From G. H. Lewes   30 July 1868

My dear M^r Darwin

It quite distresses me to think of your forced idleness and I reproach myself for having inconsiderately asked you to bother yourself over my papers. Pray consider my request withdrawn—at any rate so far withdrawn as not to involve a moment’s interruption of your idleness or of any other work.¹

Since it must be a long while before my work can be prepared, even after the articles are finished there is no necessity for you to fix any time for marginalia.²

When I was in Freiburg D^r Weismann—one of the hopes of zoology—delivered an Eintritt’s Vorrede on your views, which excited great sensation. I was not present at it, but he told me the line he was going to adopt & shortly we shall have it in print.³ Poor fellow! he nearly lost his sight with microscopic excesses— what asses we are, we who ought to know, & do know (for others) the penalties of overwork!

Believe me | Very sincerely yours | G. H. Lewes