My dear Darwin

Thanks for the names of the Orchid: books; please let me see them when you have arranged your pamphlets 3 mo^s hence.²

Have you read Claparede?³ it is not so good as I expected it would have been, & is rather windy I think— is it worth translation as an avant courier for the “Origin of Man”?⁴ if so I would set some one to do it for Nature or some other periodical.—

You & old Brandt are “en lutte” for the Acad: of Sciences. which will be decided I hear on the 15^th. or 20^th.— What a farce it is!⁵

I am delighted to hear that you are on the eve of printing—⁶ I am hard at work on Nepenthes for DC. Prodr:— this genus supports Miquels & Wallace’s view of the identity of Bornean & Sumatran Zoology & the differences of Java from either most marvellously. Who first published on that curious point? I remember old Blume telling me of it in Leyden in 1845. and I think that Miquel has published on it— can you refer me?⁷

Hodgson has been here for 2 days, & is nettled at you not having alluded in your chapter on dogs to his paper on the Indian dog—⁸ I told him that I could not doubt but that it was not it’s value that you underrated, but that it illustrated no points in his subject.—

Bastian’s paper in Nature is full of curious matter but eminently unsatisfactory in treatment I think, & poorly written.⁹

Lyell was here on Tuesday, looking remarkably well— he does not like Bentham’s Address at all— or perhaps only the drift of it. I am so glad you admire it’s care & thought.¹⁰

We spent last Sunday at Mr G. Macleays who has taken Pendell Court near Bletchyngly— he is a pleasant & interesting man, & an ardent admirer of his old curmudgeon of a brother— William.¹¹ I ascended to the top of the N. Downs (Eastern continuation of the Reigate range) & was struck with the capping of very fine gravel. I wish I knew more of tertiary geology, but suppose I should only disbelieve— as I do the whole theory of the upper & lower gravel levels of the Somme & Seine &c. I never can believe that existing rivers or river basins capped these hills with thick beds of gravel which represent either sea shores or drainage over great areas & an enormous amount of denudation of some still higher land, than the hill tops themselves—¹²

Ever your affectionate & ignorant skeptic | J D Hooker