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The Charles Darwin Collection
The Darwin Correspondence Project is publishing letters written by and to the naturalist Charles Darwin (1809–1882). Complete transcripts of letters are being made available through the Project’s website (www.darwinproject.ac.uk) after publication in the ongoing print edition of The Correspondence of Charles Darwin (Cambridge University Press 1985–). Metadata and summaries of all known letters (c. 15,000) appear in Ɛpsilon, and the full texts of available letters can also be searched, with links to the full texts.
Likes CD’s memoir of his grandfather and offers to publish 1000 copies at his own risk, giving half the profits to CD.
Though not sanguine about sale [of Erasmus Darwin] it seems fair that if over 1500 copies are sold he should receive two-thirds profit. If JM does not agree, he would prefer publishing on commission or asking Macmillan if they will give him larger profits.
CD’s vexation at the serious printer’s error in his "Geology" [Collected papers 1: 227–50].
Appreciates what Murray and the printer are doing to rectify the error [transposition of pages of text in "Geology"]. But if the responsible person will be fined heavily, CD would want to "make some present".
Asks JM to provide Quarterly Journal of Science with five woodcuts from Climbing plants to illustrate an article, based on that work, by Francis Darwin [see 12462].
Asks John Murray to allow R. F. Charles to quote Journal of researches passages in a school text-book [Relfe Brothers model reading-books … in prose and verse (1880–3)].
Asks advice on size of printing for Movement in plants. Expects it to sell a few copies for some years. Asks price of paper and of printing of 250 copies. Sends instructions for the index.
Thanks JM for copy of Quarterly Review, with article on his worm book [Henry Wace, "Darwin on earthworms", Q. Rev. 153 (1882): 179–202].
Writer will change his mind on evolution. CD cannot think of any young worker in biology who is not convinced of the truth of evolution, though many believe that natural selection has not done much.
Asks JM to forward letter [1525] to Francis Galton "the author of the very interesting volume" Murray recently published.
CD has heard from Lyell that JM is inclined to publish his work on the origin of species. Will send some chapters as soon as copyist has finished. Sends list of 12 chapters. It will be a popular abstract of more than 20 years’ work. It ought to be popular with scientific and semi-scientific readers.
On the strength of CD’s details about his work on species and his knowledge of CD’s former publications, JM offers to publish [Origin] without seeing the MS.
Accepts JM’s terms for publication of Origin. If, on reading the MS, JM thinks it will not sell, CD frees him from the offer. Will send chapters soon so he can judge. Though some parts are dry and abstruse, CD thinks it will be interesting to "those who care for the curious problem of the origin of all animate forms".
Sends title and first three chapters [of Origin]. Thinks first chapter will interest the public and is sure views are original. If JM thinks otherwise, he should freely reject the work. Chapter 2 is dull and abstruse, chapter 3 is plain and interesting.
Will send first six chapters [of Origin] for the press. Sends data on size of MS and book. His "beau ideal" for type and size is Lyell’s Manual [of geology] 1st ed.
Important to his health to get the work printed quickly. Must leave home soon to stay for months at a water-cure establishment.
Asks printer to send a proof-sheet a day until he gets well ahead.
Charles Lyell has asked WE to pass his opinions on the MS of Origin to CD via Murray. WE is convinced of the value of CD’s researches but "to put forth the theory without the evidence", as in the MS, "would do grievous injustice to his views". The omission of these facts reduces both the philosophical and popular value of the work, by virtue of its dryness.
Supports Charles Lyell’s suggestion that CD should first publish his observations on pigeons with a theoretical outline, for "[e]very body is interested in pigeons". Such a work would generate wider interest and be better understood. A subsequent, larger book would then be approached with impartiality "not to say favour" by a wider public.
CD is convinced that the suggestions [for the Origin?] of both Lyell and Whitwell Elwyn are impracticable.
Will send first six chapters of MS next week. Has taken such pains with it that he hopes corrections will not be heavy.
Sends first six chapters [of Origin] for the press. Asks JM to urge printer to keep well ahead of CD so as not to waste time. This is important for his health’s sake.
Approves specimen sheet [of Origin]. Sorry book will be so long. Has now written half of last chapter; it is as long as his estimate of the entire chapter. Now thinks it will run to 6000 or 7000 words. Will do his utmost to improve his style. Anxious to publish soon; he knows of two men already writing on the subject, starting from his Linnean Society paper ["On the tendency of species to form varieties", Collected papers 2: 3–19]. Will send a diagram for the book.
His health has suddenly failed. He is leaving home for one week’s rest.
Has informed William Clowes that he will begin correcting on the 27th.
CD’s diagram [for chapter on "Divergence of character", Origin] is indispensable.
Finds he will have to make many corrections, his text is so obscure.
A week of hydropathy at Moor Park has done him a world of good.