I have been very glad to see your impression from memory on the expressions of Malays.  I fully agree with you that the subject is in no way an important one:  it is simply a “hobby-horse” with me about twenty-seven years old; and after thinking that I would write an essay on Man, it flashed on me that I could work in some “supplemental remarks on expression.”  After the horrid, tedious, dull work of my present huge and, I fear, unreadable book, I thought I would amuse myself with my hobby-horse.  The subject is, I think, more curious and more amenable to scientific treatment than you seem willing to allow.  I want, anyhow, to upset Sir C. Bell’s view, given in his most interesting work, “The Anatomy of Expression,” that certain muscles have been given to man solely that he may reveal to other men his feelings.  I want to try and show how expressions have arisen.

That is a good suggestion about newspapers; but my experience tells me that private applications are generally most fruitful.  I will, however, see if I can get the queries inserted in some Indian paper.  I do not know names or addresses of any other papers.

I have just ordered, but not yet received, Murray’s book:  Lindley used to call him a blunder-headed man.  It is very doubtful whether I shall ever have strength to publish the latter part of my materials.

My two female amanuenses are busy with friends, and I fear this scrawl will give you much trouble to read.—­With many thanks, yours very sincerely,

CH.  DARWIN.

* * * * *

Down, Bromley, Kent, S.E.  April 29, 1867.

Dear Wallace,—­I have been greatly interested by your letter;[59] but your view is not new to me.  If you will look at p. 240 of the fourth edition of the “Origin,” you will find it very briefly given with two extremes of the peacock and black grouse.  A more general statement is given at p. 101, or at p. 89 of the first edition, for I have long entertained this view, though I have never had space to develop it.  But I had not sufficient knowledge to generalise as far as you do about colouring and nesting.  In your paper, perhaps you will just allude to my scanty remark in the fourth edition, because in my essay upon Man I intend to discuss the whole subject of sexual selection, explaining, as I believe it does, much with respect to man.  I have collected all my old notes and partly written my discussion, and it would be flat work for me to give the leading idea as exclusively from you.  But as I am sure from your greater knowledge of ornithology and entomology that you will write a much better discussion than I could, your paper will be of great use to me.  Nevertheless, I must discuss the subject fully in my essay on Man.  When we met at the Zoological Society and I asked you about the sexual differences in kingfishers, I had this subject in view; as I had when I suggested to Bates the difficulty about gaudy caterpillars which