_
My dear Sir,--When I thanked you for your little pamphlet[9] the other
day, I had not read it. I have since done so with great interest. Its
leading idea is, I think, undoubtedly true, and of much importance
towards an interpretation of the facts. Though I think that there are
some purely physical modifications that may be shown to result from the
direct influence of civilisation, yet I think it is quite clear, as you
point out, that the small amounts of physical differences that have
arisen between the various human races are due to the way in which
mental modifications have served in place of physical ones.
I hope you will pursue the inquiry. It is one in which I have a
direct interest, since I hope, hereafter, to make use of its
results.--Sincerely yours,
HERBERT SPENCER
* * * * *
SIR C. LYELL TO A.R. WALLACE
_53 Harley Street. May 22, [1864]._
My dear Sir,--I have been reading with great interest your paper on the
Origin of the Races of Man, in which I think the question between the
two opposite parties is put with such admirable clearness and fairness
that that alone is no small assistance towards clearing the way to a
true theory. The manner in which you have given Darwin the whole credit
of the theory of Natural Selection is very handsome, but if anyone else
had done it without allusion to your papers it would have been wrong.
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