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



" I can see daylight through my work, and am now 

 finally correcting my chapters for the press ; and I hope in 

 a month or six weeks to have proof-sheets. I am weary of 

 my work. It is a very odd thing that I have no sensation 

 that I overwork my brain ; but facts compel me to conclude 

 that my brain was never formed for much thinking. We 

 are resolved to go for two or three months, when I have 

 finished, to Ilkley, or some such place, to see if I can any- 

 how give my health a good start, for it certainly has been 

 wretched of late, and has incapacitated me for everything. 

 You do me injustice when you think that I work for fame ; 

 I value it to a certain extent ; but if I know myself, I work 

 from a sort of instinct to try to make out truth." 



C. D. to C. Lyell Down, March 28th [1859]. 



My dear Lyell, If I keep decently well, I hope to be 

 able to go to press with my volume early in May. This be- 

 ing so, I want much to beg a little advice from you. From 

 an expression in Lady Lyell's note, I fancy that you have 

 spoken to Murray. Is it so ? And is he willing to publish 

 my Abstract ? * If you will tell me whether anything, and 

 what has passed, I will then write to him. Does he know 

 at all of the subject of the book ? Secondly, can you advise 

 me whether I had better state what terms of publication I 

 should prefer, or first ask him to propose terms ? And what 

 do you think would be fail terms for an edition ? Share 

 profits, or what ? 



Lastly, will you be so very kind as to look at the enclosed 

 title and give me your opinion and any criticisms ; you must 

 remember that, if I have health, and it appears worth do- 

 ing, I have a much larger and full book on the same subject 

 nearly ready. 



My Abstract will be about five hundred pages of the size 

 of your first edition of the Elements of Geology. 



Pray forgive me troubling you with the above queries ; 

 and you shall have no more trouble on the subject. I hope 

 the world goes well with you, and that you are getting on 

 with your various works. 



I am working very hard for me, and long to finish and 

 be free and try to recover some health. 



My dear Lyell, ever yours. 



* The Origin of Species. 



