My dear Hooker

I heard yesterday from a relation who had seen in a newspaper that you were C.B.² I must write one line to say “hurrah”, though I wish it had been K.C.B, as it assuredly ought to have been; but I suppose they look at K.C.B before C.B. as a Dukedom before an Earldom.—³

We had a very successful week in London,⁴ & I was unusually well & saw a good many persons, which when well is a great pleasure to me. I had a jolly talk with Huxley⁵ amongst others. And now I am at the same work as before & shall be for another 2 months, namely putting ugly sentences rather straighter; & I am sick of the work & as the subject is all on sexual selection, I am weary of everlasting males & females, cocks & hens.—⁶

It is a shame to bother you, but I sh^d. like sometime to hear a little about the C.B. affair.

I have read one or two interesting brochures lately, viz Stirling, the Hegelian, versus Huxley & protoplasm.—⁷ Tylor in Journal of Royal Institution on the survival of old thought in modern Civilisation.—⁸

Farewell, I am as dull as a duck, both male & female—

Yours affectionately | C. Darwin

To

D^r. Hooker C.B. F.R.S⁹

D^r Hooker K.C.B

(this looks better)

I hear a grand account of Bentham’s last address, which I am now going to read.¹⁰

I find that I have blundered about Bentham’s address, Lyell was speaking about one that I read some months ago; but I read half of it again last night & shall finish it.¹¹ Some passages are either new or were not studied enough by me, before.— It strikes me as admirable as it did on the first reading, though I differ in some few points. Such an address is worth its weight in gold, I sh^d. think, in making converts to our views. Lyell tells me that Bunbury has been wonderfully impressed with it, & he never before thought anything of our views on Evolution.—¹²

(I have just read & like very much your review of Schimper)¹³