"Floreat Entomologia"!—to which toast at Cambridge I have drunk many a glass of wine. So again, "Floreat Entomologia." N.B. I have NOT now been drinking any glasses full of wine.
Yours, C.D.
CHARLES DARWIN TO HERBERT SPENCER. Down, November 25th [1858].
Dear Sir,
I beg permission to thank you sincerely for your very kind present of your Essays. ('Essays, Scientific, Political, and Speculative,' by Herbert Spencer, 1858-74.) I have already read several of them with much interest. Your remarks on the general argument of the so-called development theory seems to me admirable. I am at present preparing an Abstract of a larger work on the changes of species; but I treat the subject simply as a naturalist, and not from a general point of view, otherwise, in my opinion, your argument could not have been improved on, and might have been quoted by me with great advantage. Your article on Music has also interested me much, for I had often thought on the subject, and had come to nearly the same conclusion with you, though unable to support the notion in any detail. Furthermore, by a curious coincidence, expression has been for years a persistent subject with me for LOOSE speculation, and I must entirely agree with you that all expression has some biological meaning. I hope to profit by your criticism on style, and with very best thanks, I beg leave to remain, dear Sir,
Yours truly obliged, C. DARWIN.
CHARLES DARWIN TO J.D. HOOKER. Down, December 24th [1858].
My dear Hooker,