Cost of impression of the heliotype plates [for Expression] is so high that he asks CD to consider having a set photographed onto wood and then engraved. Index [for Expression] is in hand.
Defers to CD and has ordered 2000 sets of impressions from heliotype plates [for Expression] for Murray’s and 3000 sets for Appleton. Also has directed printer to send Appleton a set of stereotype plates of the work and the woodcuts.
Has learned that German edition [of Expression] will be on larger pages than English one. No copies of heliotype plates [for Expression] have been delivered. Hopes Heliotype Company is not going to throw them over. Suggests CD write a strong letter.
Heliotype Company assures RC all 8000 sets of the plates [for Expression] will be ready next week.
Expression is now almost ready. The plates will require great care in the binding.
D. Appleton has been sent 3000 sets of plates [for Expression]. Hopes to publish [Expression] on 12 Nov.
Presentation copies [of Expression] will be ready in a week. Has ordered only 250 copies to have cut edges because trade prefers uncut pages.
Murray’s will allow CD 18 copies [of Expression].
All foreign publishers, except Dutch, have paid for the plates.
Does not understand Reinwald [French publisher of Expression], who apparently intends an edition of only 500 copies. Sends first copy to CD.
Quandary caused by Heliotype Company’s failure to deliver enough plates for Expression because of a strike. Murray’s now has 7000 books and only 3000 sets of plates.
Murray’s must publish [Expression] tomorrow with only 4000 copies, because plates for 3000 additional copies have not yet been delivered. The trade and public will be dissatisfied. It may be advisable to get police to defend the house.
First edition of Expression nearly exhausted. Asks CD to send corrections to the printer for another issue, Murray thinks, of 2000.
Popular Edition [6th] of Origin has sold out 3000 copies. Asks CD whether he has found any errors that should be corrected.
Asks CD’s help in finding original woodcuts for "Voyage of a naturalist" [Journal of researches] for Reinwald.
In doubt about size of printing of the 2d edition of Descent. Profit on 2000 at 12s would be only £250.
Sends CD a statement of number of thousands of copies printed thus far [by Murray’s] of: Journal of researches (12), Origin (13), Descent (10), and Expression (9).
New edition of Descent just off the press. Murray feels price must be 9s instead of 12s, if it is to sell. This will reduce profit to almost nil.
Booksellers approve of [9s] price for 2d edition of Descent. 1350 copies were sold at annual sale.
A curious alteration in the reprint of Variation.
V. O. Kovalevsky has paid for the Expression plates.
Still has 400 copies of Chauncey Wright’s pamphlet
and 450 of Müller’s Facts and arguments for Darwin.