Mivart is savage or contemptuous about my "moral sense," and so probably will you be. I am extremely pleased that he agrees with my position, as far as animal nature is concerned, of man in the series; or, if anything, thinks I have erred in making him too distinct.
Forgive me for scribbling at such length.
You have put me quite in good spirits, I did so dread having been unintentionally unfair towards your views. I [pg 259]hope earnestly the second volume will escape as well. I care now very little what others say. As for our not quite agreeing, really in such complex subjects it is almost impossible for two men who arrive independently at their conclusions to agree fully—it would be unnatural for them to do so.—Yours ever very sincerely,
CH. DARWIN.
Holly House, Barking, E. March 11, 1871.
Dear Darwin,—I need not say that I read your second volume with, if possible, a greater interest than the first, as so many topics of special interest to me are treated of. You will not be surprised to find that you have not convinced me on the "female protection" question, but you will be surprised to hear that I do not despair of convincing you. I have been writing, as you are aware, a review for the Academy, which I tried to refuse doing, but the Editor used as an argument the statement that you wished me to do so. It is not an easy job fairly to summarise such a book, but I hope I have succeeded tolerably. When I got to discussion, I felt more at home, but I most sincerely trust that I may not have let pass any word that may seem to you in the least too strong.
You have not written a word about me that I could wish altered, but as I know you wish me to be candid with you, I will mention that you have quoted one passage in a note (p. 376, Vol. II.) which seems to me a caricature of anything I have written.
Now let me ask you to rejoice with me, for I have got my chalk pit, and am hard at work engineering a road up its precipitous slopes. I hope you may be able to come and see me there some day, as it is an easy ride from London, and I shall be anxious to know if it is equal to the pit in the wilds of Kent Mrs. Darwin mentioned when I lunched with you. Should your gardener in the autumn have any [pg 260]thinnings out of almost any kind of hardy plants they would be welcome, as I have near four acres of ground in which I want to substitute ornamental plants for weeds.
With best wishes, and hoping you may have health and strength to go on with your great work, believe me, dear Darwin, yours very faithfully,