Creator
John Muir
Recipient
[Annie Kennedy] Bidwell
Preview
Transcription
Probably this statement is not very [strictly?] true. At any rate I am not at all eager to see [underlined: him]. When I was at San [illegible] last summer I met his wife, who’ was teaching drawing in the Normal school. My friend Prof Allen the principal asked my opinion of Prof Gunning much in the same spirit as you have done & in a lecture that Allen prevailed on me to give before the teachers, Mrs Gunning was present, & I could not help looking her way & [illegible] against scientific humbug. The questions you ask concerning evolution are far too extensive to be touched in a mere letter. The subject is very interesting to every intelligent person in the world. Gray has written a remarkably l[illegible] & charming pamphlet on the subject that you must ask him for. It is entitled, “A free examination of Darwin on the Origin of Species”. & was first published in the form of articles in the Atlantic Monthly. I wish too that you would read some of Darwins writings if for no other purpose than to learn how pure & good a man he is. His noble character has suffered from s[illegible] & unbelieving men who say much about D[illegible] without really knowing anything about it. A more devout & [illegible]able seeker after truth than Darwin never lived. But Gary & Hooker are warm personal friends of his. If you do not care or have not time to examine his heavy plodding scientific works, at least read his “Voyage of a Naturalist round the word,” published by Harper. The heathy plant on wh we pitched our camp at the foot of L[illegible], or rather on wh we slept is Bryanthus. I have no photograph to send you but will procure one. I can well understand your enthusiasm over the Tahoe water. I had a glorious week there after your visit. Have not yet heard from Hooker. Remember me to the [in margin: General & believe me ever cordially your friend John Muir]
Location
1419 Taylor St., San Francisco
Date Original
1878 Feb 1
Source
Original letter dimensions unknown.
Resource Identifier
muir03_0690-let.tif
File Identifier
Reel 03, Image 0690
Copyright Status
Copyrighted
Copyright Statement
The unpublished works of John Muir are copyrighted by the Muir-Hanna Trust. To purchase copies of images and/or obtain permission to publish or exhibit them, see http://www.pacific.edu/Library/Find/Holt-Atherton-Special-Collections/Fees-and-Forms-.html
Owning Institution
The Bancroft Library, University of California at Berkeley. Please contact this institution directly to obtain copies of the images or permission to publish or use them beyond educational purposes.
Copyright Holder
Muir-Hanna Trust
Copyright Date
1984
Page Number
Page 2
Keywords
John Muir, correspondence, letters, author, writing, naturalist, California, correspondent, mail, message, post, exchange of letters, missive, notes, epistle
