It is an awful stretcher to believe that a peacock's tail was
thus formed; but believing it, I believe in the same principle somewhat
modified applied to man.
I doubt whether my notes would be of any use to you, and as far as I
remember they are chiefly on sexual selection.
I am very glad to hear that you are on your Travels. I believe you will
find it a very convenient vehicle for miscellaneous discussion. With
your admirable powers of writing, I cannot doubt that you will make an
excellent book.--Believe me, dear Wallace, yours sincerely,
CH. DARWIN.
P.S.--A great gun, Flourens, has written a little dull book against me;
which pleases me much, for it is plain that our good work is spreading
in France. He speaks of the _engouement_ about this book, "so full of
empty and presumptuous thoughts."
* * * * *
_Down, Bromley, Kent, S.E. January 29, 1865._
My dear Wallace,--I must ease my mind by saying how much I admire the
two papers you have sent me.
That on parrots[43] contained most new matter to me, and interested me
_extremely_; that in the _Geographical Journal_[44] strikes me as an
epitome of the whole theory of geographical distribution: the comparison
of Borneo and New Guinea, the relation of the volcanic outbursts and the
required subsidence, and the comparison of the supposed conversion of
the Atlantic into a great archipelago, seemed to me the three best hits.
Pages:
232
233
234
235
236
237
238
239
240
241
242
243
244
245
246
247
248
249
250
251
252
253
254
255
256