's "Explanatory Preface to the Catalogue of the Palaeontological
Collection in the Museum of Practical Geology," by T.H. Huxley and R.
Etheridge, 1865. Mr. Huxley appends a note at page xlix: "It should
be noted that these pages were written before the appearance of Mr.
Darwin's book on 'The Origin of Species'--a work which has effected a
revolution in biological speculation.") is simply the very best resume,
by far, on the whole science of Natural History, which I have ever seen.
I really have no criticisms: I agree with every word. Your metaphors
and explanations strike me as admirable. In many parts it is curious how
what you have written agrees with what I have been writing, only with
the melancholy difference for me that you put everything in twice as
striking a manner as I do. I append, more for the sake of showing that I
have attended to the whole than for any other object, a few most trivial
criticisms.

I was amused to meet with some of the arguments, which you advanced
in talk with me, on classification; and it pleases me, [that] my long
proses were so far not thrown away, as they led you to bring out here
some good sentences. But on classification (59/2. This probably refers
to Mr. Huxley's discussion on "Natural Classification," a subject
hardly susceptible of fruitful treatment except from an evolutionary
standpoint.) I am not quite sure that I yet wholly go with you, though
I agree with every word you have here said. The whole, I repeat, in my
opinion is admirable and excellent.

LETTER 60. TO J.D. HOOKER. Down, February 28th [1858].

Hearty thanks for De Candolle received. I have put the big genera in
hand. Also many thanks for your valuable remarks on the affinities
of the species in great genera, which will be of much use to me in my
chapter on classification. Your opinion is what I had expected from what
little I knew, but I much wanted it confirmed, and many of your remarks
were more or less new to me and all of value.

You give a poor picture of the philosophy of Botany. From my ignorance,
I suppose, I can hardly persuade myself that things are quite as bad as
you make them,--you might have been writing remarks on Ornithology! I
shall meditate much on your remarks, which will also come in very useful
when I write and consider my tables of big and small genera. I grieve
for myself to say that Watson agrees with your view, but with much
doubt. I gave him no guide what your opinion was. I have writ