My dear M^r. Darwin,

I have not seen the work you mention & will be much obliged by your lending it to me.¹

I know both writers however; Fison from Morgan’s paper; & Hewitt from a paper in Smyth’s “Aborigines of Victoria”   I had hoped I had written my last word on Australian Kinship on which I prepared about three years ago a chapter of some length for my book. But I had better see all they have to say. It is a deplorable instance of the helplessness of the human mind when speculating on false facts; & nearly all the so called facts about the Kamilaroi, Baralong &^c, are obvious mistakes of observation. Besides this these excellent men are under the guidance of M^r. Morgan whose system, I say it deliberately, turns on a falsehood without uttering which he could not have moved. “When addressing a person who is not a relative they say my friend”.² Lafilaū, from whom he mainly took his account of the Iroquois (without acknowledgement) says expressly the contrary & so without exception do all the Jesuit fathers.³ Where ever you find “the classificatory” system you find all strangers addressed by terms of relationship indicative of the respect sought to be paid to them. “My father” “My uncle” “My brother” &^c..

I have been very ill since Thursday last.⁴ This afternoon I feel better. My diet is now milk & lime water!

Thank D^r. Frank for the copies of Nature & with kindest regards from my wife⁵ & self to you & M^rs. Darwin I am always | Yours sincerely J. F M^cLennan