1 845.] MUTABILITY OF SPECIES. 31 



I wish I ever had any books to lend you in return for the 

 many you have lent me 



All of what you kindly say about my species work does 

 not alter one iota my long self-acknowledged presumption 

 in accumulating facts and speculating on the subject of 

 variation, without having worked out my due share of species. 

 But now for nine years it has been anyhow the greatest 

 amusement to me. 



Farewell, my dear Hooker, I grieve more than you can 

 well believe, over our prospect of so seldom meeting. 



I have never perceived but one fault in you, and that you 

 have grievously, viz. modesty ; you form an exception to 

 Sydney Smith's aphorism, that merit and modesty have no 

 other connection, except in their first letter. Farewell, 



C. DARWIN. 



C. Darwin to L. Jenyns (Blomefield). 



Down, Oct. 1 2th [1845]. 



MY DEAR JENYNS, Thanks for your note. I am sorry to 

 say I have not even the tail-end of a fact in English Zoology 

 to communicate. I have found that even trifling observations 

 require, in my case, some leisure and energy, both of which 

 ingredients I have had none to spare, as writing my Geology 

 thoroughly expends both. I had always thought that I 

 would keep a journal and record everything, but in the way 

 I now live I find I observe nothing to record. Looking after 

 my garden and trees, and occasionally a very little walk in 

 an idle frame of my mind, fills up every afternoon in the 

 same manner. I am surprised that with all your parish 

 affairs, you have had time to do all that which you have 

 done. I shall be very glad to see your little work* (and 



* Mr. Jenyns' ' Observations in lowed by a " Calendar of Periodic 



Natural History.' It is prefaced Phenomena in Natural History," 



by an Introduction on " Habits of with " Remarks on the importance 



observing as connected with the of such Registers." 

 study of Natural History," and fol- 



