THE ORIGIN OF SPECIES 



INTRODUCTION 



WHEN on board H.M.S. "Beagle," as naturalist, I 

 was much struck with certain facts iu the dis- 

 tribution of the organic beings inhabiting South 

 America, and in the geological relations of the present to 

 the past inhabitants of that continent. These facts, as will 

 be seen in the latter chapters of this volume, seemed to 

 throw some light on the origin of species — that mystery of 

 mysteries, as it has been called by one of our greatest phi- 

 losophers. On my return home, it occurred to me, in 1837, 

 that something might perhaps be made out on this ques- , 

 tion by patiently accumulating and reflecting on all sorts of *' 

 facts which could possibly have any bearing on it.| After^ 

 five years' work I allowed myself to speculate on the sub- 

 ject, and drew up some short notes; these I enlarged in 

 1844 into a sketch of the conclusions which then seemed 

 to me probable: from that period to the present day 

 I have steadily pursued the same object. I hope that I 

 may be excused for entering on these personal details, 

 as I give them to shgw'-'that I have not been hasty in 

 coming to a decision. 



My work is now (1859) nearly finished; but as it will 

 take me many more years to complete it, and as my 



health is far from Mrong, I have been urged to publish 



—Science — 2 (25) 



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