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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.
Insectivorous plants ready for publication. Asks price. Suggests advertisements in Nature and Gardeners’ Chronicle.
Sorry to hear price of 15s [for Insectivorous plants]. Asks that JM consider 14s. Fears small sale at 15s. It is his fault – he never can help making his books too big.
Fears Variation [2d ed.] will not be ready for Murray’s annual sale unless printer sends proof more quickly. Arrangements with Italian publishers.
Detailed questions about illustrations for [forthcoming] Expression.
Asks whether Times review has hurt sales of Descent.
The type on specimen page of Origin [6th ed.] seems clear, but lines are close. The cost is the great point for a wide circulation.
Gives cost of printing photographs [for Expression] by the Woodbury process.
Mentioned to Appleton only that stereotypes [for Insectivorous plants] would be provided for "a little above cost price". Glad the price of the book will be 14s. He likes making money, but cares more for wider distribution of his books. Is uneasy about sale of Insectivorous plants.
Very glad about sales [of Insectivorous plants]. CD had hard work to persuade Murray to increase printing to 1250 copies, but owns he thought that number would last for eternity. U. S. publication and French, German, and Russian translations in the offing.
On publishing details of Variation [2d ed.].
CD mortified and annoyed to hear that RC has complained to Messrs Clowes of the extra expense because proofs for Climbing plants were put on wider paper at CD’s request.
Thanks RC for his kind note. It was only Climbing plants for which he wanted the proofs to have wide margins. Wishes he understood more about printing. It would be a great convenience to authors if exterior margins of proofs were broad.
Sends list for complimentary copies and suggests various arrangements related to publication of Climbing plants.
Thinks a revised edition of Orchids is needed.
Climbing plants has sold better than he expected.
Thinks another 1000 of Origin may have to be printed; he has no corrections to make.
Reminds RC that he will lose £200 unless Variation [2d ed.] sells pretty well in the U. S. [and therefore Murray’s price for stereotypes should be kept low].
Is unwilling that Insectivorous plants be stereotyped until he has profited by criticisms and new facts. It would be better to wait a few years and correct the book thoroughly before stereotyping.
Discusses payment of £10 owed by Italians.
"No corrections for Voyage of Beagle [Journal of researches]."
Convinced Cross and self fertilisation is of permanent value, though an extremely dry, special subject. Thinks it will sell for many years and suggests a printing of 1500 copies. Asks that a good indexer be found and put to work. Appleton has agreed to publish it
and Orchids, [2d ed.], if Murray’s will supply stereotype plates.
Discusses page length [of Cross and self-fertilisation]. Doubts 1500 copies will be sold until lapse of some years.
Sends MS [of Forms of flowers]. Since sale is likely to be small, Murray may not want to publish it on usual terms. CD thinks it may be his last book and asks Murray to publish it on most favourable terms he can afford.
Has not heard from Appleton about an American edition [of Forms of flowers]. Asks how many copies Murray is printing.
Asks exact number of copies of recent printing of Origin.
Approves stereotyping Orchids,
but fears he cannot approve of stereotyping Cross and self-fertilisation and Forms of flowers. It is too soon for the latter, and he is too busy to correct the former.
Sends corrected sheets of Cross and self-fertilisation. How many copies will be printed? Asks whether he is correct in thinking that he has not been paid for the July printing.
Plans to correct Forms of flowers when new edition is needed.
Pleased that JM will allow two-thirds profits [on Erasmus Darwin] for he wants Krause to receive some profit.
He and his son [Francis] are preparing a large botanical work [Movement in plants], dry as dust, which he must publish on commission. He will be lucky to lose only £100.