My dear M^r. Kingsley

Although you are so kind as to tell me not to write, I must send a few lines to thank you for your letter.² It is very interesting & surprising to me that you find at Cambridge after so short an interval a greater willingness to accept the views which we both admit. I do not doubt that this is largely owing to a man so eminent as yourself venturing to speak out. The mass of educated men will always sooner or later follow those, whose knowledge they recognize on any especial study; & this being the case I feel no doubt that views closely akin to those which I have advocated will ultimately be universally admitted. The younger working naturalists are almost all coming round: recently one of the paleontologists in Jermyn St³ told me that he did not know a single rising man who did not largely adopt my views and I hear that this is the case likewise in Germany.⁴

I literally did not find, nor did Sir C. Lyell,⁵ one single new idea in the Graduates’ of Cambridge book.⁶ My work on Variation Under Domestication is delayed by the index but will appear about the close of the year; and I have told Murray to send a copy to Eversley.⁷ You will find the greater part quite unreadable—a mere encyclopedia of facts—but certain portions may, & I heartily hope will, interest you.

With hearty thanks for all your kindness | My dear M^r. Kingsley, yours very sincerely | Charles Darwin