The reviews of Erasmus Darwin are mainly favourable.
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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.
The reviews of Erasmus Darwin are mainly favourable.
Replies to EK’s queries about German translation of CD’s preface to Erasmus Darwin.
Samuel Butler’s fierce attack on CD and EK in Athenæum. CD’s sentence saying that EK had altered his Kosmos article was accidentally omitted from second proofs. Butler insinuates that EK’s attack on his book was suggested by CD or interpolated by him in EK’s text.
CD is pleased that EK will answer Butler. Thinks Butler is half insane.
CD advises EK on his proposed letter answering Butler.
Considering the favourable reviews, sale of Erasmus Darwin has been poor.
Thanks EK for kind letter.
CD’s date on epitaph is a dreadful mistake. CD often overlooks errata.
Regrets delay of photographs [for German edition of Erasmus Darwin].
Invites JF to Down.
Thanks EK for two articles about Erasmus Darwin.
Does not think it right that he should receive Kosmos free. Asks for a bill for subscription.
Has not heard from J. Murray if there is any profit on Erasmus Darwin, but "vehementer dubito".
An extract from a life of Kepler about the motions of Mars.
Thanks for sending him a copy of the striking passage from Kepler.
Insists that EK take the profits from the English edition of Erasmus Darwin. EK’s essay is the valuable part of the book; CD’s is mainly gossip.
Bad news about Kosmos [ceasing publication].
Fritz Müller’s losses [in a flood]; "I have long looked on him as the best observer in the world."
EK’s astonishing account of crustacean that repairs its legs in an ancestral form seems to support Pangenesis, which has hardly any friends.
CD’s sons tell him that Samuel Butler in Unconscious memory states that some passages in Erasmus Darwin were taken from his Evolution, old and new. Their unprejudiced view is that the passages do come from Butler. CD hopes EK will give a clear explanation if he writes on the matter in Kosmos.
CD is taking no public notice of Butler’s attack on himself.
Glad to receive the German edition of Erasmus Darwin. Hopes sales will be good. Favourable review has appeared in the United States, in the Nation.
Profit on Erasmus Darwin is £9 15s 5d. Sends cheque. 218 copies remain unsold.