164 THE WRITING OF THE 'ORIGIN OF SPECIES.' [1859. 



It will be a grand subject for you. No one, as far as I have 

 seen, has discussed under what circumstances the beds were 

 deposited. Are the beds like those with angular flints at 

 Greenstreet Green, where Lubbock found elephant remains, 

 and subsequently the head of a musk ox ? Do you remember 

 telling me that you thought that they were glacial, and after- 

 wards enquiring of Arctic travellers about the nature of the 

 beach in those icy regions ? and now that musk-ox has been 

 found the story is complete. I have often told it with 

 striking effect. What ages men must have lived on the old 

 icy shores, to have lost so many weapons ! Esquimaux 

 living on the beach, and on the sea, and on ice would be 

 likely to lose more than any other races, and leave them 

 embedded. It is a grand case. I am so glad you have 

 investigated it. 



I am very glad you wish to see my clean sheets : I should 

 have offered them, but did not know whether it would bore 

 you ; I wrote by this morning's post to Murray to send them. 

 Unfortunately I have not got to the part which will interest 

 you, I think most, and which tells most in favour of the view, 

 viz. Geological Succession, Geographical Distribution, and espe- 

 cially Morphology, Embryology and Rudimentary Organs. I 

 will see that the remaining sheets, when printed off, are sent to 

 you. But would you like for me to send the last and perfect 

 revises of the sheets as I correct them ? if so, send me your 

 address in a blank envelope. I hope that you will read all, 

 whether dull (especially latter part of Chapter II.) or not, for 

 I am convinced there is not a sentence which has not a 

 bearing on the whole argument. You will find Chapter IV. 

 perplexing and unintelligible, without the aid of the enclosed 

 queer diagram,* of which I send an old and useless proof. I 

 have, as Murray says, corrected so heavily, as almost to have 

 re-written it ; but yet I fear it is poorly written. Parts are 



* The diagram illustrates descent with divergence. 



