1858.] PRIORITY. 475 



swer to Hooker to be forwarded to me, for then I shall have 

 the opinion of my two best and kindest friends. This letter 

 is miserably written, and I write it now, that I may for a 

 time banish the whole subject ; and I am worn out with 

 musing . . . 



My good dear friend forgive me. This is a trumpery let- 

 ter, influenced by trumpery feelings. 



Yours most truly, 



C. Darwin. 



I will never trouble you or Hooker on the subject again. 



C. Darwin to C. Lyell. 



Down, 26th [June, 1858]. 



My dear Lyell, — Forgive me for adding a P.S. to make 

 the case as strong as possible against myself. 



Wallace might say, "You did not intend publishing an 

 abstract of your views till you received my communication. 

 Is it fair to take advantage of my having freely, though 

 unasked, communicated to you my ideas, and thus prevent 

 me forestalling you ? " The advantage which I should take 

 being that I am induced to publish from privately knowing 

 that Wallace is in the field. It seems hard on me that I 

 should be thus compelled to lose my priority of many years* 

 standing, but I cannot feel at all sure that this alters the 

 justice of the case. First impressions are generally right, and 

 I at first thought it would be dishonourable in me now to 

 publish. 



Yours most truly, 



C. Darwin. 



P. S. — I have always thought you would make a first-rate 

 Lord Chancellor ; and I now appeal to you as a Lord 

 Chancellor. 



