u attack a live bishop in that fashion? I
am quite ashamed of you! Have you no reverence for fine lawn sleeves?
By Jove, you seem to have done it well. If any one were to ridicule any
belief of the bishop's, would he not blandly shrug his shoulders and be
inexpressibly shocked? I am very, very sorry to hear that you are not
well; but am not surprised after all your self-imposed labour. I hope
you will soon have an outing, and that will do you real good.

I am glad to hear about J. Lubbock, whom I hope to see soon, and
shall tell him what you have said. Have you read Hopkins in the last
"Fraser?"--well put, in good spirit, except soul discussion bad, as I
have told him; nothing actually new, takes the weak points alone, and
leaves out all other considerations.

I heard from Asa Gray yesterday; he goes on fighting like a Trojan.

God bless you!--get well, be idle, and always reverence a bishop.

LETTER 109. TO J.D. DANA. Down, July 30th [1860].

I received several weeks ago your note telling me that you could not
visit England, which I sincerely regretted, as I should most heartily
have liked to have made your personal acquaintance. You gave me an
improved, but not very good, account of your health. I should at some
time be grateful for a line to tell me how you are. We have had a
miserable summer, owing to a terribly long and severe illness of
my eldest girl, who improves slightly but is still in a precarious
condition. I have been able to do nothing in science of late. My kind
friend Asa Gray often writes to me and tells me of the warm discussions
on the "Origin of Species" in the United States. Whenever you are
strong enough to read it, I know you will be dead against me, but I know
equally well that your opposition will be liberal and philosophical.
And this is a good deal more than I can say of all my opponents in
this country. I have not yet seen Agassiz's attack (109/1. "Silliman's
Journal," July, 1860. A passage from Agassiz's review is given by Mr.
Huxley in Darwin's "Life and Letters," II., page 184.), but I hope to
find it at home when I return in a few days, for I have been for several
weeks away from home on my daughter's account. Prof. Silliman sent me an
extremely kind message by Asa Gray that your Journal would be open to
a reply by me. I cannot decide till I see it, but on principle I have
resolved to avoid answering anything, as it consumes much time,
often temper, and I have said my say in the "Or