254 LONDON AND CAMBRIDGE. /ETAT. 28. [1837. 



would say a word. It is just striking twelve o'clock; so I 

 will wish you a very good night. 



My dear Jenyns, 



Yours most truly, 



C. DARWIN. 



[A few weeks later the plan seems to have been matured, 

 and the idea of seeking Government aid to have been 

 adopted.] 



C. Darwin to J. S. Henslow. 



36 Great Maryborough Street, 



[i8th May, 1837]. 



MY DEAR HENSLOW, 



I was very glad to receive your letter. I wanted much to 

 hear how you were getting on with your manifold labours. 

 Indeed I do not wonder your head began to ache ; it is al- 

 most a wonder you have any head left. Your account of the 

 Gamlingay expedition was cruelly tempting, but I cannot 

 anyhow leave London. I wanted to pay my good, dear peo- 

 ple at Shrewsbury a visit of a few days, but I found I could 

 not manage it ; at present I am waiting for the signatures of 

 the Duke of Somerset, as President of the Linnean, and of 

 Lord Derby and Whewell, to a statement of the value of my 

 collection ; the instant I get this I shall apply to Government 

 for assistance in engraving, and so publish the ' Zoology ' on 

 some uniform plan. It is quite ridiculous the time any 

 operation requires which depends on many people. 



I have been working very steadily, but have only got two- 

 thirds through the Journal part alone. I find, though I re- 

 main daily many hours at work, the progress is very slow : it 

 is an awful thing to say to oneself, every fool and every 

 clever man in England, if he chooses, may make as many ill- 

 natured remarks as he likes on this unfortunate sentence. 

 ***** 



[In August he writes to Henslow to announce the success 

 of the scheme for the publication of the ' Zoology of the 



