To John Murray   4 August [1867]1

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

Aug 4.

My dear Sir

I do not think that you often bring out German translations, but perhaps you will be so kind as to read over the enclosed note & return it to me.2 The note explains itself, & why I feel any interest in the subject. I have not had time yet to do more than look at the book so I cannot speak of its merit; but its immense sale on the continent speaks strongly in its favour. It is illustrated most profusely by excellent woodcuts & Plates (uncoloured) which no doubt is a main attraction. It will consist of 5 thick Vols Royal 8vo.3 The expense of getting up this book must have been prodigious. If by any chance you wd like to see the four vols. which I have, I cd send them to you.

My dear Sir | yours very sincerely | Ch. Darwin

P.S. I am making good progress with my book & have corrected the slips of exactly half the 2nd vol.4

LS(A)

1
The year is established by the relationship between this letter and the letter from H. J. Meyer, 30 July 1867 (see n. 2, below).
2
CD enclosed the letter from H. J. Meyer, 30 July 1867. Hermann Julius Meyer had asked CD to recommend Alfred Edmund Brehm’s Illustrirtes Thierleben (Brehm et al. 1864–9) to an English publisher for translation.
3
Royal octavo.
4
CD was correcting the proof-sheets of Variation.

Manuscript Alterations and Comments

1.6 & Plates (uncoloured)] interl in CD’s hand

Please cite as “DCP-LETT-5594,” in Ɛpsilon: The Charles Darwin Collection accessed on 5 June 2025, https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/dcp-data/letters/DCP-LETT-5594