ad quite
forgotten that you had taken up the case of the giraffe in your first
memoir, and I must look to this. I feel very doubtful how far I shall
succeed in answering Mivart; it is so difficult to answer objections to
doubtful points and make the discussion readable. I shall make only a
selection. The worst of it is that I cannot possibly hunt through all my
references for isolated points; it would take me three weeks of
intolerably hard work. I wish I had your power of arguing clearly. At
present I feel sick of everything, and if I could occupy my time and
forget my daily discomforts or little miseries, I would never publish
another word. But I shall cheer up, I daresay, soon, being only just got
over a bad attack. Farewell. God knows why I bother you about myself.

I can say nothing more about missing links than what I have said. I
should rely much on pre-Silurian times; but then comes Sir W. Thomson
like an odious spectre. Farewell.--Yours most sincerely,

CH. DARWIN.

I was grieved to see in the _Daily News_ that the madman about the flat
earth has been threatening your life. What an odious trouble this must
have been to you.

P.S.--There is a most cutting review of me in the _Quarterly_:[89] I have
only read a few pages. The skill and style make me think of Mivart. I
shall soon be viewed as the most despicable of men. This _Quarterly_
review tempts me to republish Ch. Wright, even if not read by anyone,
just to show that someone will say a word against Mivart, and that his
(i.e. Mivart's) remarks ought not to be swallowed without some
reflection.

I quite agree with what you say that Mivart fully intends to be
honourable; but he seems to me to have the mind of a most able lawyer
retained to plead against us, and especially against me. God knows
whether my strength and spirit will last out to write a chapter versus
Mivart and others; I do so hate controversy, and feel I should do it so
badly.

P.S.--I have now finished the review: there can be no doubt it is by
Mivart, and wonderfully clever.

* * * * *

_Holly House, Barking, E. July 16, 1871._

Dear Darwin,--I am very sorry you are so unwell, and that you allow
criticisms to worry you so. Remember the noble army of converts you have
made! and the host of the most talented men living who support you
wholly. What do you think of putting C. Wright's article as an appendix
to the new edition of the "Origin"? That would get