1 859.] AMERICAN EDITION. 245 



to-day's note is merely personal. I should, for several reasons, 

 be very glad of an American Edition. I have made up my 

 mind to be well abused ; but I think it of importance that my 

 notions should be read by intelligent men, accustomed to 

 scientific argument, though not naturalists. It may seem 

 absurd, but I think such men will drag after them those 

 naturalists who have too firmly fixed in their heads that a 

 species is-"an entity. The first edition of 1250 copies was sold 

 on the first day, and now my publisher is printing off, as 

 rapidly as possible, 3000 more copies. I mention this solely 

 because it renders probable a remunerative sale in America. 

 I should be infinitely obliged if you could aid an American 

 reprint ; and could make, for my sake and the publisher's, any 

 arrangement for any profit. The new edition is only a reprint, 

 yet I have made a few important corrections I will have 

 the clean sheets sent over in a few days of as many sheets as 

 are printed off, and the remainder afterwards, and you can do 

 anything you like, if nothing, there is no harm done. I 

 should be glad for the new edition to be reprinted and not the 

 old. In great haste, and with hearty thanks, 



Yours very sincerely, 



C. DARWIN. 

 I will write soon again. 



C. Darwin to C. Lyell. 



Down, 22nd [December, 1859], 



MY DEAR LYELL, Thanks about " Bears," * a word of ill- 

 omen to me. 



I am too unwell to leave home, so shall not see you. 



I am very glad of your remarks on Hooker, f I have not yet 



* See ' Origin,' ed. i., p. 184. wide botanical experience, and 



t Sir C. Lyell wrote to Sir J. D. think it goes very far to raise the 



Hooker, Dec. 19, 1859 (' Life,' ii. variety-making hypothesis to the 



p. 327) : " I have just finished the rank of a theory, as accounting for 



reading of your splendid Essay [the the manner in which new species 



' Flora of Australia '] on the origin enter the world." 

 of species, as illustrated by your 



