will hand over <to> him all those scraps roughly divided
into eight or ten brown paper portfolios. The scraps, with copied
quotations from various works, are those which may aid my editor. I also
request that you, or some amanuensis, will aid in deciphering any of the
scraps which the editor may think possibly of use. I leave to the
editor's judgment whether to interpolate these facts in the text, or as
notes, or under appendices. As the looking over the references and
scraps will be a long labour, and as the _correcting_ and enlarging and
altering my sketch will also take considerable time, I leave this sum of
L400 as some remuneration, and any profits from the work. I consider
that for this the editor is bound to get the sketch published either at
a publisher's or his own risk. Many of the scraps in the portfolios
contain mere rude suggestions and early views, now useless, and many of
the facts will probably turn out as having no bearing on my theory.

{32} Mrs Darwin's brother.

"With respect to editors, Mr Lyell would be the best if he would
undertake it; I believe he would find the work pleasant, and he would
learn some facts new to him. As the editor must be a geologist as well
as a naturalist, the next best editor would be Professor Forbes of
London. The next best (and quite best in many respects) would be
Professor Henslow. Dr Hooker would be _very_ good. The next, Mr
Strickland{33}. If none of these would undertake it, I would request you
to consult with Mr Lyell, or some other capable man, for some editor, a
geologist and naturalist. Should one other hundred pounds make the
difference of procuring a good editor, I request earnestly that you will
raise L500.

{33} After Mr Strickland's name comes the following sentence, which
has been erased, but remains legible. "Professor Owen would be very
good; but I presume he would not undertake such a work."

"My remaining collections in Natural History may be given to any one or
any museum where <they> would be accepted...."

<The following note seems to have formed part of the original letter,
but may have been of later date:>

"Lyell, especially with the aid of Hooker (and of any good zoological
aid), would be best of all. Without an editor will pledge himself to
give up time to it, it would be of no use paying such a sum.

"If there should be any difficulty in getting an editor who would go
thoroughly into the subject, and think of the bear