With respect to tropical plants during the Glacial period, I throw in your
teeth your own facts, at the base of the Himalaya, on the possibility of
the co-existence of at least forms of the tropical and temperate regions.
I can give a parallel case for animals in Mexico. Oh! my dearly beloved
puny child, how cruel men are to you! I am very glad you approve of the
Geographical chapters...


CHARLES DARWIN TO C. LYELL.
Down, [January 4th, 1860].

My dear L.

"Gardeners' Chronicle" returned safe. Thanks for note. I am beyond
measure glad that you get more and more roused on the subject of species,
for, as I have always said, I am well convinced that your opinions and
writings will do far more to convince the world than mine. You will make a
grand discussion on man. You are very bold in this, and I honour you. I
have been, like you, quite surprised at the want of originality in opposed
arguments and in favour too. Gwyn Jeffreys attacks me justly in his letter
about strictly littoral shells not being often embedded at least in
Tertiary deposits. I was in a muddle, for I was thinking of Secondary, yet
Chthamalus applied to Tertiary...

Possibly you might like to see the enclosed note (Dr. Whewell wrote
(January 2, 1860): "...I cannot, yet at least, become a convert. But
there is so much of thought and of fact in what you have written that it is
not to be contradicted without careful selection of the ground and manner
of the dissent." Dr. Whewell dissented in a practical manner for some
years, by refusing to allow a copy of the 'Origin of Species' to be placed