Ɛpsilon

From John Murray   12 November [1872]1

50, Albemarle St. | W.

Novr 12

My Dear Sir

The price of your book on Expression is s12/- not a dear one considering the cost of the Illustrations—2 In a week or two I shall be prepared to make you an offer for the Edition of this work— Meanwhile, it may be proper to clear off my debt for the 3000 Copies printed last month of the Origin of Species, & by my Sale now nearly exhausted—3

I find that the amount of profit when all are sold, will be £310—& I have the pleasure to enclose you a cheque for Two Hundred Guineas—

I have taken no steps about the Italian Translation.4

Mr Appleton of the Academy was furnished with a copy of your book by me on the 4th of November5

I remain | My Dear Sir | Yours very faithfully | John Murray

Charles Darwin Esq

1
The year is established by the relationship between this letter and the letter to John Murray, 11 November 1872.
2
See letter from R. F. Cooke, 14 August 1872. The photographic illustrations in Expression raised the price of the book (see Ekman 1998 and Prodger 2009).
3
Murray refers to the sixth edition of Origin; see letter to R. F. Cooke, 27 October [1872] and n. 6.
5
See letter to John Murray, 11 November 1872 and n. 7. Murray refers to Charles Edward Cutts Birchall Appleton, founder of the journal Academy.

Please cite as “DCP-LETT-8622,” in Ɛpsilon: The Charles Darwin Collection accessed on 5 June 2025, https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/dcp-data/letters/DCP-LETT-8622