 On the Origin of Species by Charles Darwin A bridge from the first edition of 1859 annotated and read by Richard Dawkins When on board HMS Beagle as naturalist I was much struck with certain facts in the distribution of the inhabitants of South America and in the geological relations of the present to the past inhabitants of that continent These facts seem to me to throw some light on the origin of species that mystery of mysteries as it has been called by one of our greatest philosophers On my return home, after five years' work, I allowed myself to speculate on the subject and drew up some short notes These I enlarged in 1844 into a sketch of the conclusions which then seemed to me probable From that period to the present day I have steadily pursued the same object I hope that I may be excused for entering on these personal details as I give them to show that I have not been hasty in coming to a decision My work is now nearly finished, but as it will take me two or three more years to complete it and as my health is far from strong I have been urged to publish this abstract I have more especially been induced to do this as Mr. Wallace, who is now studying the natural history of the Malay Archipelago has arrived at almost exactly the same general conclusions that I have on the origin of species Sir Charles Lyle and Dr. Hooker, who both knew of my work, honoured me by thinking it advisable to publish with Mr. Wallace's excellent memoir Some brief extracts from my manuscripts This abstract which I now publish must necessarily be imperfect I cannot here give references and authorities for my several statements and I must trust to the reader reposing some confidence in my accuracy I am well aware that scarcely a single point is discussed in this volume on which facts cannot be induced, often apparently leading to conclusions directly opposite to those at which I have arrived A fair result can be obtained only by fully stating and balancing the facts and arguments on both sides of each question and this cannot possibly be here done In considering the origin of species it is quite conceivable that a naturalist reflecting on the mutual affinities of organic beings on their embryological relations, their geographical distribution, geological succession and other such facts might come to the conclusion that each such species had not been independently created but had descended like varieties from other species Nevertheless, such a conclusion, even if well founded, would be unsatisfactory until it could be shown how the innumerable species inhabiting this world have been modified so as to acquire that perfection of structure and co-adaptation which most justly excites our admiration Naturalists continually refer to external Sample complete Ready to continue?