登陆注册
38545600000256

第256章

My dear Sir, I thank you warmly for your letter; I did not in the least know that you had attended to my work. I assure you that the attention which you have paid to it, considering your knowledge and the philosophical tone of your mind (for I well remember one remarkable letter you wrote to me, and have looked through your various publications), I consider one of the highest, perhaps the very highest, compliments which I have received. I live so solitary a life that I do not often hear what goes on, and I should much like to know in what work you have published some remarks on my book. Itake a deep interest in the subject, and I hope not simply an egotistical interest; therefore you may believe how much your letter has gratified me;I am perfectly contented if any one will fairly consider the subject, whether or not he fully or only very slightly agrees with me. Pray do not think that I feel the least surprise at your demurring to a ready acceptance; in fact, I should not much respect anyone's judgment who did so: that is, if I may judge others from the long time which it has taken me to go round. Each stage of belief cost me years. The difficulties are, as you say, many and very great; but the more I reflect, the more they seem to me to be due to our underestimating our ignorance. I belong so much to old times that I find that I weigh the difficulties from the imperfection of the geological record, heavier than some of the younger men. I find, to my astonishment and joy, that such good men as Ramsay, Jukes, Geikie, and one old worker, Lyell, do not think that I have in the least exaggerated the imperfection of the record. (Professor Sedgwick treated this part of the 'Origin of Species' very differently, as might have been expected from his vehement objection to Evolution in general. In the article in the "Spectator" of March 24, 1860, already noticed, Sedgwick wrote: "We know the complicated organic phenomena of the Mesozoic (or Oolitic) period. It defies the transmutationist at every step. Oh! but the document, says Darwin, is a fragment; I will interpolate long periods to account for all the changes. I say, in reply, if you deny my conclusion, grounded on positive evidence, I toss back your conclusion, derived from negative evidence,--the inflated cushion on which you try to bolster up the defects of your hypothesis." [The punctuation of the imaginary dialogue is slightly altered from the original, which is obscure in one place.]) If my views ever are proved true, our current geological views will have to be considerably modified. My greatest trouble is, not being able to weigh the direct effects of the long-continued action of changed conditions of life without any selection, with the action of selection on mere accidental (so to speak) variability. I oscillate much on this head, but generally return to my belief that the direct action of the conditions of life has not been great. At least this direct action can have played an extremely small part in producing all the numberless and beautiful adaptations in every living creature. With respect to a person's belief, what does rather surprise me is that any one (like Carpenter) should be willing TO GO SO VERY FAR as to believe that all birds may have descended from one parent, and not go a little farther and include all the members of the same great division; for on such a scale of belief, all the facts in Morphology and in Embryology (the most important in my opinion of all subjects) become mere Divine mockeries...I cannot express how profoundly glad I am that some day you will publish your theoretical view on the modification and endurance of Brachiopodous species; I am sure it will be a most valuable contribution to knowledge.

Pray forgive this very egotistical letter, but you yourself are partly to blame for having pleased me so much. I have told Murray to send a copy of my new edition to you, and have written your name.

With cordial thanks, pray believe me, my dear Sir, Yours very sincerely, CH. DARWIN.

[In Mr. Davidson's Monograph on British Brachiopoda, published shortly afterwards by the Palaeontographical Society, results such as my father anticipated were to some extent obtained. "No less than fifteen commonly received species are demonstrated by Mr. Davidson by the aid of a long series of transitional forms to appertain to...one type." "Lyell, 'Antiquity of Man,' first edition, page 428.)In the autumn of 1860, and the early part of 1861, my father had a good deal of correspondence with Professor Asa Gray on a subject to which reference has already been made--the publication in the form of a pamphlet, of Professor Gray's three articles in the July, August, and October numbers of the 'Atlantic Monthly,' 1860. The pamphlet was published by Messrs.

同类推荐
  • 黄书

    黄书

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 海忠介公全集

    海忠介公全集

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • On Dreams

    On Dreams

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 道神足无极变化经

    道神足无极变化经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 审视瑶函

    审视瑶函

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
热门推荐
  • 纯雪生灵

    纯雪生灵

    如果能够回到十年前,你最想做的事是什么?故事的起点是在二OO九年,一个非主流和杀马特横行的时代。最爱的女人被抢走,周雨生带着强烈的不甘和悔恨重生到了十年前,这一世,没有什么可以阻挡他走向女神的步伐!(这是一个根据真实经历幻想的故事。)
  • 穿越之锦衣风华

    穿越之锦衣风华

    谢橙作为一个新世纪预备警员,竟然遇见穿越这样离奇的事,诡异的重生,神秘的血脉,还有一个自心悦于她的男人,这一切的一切都究竟有什么联系,且看她如何打破阴谋,书写属于她的锦绣风华
  • Letters

    Letters

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 随身空间之幸福来敲门

    随身空间之幸福来敲门

    人生总是会有遗憾,悔恨。白小鸥在若干年后,跌落云端,以为死亡会是她的终结。可是幸运的是重来一次。
  • 我是青梅你是猪吗

    我是青梅你是猪吗

    如果用一个词去概括你的过去,你会用哪个词呢?陈言一说:“有得亦有失。”那你的未来呢?“未来的事谁知道呢。”说这话的那天,是我们的二十八岁生日。
  • 豪门复仇这个小妞有点狠

    豪门复仇这个小妞有点狠

    本以为是最幸福的一天,母亲却为救自己而死,晕倒之前,看到父亲拥着那个女人站在不远处,帮母亲报仇,夺回家产成了女孩活下去的唯一信念<br>十年之后少女回国,却不想事情远比她想的复杂,这一切背后还有更大阴谋,不过这次他们的好日子到头了……
  • 绝世毒医:妖孽圣女闯天下

    绝世毒医:妖孽圣女闯天下

    我叫紫泠舞,23世纪金牌杀手“邪舞”,金牌毒医“毒舞”,在杀手组织里是一个男孩在我哭泣时安慰,在我任务失败时帮助,后来我们一起当杀手,是惊天动地的杀手搭档“舞涩”。但怎知?他为了一个组织荣耀,宁可对我下杀手只为得到我祖上遗留紫玉手镯。悬崖边,他用我亲手做的舞刀刺我胸膛,我跃下悬崖,紫玉手镯?呵,别想得到!我在一府中醒来,原来我穿越了。对爱情不再有幻想,我要站在这世界最巅峰!
  • 花都魔少

    花都魔少

    红尘坠,沧桑心,赴汤蹈火为兄弟。天魔落,万花中,护花使者逍遥心。林辰无意中修炼魔教无上魔典天魔功,从此纵横花都,逍遥一世,留下无尽的传奇……
  • 九世帝王劫

    九世帝王劫

    创立绝世功法,轮回九世,经历各种事事,美女相伴,拥有最强秘境,可万古不灭,成为万古第一仙帝!
  • 花夏时藏

    花夏时藏

    我喜欢你,无关于你。如果有一天时光倒流,我会选择从来没有出现在你的生活里。在一个陌生的城市擦肩而过,谁也不会停留。