To R. F. Cooke   17 January [1871]1

Down, Beckenham, Kent.

Jan. 17

My dear Sir

I enclose list, which kindly preserve, for 71 copies—43 to be despatched by you and 28 sent here by address given on the sheet. Kindly advertise me when they are sent off.2

And now I want to beg a favour, viz. to get 2 copies of Vol. I bound as soon as possible and sent to addresses on next Page, to two gentlemen, who are going to write on subject and much want early copies. I have put memorandum to my list that Vol. I has been despatched, so that you will have to send only 2nd vol. when ready. My dear Sir | Yours sincerely | C. Darwin

A. R. Wallace, Esq.3

Holly House | Tanner St | Barking (E.)

St. George Mivart, Esq.4

7, North Bank | Regent’s Park (N.W.)

Copy

1
The year is established by the reference to presentation copies of Descent; Descent was published on 24 February 1871 (Freeman 1977).
2
CD’s presentation list for Descent (see Correspondence vol. 19, Appendix IV) eventually had eighty names on it. CD evidently distributed some copies from Orpington, Kent (see letter to R. F. Cooke, 14 February [1871]). See also letter from R. F. Cooke, 15 February 1871. The enclosure has not been found.
3
Alfred Russel Wallace reviewed Descent in Academy 2 (1871): 177–83 (Wallace 1871c).
4
St George Jackson Mivart later reviewed Descent in Quarterly Review 131 (1871): 47–90 ([Mivart] 1871c). However, CD evidently thought Mivart wanted it for his own research (see letter to St G. J. Mivart, 21 January [1871]).

Please cite as “DCP-LETT-7444,” in Ɛpsilon: The Charles Darwin Collection accessed on 5 June 2025, https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/dcp-data/letters/DCP-LETT-7444