To Alexander Goodman More 8 March [1861]1
Down Bromley Kent
March 8th
My dear Sir
I am much obliged for your note & most kind offer of observing Orchids.2 Later on I will remind you on points connected with E. palustris; & I will further venture to trouble you for a few specimens of O. ustulata & Aceras, if they grow anywhere near you; for then I shall have examined large majority of British species.—3 I never understood whether E. palustris grew near you: I have always regretted that I did not ask you last Autumn to gather me two or three roots, which I would have attempted to grow in pot with lot of water. I have got many orchids in my garden; including the rare Goodyera.—4
I am not in the least surprised at your demurring to accept my notions on species. It took me long years before I converted myself; though daily thinking & observing on the subject. You ask why I shd. not draw a line & allow natural selection to do a little work & no more. I can give no direct answer to this. But I think you do not fully see how, as it seems to me, the subject may fairly be approached. Take the case of Light,—the existence of Ether, & the existence of its undulations are both absolutely hypothetical or conjectural; but because this hypothesis explains and groups together a multitude of phenomena, it is now universally admitted as a true theory. So, as it seems to me, the descent of species with their modifications through natural selection groups together & fairly well explains many phenomena (as classification, morphology, rudimentary organs, embryology, partially geograph. Distrib. & partially geolog. succession) & therefore I believe in its truth. These phenomena are otherwise inexplicable; & my many hostile Reviewers have hardly attempted to impugn my explanations, therefore I believe Natural Selection will after many years prevail.
My dear Sir | Yours very sincerely | C. Darwin.
Footnotes
Bibliography
Correspondence: The correspondence of Charles Darwin. Edited by Frederick Burkhardt et al. 29 vols to date. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. 1985–.
Orchids: On the various contrivances by which British and foreign orchids are fertilised by insects, and on the good effects of intercrossing. By Charles Darwin. London: John Murray. 1862.
Summary
Obliged for offer to observe orchids.
Not surprised that AGM demurs to acceptance of his views. Discusses effects of natural selection.
Letter details
- Letter no.
- DCP-LETT-3084
- From
- Charles Robert Darwin
- To
- Alexander Goodman More
- Sent from
- Down
- Source of text
- Royal Irish Academy (A. G. More papers RIA MS 4 B 46)
- Physical description
- ALS 4pp
Please cite as
Darwin Correspondence Project, “Letter no. 3084,” accessed on 29 March 2024, https://www.darwinproject.ac.uk/letter/?docId=letters/DCP-LETT-3084.xml
Also published in The Correspondence of Charles Darwin, vol. 9