[page]

136 Darwin (Charles)

Three long and important A. Ls. s. (from one of which the signature has been cut), 19 pp. 8vo., Down, Bromley [undated], to H. Fawcett, concerning his early researches which led up to the greatest work of his life, The Origin of Species (3)

". . . I may mention that I believe that the key of my work was gained by our unusually inductive line of research. For when I began to suspect from geographical Distribution, etc., that new species have been formed by descent, I determined to work . . . with not one single idea in my head, and no one can know the years of blind labour I had, before I clearly saw that Selection was man's chief means. When I had got thus far I strongly suspected that this was the key to nature's work." etc.