I was not aware, at that time, that he had then been many
years brooding over the Species question; and the humorous smile which
accompanied his gentle answer, that such was not altogether his view,
long haunted and puzzled me."
Little did Charles Darwin dream that, only three years after this first
MS. was written (in 1844), a youthful naturalist--known only as a
surveyor at Neath--was deliberately pondering over the same issue, and
writing to his only scientific friend on the subject. As, however, the
different methods of thought by which they arrived at the same
conclusion is so aptly related by Wallace himself, we will leave it for
him to tell the story in its appointed place.[21]
In 1856, the year following the appearance of Wallace's essay in the
_Annals and Magazine of Natural History_, both Hooker and Lyell urged
Darwin to publish the result of his long and patient research. But he
was still reluctant to do so, not having as yet satisfied himself with
regard to certain conclusions which, he felt, must be stoutly maintained
in face of the enormous amount of criticism which would arise
immediately his theory was launched on the scientific world.
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