204 WRITING OF THE ORIGIN OF SPECIES, [ch. xi. 



you may rely on it that I will condense to the utmost. I 

 would aid in money if it is too long.* In how many ways 

 you have aided me ! 



Yours affectionately. 



The " Abstract " mentioned in the last sentence of the 

 preceding letter was in fact the Origin of Species, on which 

 he now set to work. In his Autobiography (p. 41) he speaks 

 of beginning to write in September, but in his Diary he 

 wrote, " July 20 to Aug. 12, at Sandown, began Abstract of 

 Species book." " Sep. 16, Recommenced Abstract." The 

 book was begun with the idea that it would be published as 

 a paper, or series of papers, by the Linnean Society, and it 

 was only in the late autumn that it became clear that it must 

 take the form of an independent volume. 



C. D. to J. D. Hooker. Norfolk House, Shanklin, Isle of 



Wight. [August 1858.] 



My dear Hooker, I write merely to say that the MS. 

 came safely two or three days ago. I am much obliged for 

 the correction of style : I find it unutterably difficult to 

 write clearly. When we meet I must talk over a few points 

 on the subject. 



You speak of going to the sea-side somewhere ; we think 

 this the nicest sea-side place which we have ever seen, and 

 we like Shanklin better than other spots on the south coast 

 of the island, though many are charming and prettier, so 

 that I would suggest your thinking of this place. We are 

 on the actual coast ; but tastes differ so much about places. 



If you go to Broadstairs, when there is a strong wind 

 from the coast of France and in fine, dry, warm weather, look 

 out and you will probably (!) see thistle-seeds blown across 

 the Channel, The othei day I saw one blown right inland, 

 and then in a few minutes a second one and then a third ; 

 and I said to myself, God bless me, how many thistles there 

 must be in France : and I wrote a letter in imagination 

 to you. But I then looked at the low clouds, and noticed 

 that they were not coming inland, so I feared a screw was 

 loose, I then walked beyond the headland and found the 

 wind parallel to the coast, and on this very headland a noble 



* That is to say, he would help to pay for the printing, if it should prove 

 too long for the Linnean Society. 



