ecies were mutable
productions, I could not avoid the belief that man must come under the
same law. Accordingly I collected notes on the subject for my own
satisfaction, and not for a long time with any intention of
publishing. Although in the 'Origin of Species' the derivation of any
particular species is never discussed, yet I thought it best, in order
_that no honourable man should accuse me of concealing my views_,[77]
to add that by the work 'light would be thrown on the origin of man
and his history.' It would have been useless and injurious to the
success of the book to have paraded, without giving any evidence, my
conviction with respect to his origin."[78]

In a letter written in January, 1860, to the Rev. L. Blomefield,
Darwin expresses himself in similar terms. "With respect to man, I am
very far from wishing to obtrude my belief; but I thought it dishonest
to quite conceal my opinion."[79]

The brief allusion in the _Origin of Species_ is so far from prominent
and so incidental that it was excusable to assume that Darwin had not
touched upon the descent of man in this work. It was solely the desire
to have his mass of evidence sufficiently complete, solely Darwin's
great characteristic of never publishing till he had carefully weighed
all aspects of his subject for years, solely, in short, his most
fastidious scientific conscience that restrained him from challenging
the world in 1859 with a book in which the theory of the descent of
man was fully set forth. Three years, frequently interrupted by
ill-health, were needed for the actual writing of the book:[80] the
first edition, which appeared in 1871, was followed in 1874 by a much
improved second edition, the preparation of which he very reluctantly
undertook.[81]

This, briefly, is the history of the work, which, with the _Origin of
Species_, marks an epoch in the history of biological sciences--the
work with which the cautious, peace-loving investigator ventured forth
from his contemplative life into the arena of strife and unrest, and
laid himself open to all the annoyances that deep-rooted belief and
prejudice, and the prevailing tendency of scientific thought at the
time could devise.

Darwin did not take this step lightly. Of great interest in this
connection is a letter written to Wallace on Dec. 22, 1857,[82] in
which he says, "You ask me whether I shall discuss 'man.' I think I
shall avoid the whole subject, as so surrounded with prejudices;