266 THE 'ORIGIN OF SPECIES.' [i860. 



formerly seeing insects of the same genus roamed over the 

 whole area in which the cases are included. 



Farewell, yours affectionately, 



C. Darwin. 



P.S. Our ancestor was an animal which breathed water, 

 had a swim bladder, a great swimming tail, an imperfect 

 skull, and undoubtedly was an hermaphrodite ! 



Here is a pleasant genealogy for mankind. 



C. Darwin to C. Lyell. 



Down, January 14th [i860]. 



... I shall be much interested in reading your man dis- 

 cussion, and will give my opinion carefully, whatever that 

 may be worth ; but I have so long looked at you as the type 

 of cautious scientific judgment (to my mind one of the 

 highest and most useful qualities), that I suspect my opinion 

 will be superfluous. It makes me laugh to think what a joke 

 it will be if I have to caution you, after your cautions on the 

 same subject to me ! 



I will order Owen's book ; * I am very glad to hear 

 Huxley's opinion on his classification of man ; without 

 having due knowledge, it seemed to me from the very first 

 absurd ; all classifications founded on single characters I 

 believe have failed. 



. . . What a grand immense benefit you conferred on me 

 by getting Murray to publish my book. I never till to-day 

 realised that it was getting widely distributed ; for in a letter 

 from a lady to-day to E., she says she heard a man enquiring 

 for it at the Raihvay Station! II at Waterloo Bridge ; and the 

 bookseller said that he had none till the new edition was 

 out. The bookseller said he had not read it, but had heard 

 it was a very remarkable book !!!.... 



* c Classification of the Mammalia,' 1859. 



