134 THE WRITING OF THE 'ORIGIN OF SPECIES.' [1858, 



not see you, for I should not like to leave home so soon. 

 I had thought of going to London and running down for an 

 hour or two to Kew. . . . 



C. Darwin to J. D. Hooker. 



Norfolk House, Shanklin, Isle of Wight. 



[August 1858.] 



MY DEAR HOOKER, I write merely to say that the MS. 

 came safely two or three days ago. I am much obliged for 

 the correction of style : I find it unutterably difficult to write 

 clearly. When we meet I must talk over a few points on the 

 subject. 



You speak of going to the sea-side somewhere ; we think 

 this the nicest sea-side place which we have ever seen,, 

 and we like Shanklin better than other spots on the south 

 coast of the island, though many are charming and prettier, 

 so that I would suggest your thinking of this place. We are 

 on the actual coast ; but tastes differ so much about places. 



If you go to Broadstairs, when there is a strong wind from 

 the coast of France and in fine, dry, warm weather, look out 

 and you will probably (!) see thistle-seeds blown across the 

 Channel. The other day I saw one blown right inland, and 

 then in a few minutes a second one and then a third ; and I 

 said to myself, God bless me, how many thistles there must be 

 in France ; and I wrote a letter in imagination to you. But 

 I then looked at the low clouds, and noticed that they were 

 not coming inland, so I feared a screw was loose, I then walked 

 beyond a headland and found the wind parallel to the coast, 

 and on this very headland a noble bed of thistles, which by., 

 every wide eddy were blown far out to sea, and then came 

 right in at right angles to the shore ! One day such a number 

 of insects were washed up by the tide, and I brought to life 

 thirteen species of Coleoptera ; not that I suppose these came 

 from France. But do you watch for thistle-seed as you saunter 

 along the coast. . . 



