Dear Darwin

I have been looking at Poplars. Most of the Trees are so big, that one would require a ladder to examine.²

One nice young tree of P. canescens is covered with ♂ catkins, I find no honey secreted, any where, I see no bees or other insects about the tree, & I find the pollen to be shed in great quantity in the powdery form.

This is all I have made out as yet.

I forgot last Sunday to ask you about Reversion, I am so glad you have taken up the subject.³ I do not understand you in saying that the child inherits nothing from its Grandparents except you mean (what I think you imply) that the Gndparents’ properties, if developed by the grdchild, were latent in the parent—& which I entirely believe—⁴ I wholly disbelieve Lyell’s dogma that a talented child can be born of untalented parents.⁵ In the case of every one of my Gdparents (Turners’)⁶ numerous grand children, I can descry some of his many wonderful qualities (bad good & indifferent), some patent in their parents, others latent but producible & I do not believe that one has a quality of its Grd parents, that was not transmitted through its parent.

I now well remember that the P.S. note to my Australian Essay was added to the 3^d. Revise of the sheet, after receiving the “Origin” from you, & it was its actual distribution that prompted the reference in the P.S.—⁷

Falconer is implacable & takes a most violent & most prejudiced view of Lyell— I had at him in vain; & Lubbock did his very best too, seperately— F. was far too far gone to care whether Owen would enjoy it or not. From F^s. tone it will be a very severe affair.⁸

Lubbock in N.H. Review, had in a note called attention to Lyell’s “doing injustice” to Prestwich & Falconer.⁹ I mollified the expression “injustice” in Lubbock’s paper (which was friendly & apologetic)   I am deeply sorry for it, but what can one do—? I do think Lyells first XII chapters a complete mess.¹⁰

Oliver asks if you have a spare copy of the Linum paper, he would be greatly obliged for one.¹¹

I do not know what to think of Tropical plants during cold period— As to their living through it, it is an impossibility— I quite go along with you in suggesting as many Tertiary or Secondary cold periods of migrations as you please.—¹² But that such an Order as Dipterocarpeæ, whose species are all ultra tropical, all trees,—containing many diverse genera & species, should have survived a cold period, or been developed since, are equally preposterous surmises in the present state of science.

It was very kind of you to keep my medallion passion in mind, I do hope those you mentioned will turn up—¹³ I should extremely like a cast of that of your Grandfather for our Museum here, & asked Woolner the Sculptor, who offered to have it done without any injury whatever, if you did not object to lend it for the purpose.—¹⁴ It is immensely valuable, so I shall not be vexed if you decline.

Falconer was so superlatively jocund at Lubbocks, I did wish you had been there to hear.¹⁵

If ever you find any local application do good to your Eczema, pray let me know, as my Fathers is getting bad again.¹⁶

I had a very jolly walk back in 1^h. 48”. to the house, & found the Busks & Tyndall arrived for dinner.¹⁷

I have not forgotten Edwardsia.¹⁸

I have a little girl down with bad sore throat not Diptheria thank God, something is evidently going through the family.¹⁹

Ever yours affec | J D Hooker

I hope I am not too severe on Lyells first Chapters—²⁰ the state of case is thus.—

I read first & second with delight, those reminded me of the Principles²¹—& after a long interval I skimmed III–X & was struck with the appearances of Lyells want of faith in all Prestwichs observations & facts—till ratified by his (Lyells) going down to spot & examining for himself—in short a decided appearance of suppression of credit due to P^s. originality & accuracy.²²

I then reread all very carefully, but could hardly justify my last verdict, & got quite confused & am so still.

I quite agree with you as to want of originality of whole work, but I expected no originality.—