I mean to publish the lecture in full by and by (about the time the orchids come out).
Ever yours faithfully,
T.H. Huxley.
I deserved the greatest credit for not having made an onslaught on Brewster for his foolish impertinence about your views in "Good Words," but declined to stir nationality, which you know (in him) is rather more than his Bible.
Jermyn Street, January 16, 1862.
My dear Hooker,
I wonder if we are ever to meet again in this world! At any rate I send to the remote province of Kew, Greeting, and my best wishes for the new year to you and yours. I also inclose a slip from an Edinburgh paper containing a report of my lecture on the "Relation of Man," etc. As you will see, I went in for the entire animal more strongly, in fact, than they have reported me. I told them in so many words that I entertained no doubt of the origin of man from the same stock as the apes.
And to my great delight, in saintly Edinburgh itself the announcement met with nothing but applause. For myself I can't say that the praise or blame of my audience was much matter, but it is a grand indication of the general disintegration of old prejudices which is going on.
I shall see if I cannot make something more of the lectures by delivering them again in London, and then I shall publish them.
The report does not put nearly strongly enough what I said in favour of Darwin's views. I affirmed it to be the only scientific hypothesis of the origin of species in existence, and expressed my belief that one gap in the evidence would be filled up, as I always do.