344 LIFE AT DOWN. yETAT. 33-45. [1849. 



against "mihi " and "nobis," of which you warn me of the 

 dangers. I showed my paper to three or four Naturalists, 

 and they all agreed with me to a certain extent : with health 

 and vigour, I would not have shown a white feather, [and] 

 w T ith aid of half-a-dozen really good Naturalists, I believe 

 something might have been done against the miserable and 

 degrading passion of mere species naming. In your letter 

 you wonder what " Ornamental Poultry " has to do with 

 Barnacles ; but do not flatter yourself that I shall not yet live 

 to finish the Barnacles, and then make a fool of myself on the 

 subject of species, under which head ornamental Poultry are 

 very interesting. . . . 



C. Darwin to C. Lyell. 



The Lodge, Malvern [June, 1849]. 



... I have got your book,* and have read all the first and 

 a small part of the second volume (reading is the hardest 

 work allowed here), and greatly I have been interested by it. 

 It makes me long to be a Yankee. E. desires me to say that 

 she quite " gloated " ever the truth of your remarks on re- 

 ligious progress ... I delight to think how you will disgust 

 some of the bigots and educational dons. As yet there has 

 not been much Geology or Natural History, for which I hope 

 you feel a little ashamed. Your remarks on all social subjects 

 strike me as worthy of the author of the 'Principles/ And 

 yet (I know it is prejudice and pride) if I had written the 

 Principles, I never would have written any travels; but I 

 believe I am more jealous about the honour and glory of the 

 Principles than you are yourself. . . . 



C. Darwin to C. Lyell. 



September 14th, 1849. 

 . . . I go on with my aqueous processes, and very steadily 

 but slowly gain health and strength. Against all rules, I dined 



* ' A Second Visit to the United States.' 



