ing degrees of sterility!

However, the fact remains an excellent answer to the statement that
sterility of hybrids proves the absolute distinctness of the parents.

I have been reading with great pleasure Mr. Bentham's last admirable
address,[71] in which he so well replies to the gross misstatements of
the _Athenaeum_; and also says a word in favour of pangenesis. I think we
may now congratulate you on having made a valuable convert, whose
opinions on the subject, coming so late and being evidently so well
considered, will have much weight.

I am going to Norwich on Tuesday to hear Dr. Hooker, who I hope will
boldly promulgate "Darwinianism" in his address. Shall we have the
pleasure of seeing you there?

I am engaged in negotiations about my book.

Hoping you are well and getting on with your next volumes, believe me
yours very faithfully,

ALFRED R. WALLACE.

* * * * *

_Freshwater, Isle of Wight. August 19, 1868._

My dear Wallace,--Thanks for your note. I did sometimes think of going
to Norwich, for I should have very much liked it, but it has been quite
out of the question. We have been here for five weeks for a change, and
it has done me some little good; but I have been forced to live the life
of a drone, and for a month before leaving home I was unable to do
anything and had to stop all work.

We return to Down to-morrow.

Hooker has been here for two or three days, so that I have had much
talk about his Address. I am glad that you will be there.

It is real good news that your book is so advanced that you are
negotiating about its publication.

With respect to dimorphic plants: it is a great puzzle, but I _fancy_ I
partially see my way--too long for a letter and too speculative for
publication. The groundwork of the acquirement of such peculiar
fertility (for what you say about any other distinct individual being,
as it would appear, sufficient, is very true) rests on the stamens and
pistil having varied first in relative length, _as actually occurs_
irrespective of dimorphism, and the peculiar kind of fertility
characteristic of dimorphic and the trimorphic plants having been
_secondarily_ acquired. Pangenesis makes _very_ few converts: G.H. Lewes
is one.

I had become, before my nine weeks' horrid interruption of all work,
extremely interested in sexual selection and was making fair progress.
In truth, it has vexed me much to find that the further I get on, t