Your criticism
on the double sense in which I have used Natural Selection is new to me
and unanswerable; but my blunder has done no harm, for I do not believe
that anyone excepting you has ever observed it. Again, I agree that I
have said too much about "favourable variations," but I am inclined to
think you put the opposite side too strongly; if every part of every
being varied, I do not think we should see the same end or object gained
by such wonderfully diversified means.
I hope you are enjoying the country and are in good health, and are
working hard at your Malay Archipelago book, for I will always put this
wish in every note I write to you, like some good people always put in a
text. My health keeps much the same, or rather improves, and I am able
to work some hours daily.--With many thanks for your interesting letter,
believe me, my dear Wallace, yours sincerely,
CH. DARWIN.
P.S.--I suppose you have read the last number of H. Spencer; I have been
struck with astonishment at the prodigality of original thought in it.
But how unfortunate it is that it seems scarcely ever possible to
discriminate between the direct effect of external influences and the
"survival of the fittest.
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