26 SCIENTIFIC WORK, 1860-1865 



enough to receive five splendid specimens from a Mr. Monteirc 

 of Loando, who ' like a trump ' sent down the coast at his 

 request to get them. And during his absence from home in 

 September, still ' staggered with the intricacy of Welwitschia,' 

 much help was given by Professor Oliver, ' who is a real bless- 

 ing,' and had been examining the tissues where he had left 

 off, making ' some charming drawings that will save me a world 

 of trouble.' (To C. D., September 16, 1862.) The completed 

 monograph was read at the Linnean in December, and published 

 in the Transactions for 1863. 



The inevitable sense of staleness after a protracted piece 

 of work appears from a letter to Darwin of October (12 ? ). 



My wife went to Cambridge and enjoyed it ; I stayed 

 at home ! (and enjoyed it); working away at Welwitschia 

 every day and almost every night. I entirely agree with 

 you by the way, that after long working at a subject, and 

 after making something of it, one invariably finds that it 

 all seems dull, flat, stale and unprofitable — this feeling, 

 however, you will observe only comes (most mercifully) after 

 you realty have made out something worth knowing. I feel 

 as if everybody must know more of Welwitschia than I do, 

 and yet I cannot but believe I have ill or well expounded 

 and faithfully recorded a heap of the most curious facts 

 regarding a single plant that have been brought to light 

 for many years. The whole thing is, however, a dry record 

 of singular structures, and sinks down to the level of the 

 dullest descriptive account of dead matter beside your jolly 

 dancing facts anent orchid-life and bee-life. I have looked 

 at an Orchid or two since reading the Orchid book, and 

 feel that I never could have made out one of your points, 

 even had I limitless leisure, zeal and material. I am a dull 

 dog, a very dull dog. I may content myself with the per 

 contra reflection that you could not (be dull enough to) 

 write a ' Genera Plantarum,' which is just about what I am 

 best fitted for. I feel I have a call that way and you the 

 other. 



The Arctic Essay was one of those where his own work had 

 ranged far into rewarding fields under the stimulus of Charles 

 Darwin's questioning, and after patient marshalling of the facts 



