Your letter to Wallace seems to me perfect, quite clear and most courteous. I do not think it could possibly be improved, and I have today forwarded it with a letter of my own. I always thought it very possible that I might be forestalled, but I fancied that I had a grand enough soul not to care; but I found myself mistaken and punished; I had, however, quite resigned myself and had written half a letter to Wallace to give up all priority to him and should certainly not have changed had it not been for Lyell’s and your quite extraordinary kindness. I assure you I feel it, and shall not forget it. I am more than satisfied at what took place at the Linnean Society.
[From a letter (dated 1858) of Charles Dawrin to the botanist Hooker, respecting the simultaneous publication of his paper on the origin of species with that by Wallace.]
Charles Dawin to J.D. Hooker (13th July 1858)
