My dear Mr Darwin

I am very glad to find that you so far agree with my views.¹ I am not surprised that my ideas abt the Red rocks are disputed. All theoretical papers are likely to meet with opposition when they do not coincide with established orthodoxy, and I have been very well accustomed to it before in cases that by degrees in 10 or 12 years have gathered many disciples.² Therefore I am not as yet afraid about the ultimate success of the red rock theory, aided as it seems to me to be by other circumstances all pointing to inland waters. I ought to have mentioned in my paper that the red Marles of Auvergne form a case in point.³ I believe that the great area of inland drainage in Central Asia presents the nearest existing parallel of the state of parts of the world during Permian & New Red times.

If I could only find time to go to Germany I think I have some very good fish to fry in re the physical state of Europe in part of the Tertiary epoch. At all events I would like to prove to myself whether what I have been brooding on for several years is true or false.

Do not take the trouble to answer this unimportant note.

Yours very sincerely | And^w C Ramsay