[page] lv

The Duke of Argyll, like myself, had very likely never read the short paragraph on sexual selection in the third edition of the Origin. When His Grace's views

[page] lvi

were published in Good Words early in 1865, I felt puzzled at the statement of the case regarding the existence of beauty in animals. It seemed as if it were inexplicable by natural selection, and it began to dawn upon me, both from experiments and from observation, that some kinds of birds, pursuing the gratification of their tastes, had assisted to make their own species beautiful. I ventured at last to write to Darwin on the subject, and received from him, in reply, the following letter:—

Down, Bromley, 30th Nov. 1865.

Dear Sir,— Illness has prevented me sooner thanking you for your letter on the Origin, written with so much fervour and kindness. I am much gratified to hear that you have been defending my views, and in your country (Scotland), those who are bold enough to take this side of the question are few and far between. I am so weak, I must write briefly. I have reflected much on the question of beauty. It is a very complicated one. I quite agree with what you say on the beauty of birds, and the same view may be extended to butterflies and some other beings. I think I can show that the beauty of flowers and of many kinds of fruit is solely to attract, in the former case, insects for their intercrossing, and in the latter case, to attract birds for the dissemination of the seed.

Ch. Darwin.

[...]

Down, Bromley, 11th Feb.

Dear Sir,— I am much obliged to you for your kindness in sending me an abstract of your paper on beauty. In my opinion you take quite a correct view of the

[page] lvii

subject. It is clear that Dr. Dickson has either never seen my book, or overlooked the discussion on sexual selection. If you have any precise facts on birds' 'courtesy towards their own image in mirror or picture' I should very much like to hear them. Butterflies offer an excellent instance of beauty being displayed in conspicuous parts; for those kinds which habitually display the underside of the wing have this side gaudily coloured, and this is not so in the reverse case. I daresay you will know that the males of many foreign butterflies are much more brilliantly coloured than the females, as in the case of birds. I can adduce good evidence from two large classes of facts (too large to specify), that flowers have become beautiful to make them conspicuous to insects. With my best thanks for your kindness and clear exposition of my views, I remain, etc., Ch. Darwin.

[...]

[23 April 1866]

Dear Sir,—I am much obliged for your kind letter and all the great trouble which you have taken in sending me the various and interesting facts on birds admiring themselves. I am very glad to hear of these facts. I have just finished revising and adding to a new edition of the Origin, and in this I have given, without going into details (so that I shall not be able to use your facts) some remarks on the subject of beauty."

This letter concludes with a promise to send me a copy of the new edition (the fourth), which was duly fulfilled.

[page] lxi

[20 February 1868]

Dear Sir,—

I am obliged to you for your note. The subject of Right-handedness is a very curious one, but I have never attended to it, and can give you no additional facts.

Ch. Darwin.

20th Feb. 1868.