the inimitable Eric Korn on Darwin's "Expression" & the used book market, etc.

"Darwin's books can be classified by smell. "A Naturalist's Voyage" smells of the rainforest, the barnacle books smell of formalin, the (strangely neglected) botany books like "Different Forms of Flowers on Plants of the Same Species" smell of the greenhouse, the earthworm book reeks of the compost heap and Darwin's Thinking Path at Down in autumn. "Expression" smells of the North Downs, and a man out walking his dog and his stick, chatting with pigeon fanciers, racing men and the occasional zookeeper, teaplanter or missionary on leave. How many miles from Down to Selborne? About three score and ten if you avoid the M25. A journey from 18th-century squire-naturalist to scientific biologist, and back again..."