ch. xi. J 18581859. 197 



C. D. to C. Lycll. Down [June 25, 1858]. 



My dear Lyell I am very sorry to trouble you, busy 

 as you are, in so merely personal an affair ; but if you will 

 give me your deliberate opinion, you will do me as great a 

 service as ever man did, for I have entire confidence in your 

 judgment and honour. . . . 



There is nothing in Wallace's sketch which is not writ- 

 ten out much fuller in my sketch, copied out in 1844, and 

 read by Hooker some dozen years ago. About a year ago I 

 sent a short sketch, of which I have a copy, of my views 

 (owing to correspondence on several points) to Asa Gray, so 

 that I could most truly say and prove that I take nothing 

 from "Wallace. I should be extremely glad now to publish 

 a sketch of my general views in about a dozen pages or so ; 

 but I cannot persuade myself that I can do so honourably. 

 Wallace says nothing about publication, and I enclose his 

 letter. But as I had not intended to publish any sketch, 

 can I do so honourably, because Wallace has sent me an 

 outline of his doctrine ? I would far rather burn my whole 

 book, than that he or any other man should think that I had 

 behaved in a paltry spirit. Do you not think his having 

 sent me this sketch ties my hands?. ... If I could hon- 

 ourably publish I would state that I was induced now to 

 publish a sketch (and I should be very glad to be permitted 

 to say, to follow your advice long ago given) from Wallace 

 having sent me an outline of my general conclusions. We 

 differ only [in] that I was led to my views from what artifi- 

 cial selection has done for domestic animals. I would send 

 Wallace a copy of my letter to Asa Gray, to show him that I 

 had not stolen his doctrine. But I cannot tell whether to 

 publish now would not be base and paltry. This was my 

 first impression, and I should have certainly acted on it had 

 it not been for vour letter. 



This is a trumpery affair to trouble you with, but you 

 cannot tell how much obliged I should be for vour ad- 

 vice. 



By the way, would you object to send this and your an- 

 swer to Hooker to be forwarded to me ? for then I shall 

 have the opinion of my two best and kindest friends. This 

 letter is miserably written, and I write it now that I mav for 

 a time banish the whole subject ; and I am worn out with 

 musing. . . . 



