To T. H. Huxley 2 December [1860]
Down Bromley Kent
Dec 2d
My dear Huxley
I humbly beg pardon. I am getting old & dotty I suppose, for I was distinctly thinking of Von Baer & in both notes wrote von Siebold!1 The Lord have mercy on poor old noddle.— I have not read Phillips though it lies staring me in the face;2 for I have got fairly sick of hostile Reviews. Nevertheless they have been of use in showing me where to expatiate a little & to introduce a few new discussions. Of course, I will send you copy of new Edition.—
I entirely agree with you that the difficulties on my notions are terrific, yet having seen what all the Reviews have to say against me, I have far more confidence in the general truth of the doctrine that I formerly had.— Another thing gives me confidence viz. that some who went an inch with me now go further, & some who were bitterly opposed are now less bitterly opposed. And this makes me feel a little disappointed that you are not inclined to think the general view in some slight degree more probable than you did at first. This I consider rather ominous. Otherwise I shd. be more than contented with your degree of belief.— I can pretty plainly see that if my view is ever to be generally adopted, it will be by young men growing up & replacing the old workers, & these young ones finding that they can group facts & search out new lines of investigation better on the notion of descent, that on that of creation.—
But forgive me for running on so egotistically. Living so solitary as I do one gets to think in silly manner of one’s own work.—
Ever yours very sincerely | C. Darwin
Bibliography
Phillips, John. 1860. Life on the earth, its origin and succession. Cambridge and London: Macmillan and Co.
Summary
Is sick of hostile reviews but they have helped in showing where he must expatiate and expand in new edition of Origin.
Has more confidence in the general truth of his view. Disappointed THH does not think it more probable than he did at first.
Letter details
- Letter no.
- DCP-LETT-3003
- From
- Charles Robert Darwin
- To
- Thomas Henry Huxley
- Sent from
- Down
- Source of text
- Imperial College of Science, Technology and Medicine Archives (Huxley 5: 149)
- Physical description
- ALS 4pp
Please cite as
Darwin Correspondence Project, “Letter no. 3003,” accessed on 24 November 2024, https://www.darwinproject.ac.uk/letter/?docId=letters/DCP-LETT-3003.xml
Also published in The Correspondence of Charles Darwin, vol. 8