( -os ) 4^^& 



4 





CHAPTER VI. 



THE PUBLICATION OF THE 'ORIGIN OF SPECIES.' 

 OCTOBER 3, 1859, TO DECEMBER 3 1, 1 859. 



1859. 



[UNDER the date of October 1st, 1859, in my father's Diary 

 occurs the entry : " Finished proofs (thirteen months and ten 

 days) of Abstract on ' Origin of Species ' ; 1250 copies printed. 

 The first edition was published on November 24th, and all 

 copies sold first day." 



On October 2nd he started for a water-cure establishment 

 at Ilkley, near Leeds, where he remained with his family 

 until December, and on the 9th of that month he was again 

 at Down. The only other entry in the Diary for this year 

 is as follows : " During end of November and beginning of 

 December, employed in correcting for second edition of 3000 

 copies ; multitude of letters." 



The first and a few of the subsequent letters refer to proof 

 sheets, and to early copies of the ' Origin ' which were sent to 

 friends before the book was published.] 



C. Lyell to C. Darwin* 



October 3rd, 1859. 

 My DEAR DARWIN, I have just finished your volume 

 and right glad I am that I did my best with Hooker to 



* Part of this letter is 'given in the ' Life of Sir Charles Lyell,' vol. ii. 

 p. 325- 



