192 GROWTH OF THE ORIGIN OF SPECIES, [en. x. 



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 impos- 

 sible 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. 



He made an attempt at a sketch of his views, but as he 

 wrote to Fox in October 1856 : 



" I found it such unsatisfactory work that I have desisted, 

 and am now drawing up my work as perfect as my materials 

 of nineteen years' collecting suffice, but do not intend to 

 stop to perfect any line of investigation beyond current 

 work." 



And in November he wrote to Sir Charles Lyell : 



" I am working very steadily at my big book ; I have 

 found it quite impossible to publish any preliminary essay 

 or sketch ; but am doing my work as completely as my pres- 

 ent materials allow without waiting to perfect them. And 

 this much acceleration I owe to you." 



Again to Mr. Fox, in February, 1857 : 



" I am got most deeply interested in my subject ; though 

 I wish I could set less value on the bauble fame, either 

 present or posthumous, than I do, but not I think, to any 

 extreme degree ; yet, if I know myself, I would work just 

 as hard, though with less gusto, if I knew that my book 

 would be published for ever anonymously." 



