394 * MISCELLANEA. [1877. 



In the autumn of 1880, when the ' Power of Movement 

 in Plants ' was nearly finished, he began once more on the 

 subject. He wrote to Professor Carus (September 21) : — 



" In the intervals of correcting the press, I am writing a 

 very little book, and have done nearly half of it. Its title 

 will be (as at present designed) ' The Formation of Vegetable 

 Mould through the Action of Worms.** As far as I can 

 judge it will be a curious little book." 



The manuscript was sent to the printers in April, 1881, 

 and when the proof-sheets were coming in he wrote to Pro- 

 fessor Carus : " The subject has been to me a hobby-horse, 

 and I have perhaps treated it in foolish detail." 



It was published on October 10, and 2000 copies were 

 sold at once. He wrote to Sir J. D. Hooker, " I am glad that 

 you approve of the ' Worms.' When in old days I used to 

 tell you whatever I was doing, if you were at all interested, I 

 always felt as most men do when their work is finally pub- 

 lished." 



To Mr. Mellard Reade he wrote (November 8) : '' It has 

 been a complete surprise to me how many persons have cared 

 for the subject." And to Mr. Dyer (in November) : " My 

 book has been received with almost laughable enthusiasm, 

 and 3500 copies have been sold ! ! ! " Again, to his friend 

 Mr. Anthony Rich, he wrote on February 4, 1882, ^' I have 

 been plagued with an endless stream of letters on the sub- 

 ject ; most of them very foolish and enthusiastic ; but some 

 containing good facts which I have used in correcting yes- 

 terday the ' Sixth Thousand.' " The popularity of the book 

 may be roughly estimated by the fact that, in the three years 

 following its publication, 8500 copies were sold — a sale rela- 

 tively greater than that of the ' Origin of Species.' 



It is not difficult to account for its success with the non- 

 scientific public. Conclusions so wide and so novel, and so 

 easily understood, drawn from the study of creatures so fa- 



* The full title is ' The Formation of Vegetable Mould through the 

 Action of Worms with Observations on their Habits,' 1881, 



