassiz
• 5 Muller
• 6. W. Dunker of Hesse Cassel (?)³

Now I have 5 or 6 other copies to distribute & will you be so very kind as to help me? I had thought of Von Siebold, Loven, d’Orbigny, Kolliker, Sars, Kroyer, &c.⁴ but I know hardly anything about any of them.—

My second question, it is merely a chance whether you can answer, it is whether I can send these Books or any of them (in some cases accompanied by specimens) through the Royal Society: I have some vague idea of having heard that the Royal Soc. did sometimes thus assist members.—

I have just been reading your Review of the Vestiges,⁵ & the way you handle a great Professor is really exquisite & inimitable.⁶ I have been extremely interested on other parts & to my mind it is incomparably the best review I have read on the Vestiges; but I cannot think but that you are rather hard on the poor author. I must think that such a book, if it does no other good, spreads the taste for natural science.—

But I am perhaps no fair judge for I am almost as unorthodox about species as the Vestiges itself, though I hope not quite so unphilosophical. How capitally you analyse his notion about law. I do not know when I have read a review which interested me so much. By Heavens how the blood must have gushed into the capillaries when a certain great man (whom with all his faults I cannot help liking) read it.—⁷

I am rather sorry you do not think more of Agassizs embryological stages,⁸ for though I saw how excessively weak the evidence was, I was led to hope in its truth. I had no intention of prosing in this manner when I begun.

Pray believe me yours sincerely | C. Darwin