My head, by the way, plagues me terribly, and I have it light and rocking half the day.

Farewell, dear old friend--my best of friends.
LETTER 247.

TO JOHN FISKE.
(247/1.

Mr.Fiske, who is perhaps best known in England as the author of "Outlines of Cosmic Philosophy," had sent to Mr.Darwin some reports of the lectures given at Harvard University.

The point referred to in the postscript in Mr.Darwin's letter is explained by the following extract from Mr.Fiske's work: "I have endeavoured to show that the transition from animality (or bestiality, stripping the word of its bad connotations) to humanity must have been mainly determined by the prolongation of infancy or immaturity which is consequent upon a high development of intelligence, and which must have necessitated the gradual grouping together of pithecoid men into more or less definite families." (See "Descent," I., page 13, on the prolonged infancy of the anthropoid apes.)) Down, November 9th, 1871.
I am greatly obliged to you for having sent me, through my son, your lectures, and for the very honourable manner in which you allude to my works.