Dear Sir,

I am much obliged for your kind note and present of your lectures. I am extremely glad to have received them from you, and I had intended ordering them¹

I feel quite sure from what I have read in your works that you would never say anything of an honest adversary to which he would have any just right to object; and as for myself you have often spoken highly of me, perhaps more highly than I deserve

As far as language is concerned I am not worthy to be your adversary, as I know extremely little about it, and that little learnt from very few books. I should have been glad to have avoided the whole subject, but was compelled to take it up as well as I could   He who is fully convinced, as I am, that man is descended from some lower animal, is almost forced to believe a priori that articulate language has been developed from inarticulate cries; and he is therefore hardly a fair judge of the arguments opposed to this belief²

With cordial respect | I remain, dear Sir | Yours very faithfully | Charles Darwin