Parts of the chapter on Pangenesis I found hard reading, and have not quite mastered yet, and there are also throughout the discussions in Vol. II. many bits of hard reading on minute points which we, who have not worked experimentally at cultivation and crossing as you have done, can hardly see the importance of, or their bearing on the general question.
If I am asked, I may perhaps write an article on the book for some periodical, and if so shall do what I can to make pangenesis appreciated.
I suppose Mrs. Darwin thinks you _must_ have a holiday, after the enormous labour of bringing out such a book as that. I am sorry I am not now staying in town. I shall, however, be up for two days on Thursday, and shall hope to see you at the Linnean, where Mr. Trimen has a paper on some of his wonderful South African mimetic butterflies.
I hope this will reach you before you leave.--Believe me yours very faithfully,
Dear Darwin,--I am very sorry your letter came back here while I was going to town, or I should have been very pleased to have seen you.
Trimen's paper at the Linnean was a very good one, but the only opponents were Andrew Murray and B. Seeman. The former talked utter nonsense about the "harmony of nature" produced by "polarisation," alike in "rocks, plants and animals," etc. etc. etc. And Seeman objected that there was mimicry among plants, and that our theory would not explain it.
Lubbock answered them both in his best manner.
Pray take your rest, and put my last notes by till you return to Down, or let your son discover the fallacies in them.
Would you like to see the specimens of pupæ of butterflies whose colours have changed in accordance with the colour of the surrounding objects? They are very curious, and Mr. T.W. Wood, who bred them, would, I am sure, be delighted to bring them to show you. His address is 89 Stanhope Street, Hampstead Road, N.W.--Believe me yours very faithfully,
Darwin had already written a short note to Wallace expressing a general dissent from his views.
_4 Chester Place, Regent's Park, N.W. March 17, 1868._
My dear Wallace,--Many thanks about Pieridæ. I have no photographs up here, but will remember to send one from Down. Should you care to have a large one, of treble or quadruple common size, I will with pleasure send you one under glass cover, to any address you like in London, either now or hereafter. I grieve to say we shall not be here on April 2nd, as we return home on the 31st. In summer I hope that Mrs. Wallace and yourself will pay us a visit at Down, soon after you return to London; for I am sure you will allow me the freedom of an invalid.