i875l 'ANIMALS AND PLANTS '—SECOND EDITION. 373 



He seems to have found the work of correcting very 

 wearisome, for he wrote : — 



" I have no news about myself, as I am merely slaving 

 over the sickening work of preparing new editions. I wish I 

 could get a touch of poor Lyell's feelings, that it was delight- 

 ful to improve a sentence, like a painter improving a pic- 

 ture." 



The feeling of effort or strain over this piece of work, is 

 shown in a letter to Professor Haeckel : — 



*' What I shall do in future if I live, Heaven only knows ; 

 I ought perhaps to avoid general and large subjects, as too 

 difficult for me with my advancing years, and I suppose en- 

 feebled brain." 



At the end of March, in this year, the portrait for which 

 he was sitting to Mr. Ouless was finished. He felt the sit- 

 tings a great fatigue, in spite of Mr. Ouless's considerate de- 

 sire to spare him as far as was possible. In a letter to Sir J. 

 D. Hooker he wrote, " I look a very venerable, acute, melan- 

 choly old dog; whether I really look so I do not know." 

 The picture is in the possession of the family, and is known 

 to many through M. Rajon's etching. Mr. Ouless's portrait 

 is, in my opinion, the finest representation of my father that 

 has been produced. 



The following letter refers to the death of Sir Charles 

 Lyell, which took place on February 22nd, 1875, in his sev- 

 enty-eighth year.] 



C. Darwin to Miss Buckley (now Mrs. Fisher).* 



Down, February 23, 1875. 



My dear Miss Buckley, — I am grieved to hear of the 

 death of my old and kind friend, though I knew that it could 

 not be long delayed, and that it was a happy thing that his 

 life should not have been prolonged, as I suppose that his 

 mind would inevitably have suffered. I am glad that Lady 



* Mrs. Fisher acted as Secretary to Sir Charles Lyell, 



