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Letter from Charles Darwin to [H. W. Bates] 3382

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Transcription: "My dear Sir, I have been very bad for fortnight and could not read your M.S. before today and yesterday. It is, in my opinion excellen
Show moreTranscription: "My dear Sir, I have been very bad for fortnight and could not read your M.S. before today and yesterday. It is, in my opinion excellent—style perfect—description first-rate (I quite enjoyed rambling in forests) and good dashes of original reflexions. I must write very briefly. Remember that large sale of a Book depends much on chance, on whether public mind occupied—other books coming out to [illegible], but I feel assured that your Book will be a permanently good one, and that your friends will always feel a satisfaction at its publication. I will write when you like to Murray. Could you add a notion by simile to kind of mysterious sounds heard in forest? but be vague and very brief in any simile. for description as it now stands is grand. Did the native look round and shrink or hide when he trembled and heard sound? This is capital. Matador very good- Better than very good.— at p. 9. ought you not to enlarge one sentence to show why the diversity of classes of Lianas interested you? Is it because as to showing that many Families have thus become modified—something in same way as Marsupials, Edentata, Carnivora, Rodentata, and Quadrumana have here in another manner become "climbers". How are moths and sphinxes in Tropics. Did you sugar? Is the little Heron insectivorous? State somewhere for me, whether any of the Mammals and Birds often and long kept in confinement in native home, breed?f9 I like much discussion on Burmeister. I like all. I am very weak and tired. Do not think you have anything to thank me for— it has been pleasure. Go on as you have begun and you will surely succeed. Yours very sincerely, C. Darwin Hooker is much interested by what I told him about your conclusion of colours. of Butterflies and Tropics. M.S. returned by the Post." Letter, signed by sender. Sent from Down House, near Beckenham, Kent, England.
The Robert M. Stecher Collection of Charles Darwin Books and Manuscripts
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Creator

Darwin, Charles, 1809-1882

Permanent URL

http://hdl.handle.net/2186/ksl:ditalldar00040