1859.] NEW EDITION. 235 



though I am a very poor French scholar, I could detect 

 any scientific mistake, and would read over the French 

 proofs." 



The proposed translation was not made, and a second 

 plan fell through in the following year. He wrote to M. de 

 Ouatrefages : " The gentleman who wished to translate my 

 ' Origin of Species ' has failed in getting a publisher. 

 Bailliere, Masson, and Hachette all rejected it with contempt. 

 It was foolish and presumptuous in me, hoping to appear in a 

 French dress ; but the idea would not have entered my head 

 had it not been suggested to me. It is a great loss. I must 

 console myself with the German edition which Prof. Bronn is 

 bringing out" * 



A sentence in another letter to M. de Quatrefages shows 

 how anxious he was to convert one of the greatest of contemp- 

 orary Zoologists : " How I should like to know whether 

 Milne-Edwards has read the copy which I sent him, and 

 whether he thinks I have made a pretty good case on our 

 side of the question. There is no naturalist in the world 

 for whose opinion I have so profound a respect. Of course I 

 am not so silly as to expect to change his opinion."] 



C. Darwin to C. Lyell. 



Ilkley, [November 25th, 1859]. 



MY DEAR LYELL, I have received your letter of the 24th. 

 It is no use trying to thank you ; your kindness is beyond 

 thanks. I will certainly leave out the whale and bear . . . 



The edition was 1250 copies. When I was in spirits, I 

 sometimes fancied that my book would be successful, but I 

 never even built a castle in the air of such success as it has 

 met with ; I do not mean the sale, but the impression it has 

 made on you (whom I have always looked at as chief judge) 



* See letters to Bronn, p. 276. 



