Pangenesis, which I felt convinced must be right if it was Mr.
Darwin's, and which I was sure, if I could once understand it, must
have an important bearing on "Life and Habit." I had not as yet seen
that the principle I was contending for was Darwinian, not Neo-
Darwinian. My pages still teemed with allusions to "natural
selection," and I sometimes allowed myself to hope that "Life and
Habit" was going to be an adjunct to Darwinism which no one would
welcome more gladly than Mr. Darwin himself. At this time I had a
visit from a friend, who kindly called to answer a question of mine,
relative, if I remember rightly, to "Pangenesis." He came, September
26, 1877. One of the first things he said was, that the theory which
had pleased him more than anything he had heard of for some time was
one referring all life to memory. I said that was exactly what I was
doing myself, and inquired where he had met with his theory. He
replied that Professor Ray Lankester had written a letter about it in
Nature some time ago, but he could not remember exactly when, and had
given extracts from a lecture by Professor Ewald Hering, who had
originated the theory. I said I should not look at it, as I had
completed that part of my work, and was on the point of going to
press. I could not recast my work if, as was most likely, I should
find something, when I saw what Professor Hering had said, which
would make me wish to rewrite my own book; it was too late in the day
and I did not feel equal to making any radical alteration; and so the
matter ended with very little said upon either side. I wrote,
however, afterwards to my friend asking him to tell me the number of
Nature which contained the lecture if he could find it, but he was
unable to do so, and I was well enough content.

A few days before this I had met another friend, and had explained to
him what I was doing. He told me I ought to read Professor Mivart's