1856.] THE UNFINISHED BOOK. 69 



anything it must be a very thin and little volume, giving a 



sketch of my views and difficulties ; but it is really dreadfully 



unphilosophical to give a resume, without exact references, of 



an unpublished work. But Lyell seemed to think I might 



do this, at the suggestion of friends, and on the ground, which 



I might state, that I had been at work for eighteen * years, and 



yet could not publish for several years, and especially as I 



could point out difficulties which seemed to me to require 



especial investigation. Now what think you ? I should be 



-really grateful for advice. I thought of giving up a couple of 



months and writing such a sketch, and trying to keep my 



judgment open whether or no to publish it when completed. 



It will be simply impossible for me to give exact references ; 



anything important I should state on the authority of the 



author generally ; and instead of giving all the facts on 



which I ground my opinion, I could give by memory only 



one or two. In the Preface I would state that the work 



could not be considered strictly scientific, but a mere sketch 



or outline of a future work in which full references, &c, 



should be given. Eheu, eheu, I believe I should sneer at 



any one else doing this, and my only comfort is, that I 



truly never dreamed of it, till Lyell suggested it, and seems 



deliberately to think it advisable. 



I am in a peck of troubles, and do pray forgive me for 



troubling you. 



Yours affectionately, 



C. Darwin. 



C. Darwin to J. D. Hooker. 



May nth [1856]. 

 . . . Now for a more important I subject, viz. my own self: 

 I am extremely glad you think well of a separate " Pre- 



* The interval of eighteen years, letter to 1855, not 1856, nevertheless 

 from 1837 when he began to collect the latter seems the more probable 

 facts, would bring the date of this date. 



