| Description | Bateson is writing to Hardy about the chance of giving the Croonian Lecture to [Thomas Hunt] Morgan. He ventured to state that this institution would subsidise it. If the Croonian were offered they would be successful. Bateson states his reasons. The disruptive developments that the Americans have made cannot be incorporated without personal contact. The whole thing is so extraordinary that 'Idols of the Cave' are being set up too freely. They probably say the same [of British thinking] and so personal intercourse is most useful. If he can say any more, he will - he is anxious to give the proposal every chance of success. He thinks the invitation is overdue, and knows of hardly any other recent parallels to the development of the chromosome theory of heredity. It may turn out to be 'a mere system of symbolism', but it has been amazingly successful and has led to large discoveries already. |