To V. O. Kovalevsky   2 May [1867]1

Down. | Bromley. | Kent. S.E.

May 2.

Dear Sir

I have bespoken the stereotypes & desired Mr Murray to send them when ready to Messrs Trübner.2 I sent yesterday by post some revised proof sheets, which will keep you employed for some time. You will find the whole of the first vol. dull, but I hope the 2nd vol. is somewhat more interesting.3

I thank you cordially on my own part & in the name of the ladies of my family for your very very kind offer of the bears skin, which it will be a great gratification to me to possess.4 It will be the safest plan to address it to

C Darwin Esqr

6 Queen Anne St

Cavendish Square

London.5

When you next have occasion to write be so good as to inform me whether the proof sheets had better be send via France or Belgium. The postage is cheaper by France. Also please to tell me whether it is necessary to give the whole of the address to you which you gave me.

Dear Sir | yours very faithfully | Ch. Darwin

LS

1
The year is established by the reference to arrangements for Kovalevsky’s translation of Variation into Russian. Variation was published in January 1868, and Kovalevsky’s Russian translation (V. O. Kovalevsky trans. 1868–9) was first issued in parts starting in 1867 (Freeman 1977).
2
CD refers to his publisher, John Murray, and to Kovalevsky’s commissioner for English books, Trübner & Co. See letter from V. O. Kovalevsky, 24 April [1867].
3
CD refers to Variation. The first volume of Variation discussed details of variation in particular animals and plants; the second volume included more general and theoretical discussions on topics including inheritance, hybridity, variation, and CD’s hypothesis of pangenesis.
5
CD gave the address of his brother, Erasmus Alvey Darwin.

Please cite as “DCP-LETT-5523,” in Ɛpsilon: The Charles Darwin Collection accessed on 5 June 2025, https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/dcp-data/letters/DCP-LETT-5523