494 THE WRITING OF THE ' ORIGIN OF SPECIES.' [1858. 



done me in making me make this Abstract ; for though I 

 thought I had got all clear, it has clarified my brains very 

 much, by making me weigh the relative importance of the 

 several elements, 



I have been reading with much interest your (as I believe 

 it to be) capital memoir of R. Brown in the Gardeners' 

 Chronicle. . . . 



C. Darwin to J. D. Hooker. 



Down, Oct. 12th, 1858. 

 ... I have sent eight copies * by post to Wallace, and 

 will keep the others for him, for I could not think of any one 

 to send any to. 



I pray you not to pronounce too strongly against Natural 

 Selection, till you have read my abstract, for though I dare 

 say you will strike out many difficulties, which have never 

 occurred to me ; yet you cannot have thought so fully on the 

 subject as I have. 



I expect my Abstract will run into a small volume, which 

 will have to be published separately. . . . 



What a splendid lot of work you have in hand. 



Ever yours, 



C. Darwin. 



C. Darwin to J. D. Hooker. 



Down, Oct. 13th, 1858. 

 ... I have been a little vexed at myself at having asked 

 you not " to pronounce too strongly against Natural Selec- 

 tion." I am sorry to have bothered you, though I have been 

 much interested by your note in answer. I wrote the sen- 

 tence without reflection. But the truth is, that I have so 

 accustomed myself, partly from being quizzed by my non- 

 naturalist relations, to expect opposition and even contempt, 

 that I forgot for the moment that you are the one living soul 



* Of the joint paper by C. Darwin and A. R. Wallace. 



