490 THE WRITING OF THE 'ORIGIN OF SPECIES.' [1858. 



I was astonished to see Sir W. Hooker's card here two or 

 three days ago : I was unfortunately out walking. Henslow, 

 also, has written to me, proposing to come to Down on the 

 9th, but alas, I do not return till the i3th, and my wife not 

 till a week later ; so that I am also most sorry to think I shall 

 not see you, for I should not like to leave home so soon. I 

 had thought of going to London and running down for an 

 hour or two to Kew. . . . 



C. Darwin to J. D. Hooker. 



Norfolk House, Shanklin, Isle of Wight, 



[August] [1858]. 



MY DEAR HOOKER, I write merely to say that the MS. 

 came safely two or three days ago. I am much obliged for 

 the correction of style : I find it unutterably difficult to write 

 clearly. When we meet I must talk over a few points on the 

 subject. 



You speak of going to the sea-side somewhere ; we think 

 this the nicest sea-side place which we have ever seen, 

 and we like Shanklin better than other spots on the south 

 coast of the island, though many are charming and prettier, 

 so that I would suggest your thinking of this place. We 

 are on the actual coast ; but tastes differ so much about 

 places. 



If you go to Broadstairs, when there is a strong wind 

 from the coast of France and in fine, dry, warm weather, 

 look out, and you will probably (!) see thistle-seeds blown 

 across the Channel. The other day I saw one blown right 

 inland, and then in a few minutes a second one and then a 

 third ; and I said to myeelf, God bless me, how many thistles 

 there must be in France ; and I wrote a letter in imagination 

 to you. But I then looked at the low clouds, and noticed 

 that they were not coming inland, so I feared a screw was 

 loose. I then walked beyond a headland, and found the wind 

 parallel to the coast, and on this very headland a noble bed 

 of thistles, which by every wide eddy were blown far out to 



