Thanks for accounts which make everything intelligible to him. Since he was glad to have Orchids published at one-half of profits for himself, he believes it would be very shabby to accept JM’s new offer of two-thirds profits. Thinks it would be fairer to both to change to JM’s usual practice with authors [i.e., annual statements of sales, payments based on them, and final accounting when all copies have been sold].

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.

Intends to publish a translation of Ernst Krause’s essay on Dr Erasmus Darwin, with a prefatory notice by himself. Asks JM to decide whether to publish it on commission or on usual two-thirds profit terms. CD incapable of judging chance of its selling.

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.

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.

Final arrangements for publishing Erasmus Darwin. If he were publishing on commission he would have printed only 1000 copies.

Thinks W. P. Garrison’s book [extracts from Journal of researches for juvenile readers] would serve as an advertisement for the Journal.

Disappointed at sale of Erasmus Darwin.

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".

His family shake heads in dismal manner at his proposed title for his MS: "The Circumnutating Movements of Plants". Makes several other suggestions [none of which was adopted].

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 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.

CD had intended to pay costs of publishing Movement in plants because he did not think it fair that Murray should risk publishing a purely scientific work. He would certainly prefer publishing on the usual terms if JM decided to do so. The book contains much new and curious matter, but there are very few persons in England interested in physiological botany.

CD will take the risk and the loss of Movement in plants on his own shoulders. He will have 1000 copies printed and, on RC’s advice, will charge 15s.

C. Reinwald wishes to publish a French translation [of Movement in plants] but is doubtful on account of cost. CD wants to supply him with stereotypes of the 195 cuts at prime cost.

CD promised Reinwald the clichés [for Movement in plants] at cost, so he is to be charged £10. Eduard Koch should be charged £25, since CD’s books sell well in Germany – but Koch must not know the French have them for £10.

Thanks RC for telling him about sale of 600 copies [of Movement in plants]. He had expected less, so loss will not be as heavy as he feared. Asks whether he should not have 250 more copies printed and what it would cost to have the type kept up.

Instructions for presentation copies.

The index is the worst ever published.

Likes appearance [of Movement in plants].

The Times review should sell a few more copies.

Thanks Murray for present of volumes by Charles St John [A tour in Sutherlandshire, 2 vols. (1849?)].

Asks for quick decision on publication [of Earthworms]. Does not care whether it is published on commission or on usual terms, but wants it published in a hurry. Cannot guess at sales.

Agrees that new book [Earthworms] be published on old terms. Hopes it will not fail.

CD is curious to read an essay on evolution by a Hindu, which is being sent to Murray from India.