To Charles Lyell   25 December [1870]

Down. | Beckenham | Kent. S.E.

Dec. 25th

My dear Lyell

I am very much obliged for the new book, received yesterday.1 It seems wonderfully full of matter, & I shall soon look over all the parts likely to contain any new conclusions; but at present I can literally do nothing & think about nothing, except the sickening work of getting my last sheets corrected & recorrected for the press.—2 I have first proofs to correct of only one more short chapter, & then thank all the powers above & below, I shall be a man again & not a horrid grinding machine.— I wish you joy heartily that your labour is over.—

Ever yours. | C. Darwin

Postmark: DE 26 70

1
Lyell had evidently sent a presentation copy of The student’s elements of geology (Lyell 1871); CD’s annotated copy is in the Darwin Archive–CUL (see Marginalia 1: 545–6).
2
CD was working on the proof-sheets of Descent.

Manuscript Alterations and Comments

0.1 Beckenham] interl before del ‘Bromley.’
1.5 first … of] interl

Please cite as “DCP-LETT-7401,” in Ɛpsilon: The Charles Darwin Collection accessed on 5 June 2025, https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/dcp-data/letters/DCP-LETT-7401