The Dialogue Itself, Which Was Unearthed From The Early Files Of The PRESS, Mainly Owing To The Exertions Of Mr. Henry Festing Jones, Was Reprinted, Together With The Correspondence That Followed Its Publication, In The PRESS Of June 8 And 15, 1912.

Soon after the original appearance of Butler's dialogue a copy of it fell into the hands of Charles Darwin, possibly sent to him by a friend in New Zealand.

Darwin was sufficiently struck by it to forward it to the editor of some magazine, which has not been identified, with the following letter:-

Down, Bromley, Kent, S.E. March 24 [1863].

(Private).

Mr. Darwin takes the liberty to send by this post to the Editor a New Zealand newspaper for the very improbable chance of the Editor having some spare space to reprint a Dialogue on Species. This Dialogue, written by some [sic] quite unknown to Mr. Darwin, is remarkable from its spirit and from giving so clear and accurate a view of Mr. D. [sic] theory. It is also remarkable from being published in a colony exactly 12 years old, in which it might have [sic] thought only material interests would have been regarded.

The autograph of this letter was purchased from Mr. Tregaskis by Mr. Festing Jones, and subsequently presented by him to the Museum at Christ Church. The letter cannot be dated with certainty, but since Butler's dialogue was published in December, 1862, and it is at least probable that the copy of the PRESS which contained it was sent to Darwin shortly after it appeared, we may conclude with tolerable certainty that the letter was written in March, 1863.

Enter page number Go  Previous Next
Page 2 of 52
Words from 269 to 543 of 14251