CHARLESDARWINTOA。DECANDOLLE。
Down，November11th[1859]。
DearSir，Ihavethoughtthatyouwouldpermitmetosendyou（byMessrs。WilliamsandNorgate，booksellers）acopyofmywork（asyetonlyanabstract）onthe’OriginofSpecies。’Iwishtodothis，astheonly，thoughquiteinadequatemanner，bywhichIcantestifytoyoutheextremeinterestwhichIhavefelt，andthegreatadvantagewhichIhavederived，fromstudyingyourgrandandnobleworkonGeographicalDistribution。Shouldyoubeinducedtoreadmyvolume，Iventuretoremarkthatitwillbeintelligibleonlybyreadingthewholestraightthrough，asitisverymuchcondensed。
Itwouldbeahighgratificationtomeifanyportioninterestedyou。ButIamperfectlywellawarethatyouwillentirelydisagreewiththeconclusionatwhichIhavearrived。
Youwillprobablyhavequiteforgottenme;butmanyyearsagoyoudidmethehonourofdiningatmyhouseinLondontomeetM。andMadameSismondi（JessieAllen，sisterofMrs。JosiahWedgwoodofMaer。），theuncleandauntofmywife。Withsincererespect，Ibegtoremain，Yours，veryfaithfully，CHARLESDARWIN。