190 WRITING OF THE ORIGIN OF SPECIES. [Ch. XI. 



the moment I got up began to write it down, and I believe 

 finished the first draft the next day. 



I had no idea whatever of "dying," — as it was not a serious 

 illness, — but I had the idea of working it out, so far as I was 

 able, when I returned home, not at all expecting that Darwin 

 had so long anticipated me. I can truly say now, as I said 

 many years ago, that I am glad it was so ; for I have not the 

 love of work, experiment and detail that was so pre-eminent in 

 Darwin, and without which anything I could have written 

 would never have convinced the world. If you do refer to me 

 at any length, can you send me a proof and I will return it to 

 you at once ? 



Yours faithfully 



Alfred E. Wallace. 



C. D. to J. D. Hooker. Miss Wedgwood's, Hartfield, Tunbridge 

 Wells [July 13th, 1858]. 



My dear Hooker — Your letter to Wallace seems to me 

 perfect, quite clear and most courteous. I do not think it 

 could possibly be improved, and I have to-day forwarded it 

 with a letter of my own. I always thought it very possible 

 that I might be forestalled, but I fancied that I had a grand 

 enough soul not to care ; but I found myself mistaken and 

 punished; I had, however, quite resigned myself, and had 

 written half a letter to Wallace to give up all priority to him, 

 and should certainly not have changed had it not been for 

 Lyell's and your quite extraordinary kindness. I assure you 

 I feel it, and shall not forget it. I am more than satisfied at 

 what took place at the Linnean Society. I had thought that 

 your letter and mine to Asa Gray were to be only an appendix 

 to Wallace's paper. 



We go from here in a few days to the sea-side, probably to 

 the Isle of Wight, and on my return (after a battle with 

 pigeon skeletons) I will set to work at the abstract, though 

 how on earth I shall make anything of an abstract in thirty 

 pages of the Journal, I know not, but will try my best. . . . 



I must try and see you before your journey ; but do not 

 think I am fishing to ask you to come to Down, for you will 

 have no time for that. 



You cannot imagine how pleased I am that the notion of 

 Natural Selection has acted as a purgative on your bowels 

 of immutability. Whenever naturalists can look at species 

 changing as certain, what a magnificent field will be open,— 



