To John Murray   [26 June 1845]

Dear Sir

I have adopted & am much obliged for, your criticism on the Preface. It will be now too late to insert the advertisement of the Zoolo. & Geol. of the Voyage in the First Part.—

I am sorry to say that this Part runs to 176 pages: I found I could not shorten so much as not to leave a broken sheet, so that I have managed to get all in this Part, by running two chapters together & by throwing away two pages of type: I have written to M^rs. Clowes, begging them to send me a little account for the setting up & distributing of these two pages & for the corrections consequent on it:

I will try to make the next Part only 160 pages, but I find it almost impossible, with so many alterations to keep any accurate calculation, as is shown by the last M.S. having run out 13 pages too much.

Dear Sir | Your’s very faithfully | C. Darwin

PS. To night. M^rs. Clowes will receive title & every sheet finally corrected.— The title, Preface Contents &c all been put by M^rs Clowes into half a sheet