how plants first got there. I suppose that at long intervals,
from as far back as later Tertiary periods to the present time, plants
occasionally arrived (in some cases, perhaps, aided by different
currents from existing currents and by former islands), and that these
old arrivals have survived little modified on the islands, but have
become greatly modified or become extinct on the continent. If I
understand, you believe that all islands were formerly united to
continents, and then received all their plants and none since; and that
on the islands they have undergone less extinction and modification than
on the continent. The number of animal forms on islands, very closely
allied to those on continents, with a few extremely distinct and
anomalous, does not seem to me well to harmonise with your supposed view
of all having formerly arrived or rather having been left together on
the island.

LETTER 169. TO ASA GRAY. Down, May 31st [1863?].

I was very glad to receive your review (169/1. The review on De
Candolle's work on the Oaks (A. Gray's "Scientific Papers," I., page
130).) of De Candolle a week ago. It seems to me excellent, and you
speak out, I think, more plainly in favour of derivation of species than
hitherto, though doubtfully about Natural Selection. Grant the first,
I am easy about the second. Do you not consider such cases as all the
orchids next thing to a demonstration against Heer's view of species
arising suddenly by monstrosities?--it is impossible to imagine so many
co-adaptations being formed all by a chance blow. Of course creationists
would cut the enigma.

LETTER 170. TO T.H. HUXLEY. June 27th [1863?]

What are you doing now? I have never yet got hold of the "Edinburgh
Review," in which I hear you are well abused. By the way, I heard
lately from Asa Gray that Wyman was delighted at "Man's Place." (170/1.
"Evidence as to Man's Place in Nature," by T.H. Huxley, 1863.) I
wonder who it is who pitches weakly, but virulently into you, in the
"Anthropological Review." How quiet Owen seems! I do at last begin to
believe that he will ultimately fall in public estimation. What nonsense
he wrote in the "Athenaeum" (170/2. "Athenaeum," March 28th, 1863. See
"Life and Letters," III., page 17.) on Heterogeny! I saw in his Aye-Aye
(170/3. See Owen in the "Trans. Zool. Soc." Volume V. The sentence
referred to seems to be the following (page 95): "We know of no changes
in progress in the Island of Madagascar