468 THE UNFINISHED BOOK. [1858. 



overwhelmed with my riches in facts, and I mean to make my 

 book as perfect as ever I can. I shall not go to press at soon- 

 est for a couple of years. . . . 



C. Darwin to J. D. Hooker. 



Feb. 23rd [1858]. 



... I was not much struck with the great Buckle, and I 

 admired the way you stuck up about deduction and induc- 

 tion. I am reading his book,* which, with much sophistry, 

 as it seems to me, is wonderfully clever and original, and with 

 astounding knowledge. 



I saw that you admired Mrs. Farrer's * Questa tomba ' of 

 Beethoven thoroughly ; there is something grand in her sweet 

 tones. 



Farewell. I have partly written this note to drive bee's- 

 cells out of my head ; for I am half-mad on the subject to 

 try to make out some simple steps from which all the won- 

 drous angles may result.f 



I was very glad to see Mrs. Hooker on Friday ; how well 

 she appears to be and looks. 



Forgive your intolerable but affectionate friend, 



C. Darwin. 



C. Darwin to W. D. Fox. 



Down, April i6th [1858]. 



My dear Fox, — I want you to observe one point for me, 

 on which I am extremely much interested, and which will give 

 you no trouble beyond keeping your eyes open, and that is a 

 habit I know full well that you have. 



I find horses of various colours often have a spinal band 

 or stripe of different and darker tint than the rest of the body ; 

 rarely transverse bars on the legs, generally on the under-side 



* * The History of Civilisation.' 



f He had much correspondence on this subject with the late Professor 

 Miller of Cambridge. 



