Ɛpsilon

From D. Appleton & Co.   18 February 1876

New York

Feby 18th. 1876

Dear Sir:

We have charged your account with half cost of the old plates of “Variation of Plants & Animals” from Messrs Judd & Co. in accordance with our arrangement. When may we expect the plates of the new edition?1 We had hoped that “Insectivorous Plants” would have sold better, but there has great depression in business during the last year & the sale of all books has decreased very much.2

Yours very truly | D. Appleton & Co.

Charles Darwin Esqre

Sales by D Appleton & Co to Feby /76 of “Origin of Species” for use of Chas Darwin

Feby1/75On hand212
July Printed500
Oct " 250
Feby1/76on hand 287
Sold 675 5% of $2, $67.50
“Expression of the Emotions”3
Feby1/75On hand 1564
" 1/76 " 1371
Sold 193 10% of $350 67.55
Descent of Man4
Feby 1/75 On hand 132
" 1/76 " 83
Sold 49 10% of $2 9.80
$144.85
Insectivorous Plants
1875 July Printed 2000
Feby 1/76 On hand 682
given away 175
Sold 1143 10% of $2 228.60
Forwd $373.45
br amt Forwd $373.45
Mr Chas Darwin
To. D Appleton & Co Do
Nov 26/75 Pd O Judd ’Co 12 bill of Plates, Variation, Plants & Animals $175.00
$198.45

stg value, Exch 490 Gold 11312    £35.13.85

1
The first US edition of Variation had been published by Orange Judd & Co. in 1868; they had not used stereotypes from CD’s publisher, John Murray, for their edition since they wanted the text in their own preferred format. Before publishing the second US edition, D. Appleton & Co. had to pay them $350 for their old plates even though they could not be used for the new edition (see Correspondence vol. 23, letter from D. Appleton & Co., 11 October 1875). Variation 2d ed. was published in the second half of February 1876 (Publishers’ Circular, 1 March 1876, p. 168); however, it carried an 1875 publication date.
2
Insectivorous plants US ed. was published in 1875 from stereotypes of the English edition (Freeman 1977). There was a period of widespread economic depression in the US from around 1873 until 1879 (Glasner ed. 2013).
3
Expression US ed. was published in December 1872 from stereotypes of the English edition but has an 1873 imprint on the title page (Freeman 1977).
4
Descent 2d US ed. was published in 1875 from stereotypes of the English edition (Freeman 1977).
5
An entry in CD’s Account books–banking account (Down House MS) for 11 March 1876 records the receipt of £35 13s. 8d. profit from US sales.

Please cite as “DCP-LETT-10401,” in Ɛpsilon: The Charles Darwin Collection accessed on 5 June 2025, https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/dcp-data/letters/DCP-LETT-10401