1856.] THE UNFINISHED BOOK. 69 



anything it must be a very thin and little volume, giving a 

 sketch of my views and difficulties ; but it is really dreadfully 

 unphilosophical to give a resume", without exact references, of 

 an unpublished work. But Lyell seemed to think I might 

 do this, at the suggestion of friends, and on the ground, which 

 I might state, that I had been at work for eighteen * years, and 

 yet could not publish for several years, and especially as I 

 could point out difficulties which seemed to me to require 

 especial .investigation. Now what think you ? I should be 

 really grateful for advice. I thought of giving up a couple of 

 months and writing such a sketch, and trying to keep my 

 judgment open whether or no to publish it when completed. 

 It will be simply impossible for me to give exact references ; 

 anything important I should state on the authority of the 

 author generally ; and instead of giving all the facts on 

 which I ground my opinion, I could give by memory only 

 one or two. In the Preface I would state that the work 

 could not be considered strictly scientific, but a mere sketch 

 or outline of a future work in which full references, &c., 

 should be given. Eheu, eheu, I believe I should sneer at 

 any one else doing this, and my only comfort is, that I 

 truly never dreamed of it, till Lyell suggested it, and seems 

 deliberately to think it advisable. 



I am in a peck of troubles, and do pray forgive me for 



troubling you. 



Yours affectionately, 



C. DARWIN. 



C. Darwin to J. D. Hooker. 



May nth [1856]. 



. . . Now for a more important I subject, viz. my own self: 

 I am extremely glad you think well of a separate " Pre-. 



* The interval of eighteen years, letter to 1855, not 1856, nevertheless 

 from 1837 when he began to collect the latter seems the more probable 

 facts, would bring the date of this date. 



