From R. F. Cooke   6 September 1879

My dear Sir

M^r Murray will be very happy to publish your Memoir of D^r. Darwin, at his own expense & risque & give you $\frac{2}{3}$^rds of the profits, or he will publish it on commission if you prefer it.¹

In either case we should offer it to the booksellers at our Annual Trade Sale.²

As regards the copies you would require to present to your friends, allow you—as we have hitherto done, a certain number gratis according to what are printed, & charge you the trade price for the rest.³

I believe the Autotype Comp^y. allow 20 Per^t. disc^t. to the trade & of course if we manage the work for you, this advantage w^d. secured.⁴

Before printing off the sheets finally we would submit for your approval a sample of the paper to be used, so that you could decide for yourself & the binding would be done according to your wishes.⁵ If I remember correctly you intend the volume to be an ordinary demy 8^vo which w^d. be like Lyell’s Principles of Geology & larger than the rest of yr works.⁶

When Mess^rs. Clowes have the whole of the matter up in slips, we will have a specimen page prepared for yr approval & tell you how many pages the volume will make, & make out an estimate of cost, including woodcuts & plate.⁷

I hope you are keeping well, with kind compl^ts. Believe me | Yours faithfully | Rob^t. Cooke

Cha^s. Darwin Esq

Altho’ dated Albemarle S^t. I am in N. Wales, taking a little holiday