Within late
years several reviewers have given the whole credit to Fritz Mueller and
Haeckel, who undoubtedly have worked it out much more fully and in some
respects more correctly than I did. I had materials for a whole chapter
on the subject, and I ought to have made the discussion longer; for it
is clear that I failed to impress my readers; and he who succeeds in
doing so deserves, in my opinion, all the credit.
This leads me to remark that I have almost without exception been
treated honestly by my reviewers, passing over those without scientific
knowledge as not worthy of notice. My views have often been grossly
misrepresented, bitterly opposed and ridiculed, but this has been
generally done, as I believe, in good faith. On the whole I do not doubt
that my works have been repeatedly and greatly overpraised. I rejoice
that I have avoided controversies, and this I owe to Lyell, who many
years ago, in reference to my geological works, strongly advised me
never to get entangled in a controversy, as it rarely did any good and
caused a miserable loss of time and temper.
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