To J. V. Carus   10 October [1872]¹

My dear Sir

I am sincerely glad to hear that your health is improved.—² Many thanks for your letter & all the remarks, which shall be carefully considered, whenever I have an opportunity of correcting a new edition.³

I felt very doubtful about the very points which you criticise. viz about the degree to which imitation has come into play, & about the “arrectores pili”.—⁴ I knew about the striped muscles in the iris of Birds; but then as the muscles of the heart are striped, I did not know what to conclude.—⁵ I am very much pleased to hear that you like my book, & I really could form no opinion on its merits. No one else has read it.—

It is a misprint “sloe-back” for “sloe-black”.—⁶

Please alter the I in reference at p. 149.—⁷

I am writing this away from home; as I am knocked up & want rest. On my return home in about 20 days, I will endeavour to find reference to words quoted from Shaspeare.—⁸ I have no copy of proof-sheets with me.—

I sent lately the German title, index &c & clean copies of 2 first sheets, in which I am not sure, whether there were any corrections; but all the other sheets were finally corrected.—

I will of course send you a copy of my book, when published.—⁹

Whenever you come to England I shall be delighted to see you.— A work on geographical distribution w^d. be a most arduous undertaking; but you seem to fear no amount of labour.¹⁰

My dear Sir | Yours very sincerely | Ch. Darwin