202 WRITING OF THE ORIGIN OF SPECIES. [Ch. XL 



honestly wrote what I thought, but was most grievously 

 mistaken. I find the style incredibly bad, and most difficult 

 to make clear and smooth. I am extremely sorry to say, on 

 account of expense, and loss of time for me, that the corrections 

 are very heavy, as heavy as possible. But from casual glances, 

 I still hope that later chapters are not so badly written. How 

 I could have written so badly is quite inconceivable, but I 

 suppose it was owing to my whole attention being fixed on the 

 general line of argument, and not on details. All I can say is, 

 that I am very sorry. 



Yours very sincerely. 



C. D. to J. D. Hooker. Down [Sept.] 11th [1859]. 



My dear Hooker, — I corrected the last proof yesterday, 

 and I have now my revises, index, &c, which will take me 

 near to the end of the month. So that the neck of my work, 

 thank God, is broken. 



I write now to say that I am uneasy in my conscience about 

 hesitating to look over your proofs,* but I was feeling 

 miserably unwell and shattered when I wrote. I do not 

 suppose I could be of hardly any use, but if I could, pray 

 send me any proofs. I should be (and fear I was) the most 

 ungrateful man to hesitate to do anything for you after some 

 fifteen or more years' help from you. 



As soon as ever I have fairly finished I shall be off to Ilkloy, 

 or some other Hydropathic establishment. But I shall be 

 some time yet, as my proofs have been so utterly obscured 

 with corrections, that I have to correct heavily on revises. 



Murray proposes to publish the first week in November. 

 Oh, good heavens, the relief to my head and body to banish 

 the whole subject from my mind ! 



I hope you do not think me a brute about your proof- 

 sheets. 



Farewell, yours affectionately. 



The following letter is interesting as showing with what a 

 very moderate amount of recognition he was satisfied, — and 

 more than satisfied. 



Sir Charles Lyell was President of the Geological section at 

 the meeting of the British Association at Aberdeen in 1859. 

 In his address he said : — " On this difficult and mysterious 

 subject [Evolution] a work will very shortly appear by Mr. 



* Of Hooker's Flora of Australia. 



