I do not expect Mr. Darwin's larger work
will add anything to the general strength of his argument. It will
consist chiefly of the details (often numerical) and experiments and
calculations of which he has already given the summaries and results. It
will therefore be more confusing and less interesting to the general
reader. It will prove to scientific men the accuracy of his details, and
point out the sources of his information, but as not one in a thousand
readers will ever test these details and references the smaller work
will remain for general purposes the best....
I see that the Great Exhibition for 1862 seems determined on. If so it
will be a great inducement to me to cut short the period of my
banishment and get home in time to see it. I assure you I now feel at
times very great longings for the peace and quiet of home--very much
weariness of this troublesome, wearisome, wandering life. I have lost
some of that elasticity and freshness which made the overcoming of
difficulties a pleasure, and the country and people are now too familiar
to me to retain any of the charms of novelty which gild over so much
that is really monotonous and disagreeable.
Pages:
106
107
108
109
110
111
112
113
114
115
116
117
118
119
120
121
122
123
124
125
126
127
128
129
130