To R. F. Cooke   [25 October 1872]1

Sevenoaks.

Friday

My dear Sir

Will you be so kind as to send on my account tomorrow (if possible) a set of clean sheets, with a set of Heliotypes, to M. Reinwald, 15 Rue des Saints Peres, Paris, so that he may see the nature of the work. M. Reinwald wants to bring out a Translation, and asks me “to propose any person with whom he can make an agreement.”2 My books sell much less in France than in any other country, still I think I ought to receive some small payment for the right of Translation. Mr Murray kindly offered once to negotiate for me, and I have ventured to tell M. Reinwald that I would authorise Mr. Murray to enter into an agreement with him.3 I hope he will thus far oblige me, and I shall be content with moderate terms. I have no idea what I ought to accept and put myself absolutely into Mr. Murray’s Hands.

My dear Sir | Yours very sincerely | Ch. Darwin

Thank Heaven I shall be at home tomorrow4

I have told M. Reinwald cost of Blocks and Heliotype plates.5

Copy

1
The date is established by the relationship between this letter and the letter from C.-F. Reinwald, 22 October 1872. The Friday following 22 October 1872 was 25 October.
3
CD’s letter to Reinwald has not been found. CD refers to John Murray.
4
CD stayed in Sevenoaks from 5 to 26 October 1872 (see ‘Journal’ (Appendix II)).
5
Initially, CD had estimated the cost of heliotypes for 1000 copies at £50 (see letter to J. V. Carus, 16 July 1872). Later, a charge of £75 for all foreign editions was agreed (see letter to R. F. Cooke, 17 August 1872). There is no record in the Murray Archive (National Library of Scotland) of the cost charged by John Murray for plates for the French edition of Expression.

Please cite as “DCP-LETT-8538,” in Ɛpsilon: The Charles Darwin Collection accessed on 5 June 2025, https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/dcp-data/letters/DCP-LETT-8538