I fear that this note will be almost illegible, but I am very tired.
LETTER 263.

G.J.ROMANES TO CHARLES DARWIN.
(263/1.

This is, we believe, the first letter addressed by the late Mr.
Romanes to Mr.Darwin.It was put away with another on the same subject, and inscribed "Romanes on Abortion, with my answer (very important)." Mr.Darwin's answer given below is printed from his rough draft, which is in places barely decipherable.

On the subject of these letters consult Romanes, "Darwin and after Darwin," Volume II., page 99, 1895.) Dunskaith, Parkhill, Ross-shire, July 10th, 1874.
Knowing that you do not dissuade the more attentive of your readers from communicating directly to yourself any ideas they may have upon subjects connected with your writings, I take the liberty of sending the enclosed copy of a letter, which I have recently addressed to Mr.Herbert Spencer.

You will perceive that the subject dealt with is the same as that to which a letter of mine in last week's "Nature" [July 2nd, page 164] refers--viz., "Disuse as a Reducing Cause in Species." In submitting this more detailed exposition of my views to your consideration, I should like to state again what I stated in "Nature" some weeks ago, viz., that in propounding the cessation of selection as a reducing cause, I do not suppose that I am suggesting anything which has not occurred to you already.