I expounded the whole thing twice to Lyell before I printed it, with map and tables, intending to get (and I thought I had) his imprimatur for all I did and said; but when here three nights ago, I found he was as ignorant of my having written an Arctic essay as could be! And so I suppose he either did not take it in, or thought it of little consequence.

Hector approved of it in toto.

I need hardly say that I set out on biological grounds, and hold myself as independent of theories of subsidence as you do of the opinions of physicists on heat of globe! I have written a long [letter] to Dawson.
By the way, did you see the "Athenaeum" notice of L.Bonaparte's Basque and Finnish language ?--is it not possible that the Basques are Finns left behind after the Glacial period, like the Arctic plants?
I have often thought this theory would explain the Mexican and Chinese national affinities.

I am plodding away at Welwitschia by night and Genera Plantarum by day.

We had a very jolly dinner at the Club on Thursday.