long engaged," and was supported in so doing by his perfect confidence in
his knowledge, perseverance, and "high-minded love of truth." My father
was evidently deeply pleased by Mr. Huxley's words, and wrote:

"I must thank you for your extremely kind notice of my book in 'Macmillan.'
No one could receive a more delightful and honourable compliment. I had
not heard of your Lecture, owing to my retired life. You attribute much
too much to me from our mutual friendship. You have explained my leading
idea with admirable clearness. What a gift you have of writing (or more
properly) thinking clearly."]


CHARLES DARWIN TO W.B. CARPENTER.
Ilkley, Yorkshire,
December 3rd [1859].

My dear Carpenter,

I am perfectly delighted at your letter. It is a great thing to have got a
great physiologist on our side. I say "our" for we are now a good and
compact body of really good men, and mostly not old men. In the long run
we shall conquer. I do not like being abused, but I feel that I can now
bear it; and, as I told Lyell, I am well convinced that it is the first
offender who reaps the rich harvest of abuse. You have done an essential
kindness in checking the odium theologicum in the E.R. (This must refer to
Carpenter's critique which would now have been ready to appear in the
January number of the "Edinburgh Review", 1860, and in which the odium
theologicum is referred to.) It much pains all one's female relations and
injures the cause.