SKETCH OF 1844. 379 



low. Dr. Hooker would be very good. The next, Mr. Strick- 

 land.* If none of these would undertake it, I would request 

 you to consult with Mr. Lyell, or some other capable man for 

 some editor, a geologist and naturalist. Should one other 

 hundred pounds make the difference of procuring a good 

 editor, request earnestly that you will raise ;£^5oo. 



My remaining collections in Natural History may be given 

 to any one or any museum where it would be accepted. . . . 



[The following note seems to have formed part of the 

 original letter, but may have been of later date : 



" Lyell, especially with the aid of Hooker (and of any good 

 zoological aid), would be best of all. Without an editor will 

 pledge himself to give up time to it, it would be of no use 

 paying such a sum. 



" If there should be any difficulty in getting an editor who 

 would go thoroughly into the subject, and think of the bear- 

 ing of the passages marked in the books and copied out of 

 scraps of paper, then let my sketch be published as it is, 

 stating that it was done several years ago \ and from memory 

 without consulting any works, and with no intention of pub- 

 lication in its present form." 



The idea that the Sketch of 1844 might remain, in the 

 event of his death, as the only record of his work, seems to 

 have been long in his mind, for in August 1854, when he had 

 finished with the Cirripedes, and was thinking of beginning 

 his " species work," he added on the back of the above letter, 

 " Hooker by far best man to edit my species volume. August 



1854."] 



* After Mr. Strickland's name comes the following sentence, which has 

 been erased but remained legible. "Professor Owen would be very good ; 

 but I presume he would not undertake such a work." 



\ The words " several years ago and," seem to have been added at a 

 later date. 



