78

[in another hand] Mr Francis Darwin

Oct 31, 1902

[Printed letterhead] Dr Joseph Leidy, 1319 Locust Street, Philadelphia

My dear Sir,

I am enclosing one of several interesting letters found in the correspondence of the late Prof Leidy, from your father & to me it is extremely interesting for with Prof. Asa Gray, D^r Leidy was notably among the first but the opinion is expressed ab. our own Academy of Sciences that he immediately accepted the doctrine of selection, having expressed very similar views in one of his early publications "a flora and fauna within living animals" as early as 1851, (in the preface of the above)

[in margin, in another hand] Smithsonian Publications

If you can make use of the

[78v]

enclosed I shall be most happy to have you do so. The year is written in lead pencil 1860 (?) by the date of the month, as it was not in ink I am inclined that the date and interrogation point was added some years later by D^r Leidy.

I should be indeed indebted to you for a copy of D^r Leidy's reply, or the original which of course I would take great care to return, as I am in the course of arranging Prof Leidy's correspondence for publication. I find numerous letters from Prof. Huxley. Lyell. Geikie, Tyndale. Mivart, Flower. Spencer and numerous others. Could you aid me in locating any of the above correspondence with the exception of Huxley & Spencer which I have?

With respect, believe me, Yours very truly

Joseph Leidy