1859-] FINISHED. 525 



the problems were than to solve them, so far as I have suc- 

 ceeded in doing, and this seems to me rather curious. Well, 

 good or bad, my work, thank God, is over ; and hard work, I 

 can assure you, I have had, and much work which has never 

 borne fruit. You can see, by the way I am scribbling, that 

 I have an idle and rainy afternoon. I was not able to start 

 for Ilkley yesterday as I was- too unwell ; but I hope to get 

 there on Tuesday or Wednesday. Do, I beg you, when you 

 have finished my book and thought a little over it, let me 

 hear from you. Never mind and pitch into me, if you think 

 it requisite ; some future day, in London possibly, you may 

 give me a few criticisms in detail, that is, if you have scrib- 

 bled any remarks on the margin, for the chance of a second 

 edition. 



Murray has printed 1250 copies, which seems to me rather 

 too large an edition, but I hope he will not lose. 



I make as much fuss about my book as if it were my first. 

 Forgive me, and believe me, my dear Lyell, 



Yours most sincerely, 



C. Darwin. 



C. Darwin to J. D. Hooker. 



Ilkley, Yorkshire, Oct. 15th [1859]. 



My dear Hooker, — Be a good man and screw out time 

 enough to write me a note and tell me a little about yourself, 

 your doings, and belongings. 



Is your Introduction fairly finished .'* I know you will 

 abuse it, and I know well how much I shall like it. I have 

 been here nearly a fortnight, and it has done me very much 

 good, though I sprained my ankle last Sunday, which has 

 quite stopped walking. All my family come here on Monday 

 to stop three or four weeks, and then I shall go back to the 

 great establishment, and stay a fortnight ; so that if I can 

 keep my spirits, I shall stay eight weeks here, and thus give 

 hydropathy a fair chance. Before starting here I was in an 

 awful state of stomach, strength, temper, and spirits. My 



