30 PUBLICATION OF THE 'ORIGIN OF SPECIES.' [1859. 



cannot possibly do head-work, and I must make only actually 

 necessary corrections. But I will, as far as I can without 

 my manuscript, take advantage of your suggestions : I must 

 not attempt much. Will you send me one line to say whether 

 I must strike out about the secondary whale,* it goes to my 

 heart. About the rattle-snake, look to ray Journal, under 

 Trigonocephalus, and you will see the probable origin of the 

 rattle, and generally in transitions it is the preinier pas qui 

 couie. 



Madame Belloc wants to translate my book into French ; 

 I have offered to look over proofs for scientific errors. Did 

 you ever hear of her ? I believe Murray has agreed at my 

 urgent advice, but I fear I have been rash and premature, 

 Quatrefages has written to me, saying he agrees largely with 

 my views. He is an excellent naturalist. I am pressed for 

 time. Will you give us one line about the whales 1 Again 

 I thank you for never-tiring advice and assistance ; I do in 

 truth reverence your unselfish and pure love of truth. 



My dear Lyell, ever yours, 



C. Darwin. 



[With regard to a French translation, he wrote to Mr. 

 Murray in Nov. 1859 : *' I am exh-emely anxious, for the 

 subject's sake (and God knows not for mere fame), to have 

 my book translated ; and indirectly its being known abroad 

 will do good to the English sale. If it depended on me, I 

 should agree without payment, and instantly send a copy, 

 and only beg that she [Mme. Belloc] would get some scien- 

 tific man to look over the translation. . . . You might say 

 that, though I am a very poor French scholar, I could detect 

 any scientific mistake, and would read over the French 

 proofs." 



The proposed translation was not made, and a second 

 plan fell through in the following year. He wrote to M. de 

 Quatrefages : " The gentleman who wished to translate my 



* The passage was omitted in the second edition. 



