132 THE WRITING OF THE 'ORIGIN OF SPECIES.' [1858. 



This is a very charming place, and we have got a very 

 comfortable house. But, alas, I cannot say that the sea has 

 done H. or L. much good. Nor has my stomach recovered 

 from all our troubles. I am very glad we left home, for six 

 children have now died of scarlet fever in Down. We return 

 on the 14th of August. 



I have got Bentham,* and am charmed with it, and 

 William (who has just started for a tour abroad) has been 

 making out all sorts of new (to me) plants capitally. The 

 little scraps of information are so capital . . . The English 

 names in the analytical keys drive us mad : give them by 

 all means, but why on earth [not] make them subordinate 

 to the Latin ; it puts me in a passion. W. charged into the 

 Compositse and Umbelliferae like a hero, and demolished 

 ever so many in grand style. 



I pass my time by doing daily a couple of hours of my 

 Abstract, and I find it amusing and improving work. I am 

 now most heartily obliged to you and Lyell for having set 

 me on this ; for I shall, when it is done, be able to finish my 

 work with greater ease and leisure. I confess I hated the 

 thought of the job ; and now I find it very unsatisfactory in 

 not being able to give my reasons for each conclusion. 



It will be longer than I expected ; it will take thirty-five 

 of my MS. folio pages to give an abstract on variation 

 under domestication alone ; but I will try to put in nothing 

 which does not seem to me of some interest, and which was 

 once new to me. It seems a queer plan to give an abstract 

 of an unpublished work ; nevertheless, I repeat, I am extremely 

 glad I have begun in earnest on it. 



I hope you and Mrs. Hooker will have a very very pleasant 

 tour. Farewell, my dear Hooker. 



Yours affectionately, 



C. Darwin. 



* ' British Flora.' 



