D^r Darwin

A million thanks for your long & capital letter.² With all my attempts & wishes I have not been able to get through $\frac{1}{3}$ of Lyells book.³ What I have read I like extremely, especially as you do the Glacial Chapter—⁴ The fault is the unintentional impression conveyed, that untill he Lyell went & confirmed all & everybodies observations &c &c—they were little worth!⁵ Also that the book is far too long, or far too short—neither a summary nor a treatise

I am disappointed beyond measure at what you tell me of his withholding his own opinions on the origin & man questions—& am justly? wroth; for I have been holding Lyell up as a very godlike philospher for changing his views (under full conviction) after the 5^th. decade of his life—for hoisting his self with his own petard”⁶ & laying the gunpowder of variability of species under the fortress of the old “Principles” on which his horn was so justly exalted— to me what you tell me is a very great disappointment.⁷

I heard last night (from Murray) that he will not answer the Athenæum—⁸ I am glad of this, for though I must confess it will be against Lyell & a terrible punishment to Owen!—it is his only course. The impression raised on all hands is already I can quite see unfavorable to him in various ways.— “he had no business to go into the subject if he could not defend his own position in it”.— “he ought to acknowledge the ill-feeling & vindicate the holding it” &c &c &c— Then the not answering will be attributed to Lyell’s known timidity. &c &c.

I am most comforted by what you think of Lyells not feeling it, as much as I suppose—⁹ that is to me the great matter now, that “what’s done can’t be helped”.

I feared its deeply hurting him—& preying on his mind; it would me, & I should make a clean breast of it in Athenæum   As it is it will do Lyell an immense deal of injury I think.

As to the falseness futility & Jesuitry of Owens whole letter, it cannot be exaggerated—as you say, he has thrown a fog over the whole subject— I cannot understand his letter at all—but this was part of his plan—the first & last paragraphs are intelligeable enough!¹⁰

I need not say that everyone says that Lyell’s Brain-chapter was Huxley’s writing, though not his words.¹¹ I have just received H’s coarse-looking little book.—¹² not fit as somebody said to me, for a gentlemans table— I am sorry for this— Falconer, who has the most delicate & refined sense in such matters of any man I ever met,—is disgusted with the wood-cut of the shambles, & would let no young Lady look at it.¹³

But oh Lord I shall never stop at this rate.

Ever yours affec | J D Hooker