1859] NEW EDITION. 29 



fore he had read that part, and it took away his breath — 

 utterly impossible — structure — function, &c., &c., &c., but 

 when he had read it he hummed and hawed, and perhaps it 

 was partly conceivable, and then he fell back on the bones 

 of the ear, which were beyond all probability or conceivabil- 

 ity. He mentioned a slight blot, which I also observed, that 

 in speaking of the slave-ants carrying one another, you 

 change the species without giving notice first, and it makes 

 one turn back. . . . 



. . . For myself I really think it is the most interesting 

 book I ever read, and can only compare it to the first 

 knowledge of chemistry, getting into a new world or rather 

 behind the scenes. To me the geographical distribution, I 

 mean the relation of islands to continents, is the most con- 

 vincing of the proofs, and the relation of the oldest forms to 

 the existing species. I dare say I don't feel enough the 

 absence of varieties, but then I don't in the least know if 

 everything now living were fossilized whether the paleontolo- 

 gists could distinguish them. In fact the a priori reasoning 

 is so entirely satisfactory to me that if the facts won't fit in, 

 why so much the worse for the facts is my feeling. My 

 ague has left me in such a state of torpidity that I wish I 

 had gone through the process of natural selection. 



Yours affectionately, 



E. A. D. 



C. Darwin to C. Lyell. 



Ilkley, November [24th, 1859]. 



My dear Lyell, — Again I have to thank you for a most 

 valuable lot of criticisms in a letter dated 22nd. 



This morning I heard also from Murray that he sold the 

 whole edition * the first day to the trade. He wants a new 

 edition instantly, and this utterly confounds me. Now, under 

 water-cure, with all nervous power directed to the skin, I 



* First edition, 1250 copies. 



