Has made progress [on Variation]. Hopes it will go to press in the autumn. Lists his needs for cuts to be made – altogether 50.

Supposes Origin has ceased selling. Would be sorry to have labour of another edition. A new French edition is wanted.

There is no chance of publication [of Variation] by autumn, because of CD’s illness.

CD is pleased [about need for a new edition of Origin] but even more grieved – for it will delay his next book [Variation]. Progress of natural history will make many changes necessary in Origin. Nevertheless, proceeds with 32 more woodcuts for Variation.

Has corrected and improved Origin.

Now hopes to make real progress [on Variation].

4th edition of Origin will soon be bound. Suggests sending copies to scientific periodicals that might notice it. Hopes JM will specify in advertisements that the work is corrected and enlarged. Hopes pages will be cut. Only insanity accounts for this not being done in England.

Appleton’s cannot alter their plates so as to reproduce revised work [Origin, 4th ed.]. Has made it clear that CD could not do otherwise than object strenuously to course they intend to pursue, and has asked them to return the sheets. Wishes CD’s publisher would supply U. S. market with large numbers of copies, as the English edition could well compete with any American one. Encloses [statement of sales of U. S. edition of Origin to 1 February 1866].

Arrangements for woodcuts [in Variation]. Hopes to be ready to print early in 1867.

Encloses letter from Asa Gray [5160] about Appleton’s refusal to alter their plates for a new edition of Origin.

CD asks JM to consider Gray’s plan to have the English edition compete with the American.

A letter from Asa Gray informs CD that Ticknor & Fields will not publish a new edition of Origin to compete with Appleton’s unrevised edition. They recommend sending copies of the English edition for the American market.

Sorry about enormous size of Variation MS, but cannot shorten it now. If JM is afraid to publish, CD will consider agreement cancelled. Suggests he ask someone with judgment to read the MS. Has written concluding chapter on man. Whether it will be included depends on size of volume.

CD annoyed at large size of Variation. Suggests printing detailed parts in small type. JM can, of course, decline to publish altogether.

Relieved by JM’s note and by his agreement on type size. Is alarmed by what the verdict [on Variation] of JM’s friend will be. He is not a man of science. An unscientific reader would have condemned the Origin. An eminent semi-scientific man thought the Journal of researches not worth publishing.

Approves of type [for Variation]. Pleased to hear from Hooker that he is not surprised that MS is big.

Hopes JM’s friend will give his judgment [on Variation] soon; and urges JM to come to a decision about publishing. CD believes it will have "a fair sale".

CD agrees to JM’s proposal of half-profits. Thinks it a mistake to print only 750 copies. The agreement on half-profit is for first edition only. CD estimates his book at a higher value than JM does.

Is convinced his chapter on man [for Variation] will excite plenty of attention and abuse, which he supposes is as good as praise for selling a book.

The compositors have invented a title [for Variation] which CD thinks is better than the advertised one. CD can form no opinion on number of copies. Asks that clean sheets be sent to German and Russian publishers for translation.

The new title is fixed. Thanks for clean sheets. As to number of copies, now that JM proposes 1500, CD is frightened.

Asks JM not to send stereotypes [of Variation] to Schweizerbart until he has heard that Carus will translate it.

CD writes about stereotypes for German and Russian editions of Variation.

Asks whether JM is interested in publishing A. E. Brehm, Illustrirtes Thierleben [4 vols. (1864–7)], which has had immense sale on the continent.

Is making good progress with proofs [of Variation].