From Asa Gray   [after 17 September 1867]1

Dear Darwin

I have said yes to this reminder of an old promise.—2 But I shd like to have time to turn over the pages & ponder upon them, and perhaps to exchange thoughts with you, before I attempt a review of your opus. 3 By 1st of Oct, we have an inter-national book post, and you could, perhaps, send me sheets somewhat in advance.4

A. Gray

Postmark: London OC 12 67

1
The date is established by the date of the letter to Gray written on the same sheet of paper as this letter (see n. 2, below).
2
Gray’s letter was written on the blank pages of the folded sheet of a letter to him from Edwin Lawrence Godkin, dated 17 September 1867. The letter text follows: My dear Sir, Two years ago or more when the Nation was first started—you promised me that when Darwin’s new book appeared, you would write us a notice of it. I see it is announced now. I write to ask whether convenience & inclination will allow you to take it up for the Nation. I remain, dear Sir, | Very faithfully yours | E L Godkin Variation had been advertised as forthcoming as early as April 1865 (see Correspondence vol. 13, letter to John Murray, 31 March [1865] and n. 2). The Nation was a weekly newspaper published in New York, and first appeared on 6 July 1865 (ANB s.v. Godkin, Edwin Lawrence).
3
Gray’s review of Variation appeared in the 19 March 1868 issue of the Nation ([A. Gray] 1868).
4
No details of the proposed international book post have been found; for more information on the history of US postal rates, see Jane Kennedy 1957.

Please cite as “DCP-LETT-5636,” in Ɛpsilon: The Charles Darwin Collection accessed on 5 June 2025, https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/dcp-data/letters/DCP-LETT-5636