Ɛpsilon

To John Murray   [1 March 1871]1

6, Queen Anne St.

Wednesday night

(tomorrow I return to Down)2

My dear Mr. Murray

I have just received a note from Mr. Dallas, saying he is pressed for money, will you be so very kind as to settle at once with him.3

As I am in the begging line I will take the opportunity of begging for a few copies of new Edit. of the Descent; and pray kindly inform me as soon as ever copies are nearly ready, that I may communicate with you.4

I have just returned the 4 slightly corrected sheets to Messrs. Clowes; so I shall cause no delay.5

I hear flattering accounts from indirect, and therefore trustworthy, sources about the Book.

Yours very sincerely | Ch. Darwin

Copy

1
The date is established by the dates of CD’s stay in London and by the reference to proofs for the second issue of Descent (see nn. 2 and 4, below). In 1871, 1 March fell on Wednesday.
2
CD stayed in London with his brother Erasmus Alvey Darwin from 23 February until 2 March 1871 (Emma Darwin’s diary (DAR 242)).
3
William Sweetland Dallas had prepared the index for Descent. His note has not been found; see, however, Correspondence vol. 19, letter to R. F. Cooke, 10 February [1871].
4
Murray was printing a second issue of the first edition of Descent (see Correspondence vol. 19, letter from John Murray, 27 February [1871]). CD’s presentation list for Descent has six names written on the verso that may have been for the second printing (see Correspondence vol. 19, Appendix IV).
5
William Clowes & Sons were the printers of Descent. Murray had asked CD to send corrected sheets at once (see Correspondence vol. 19, letter from John Murray, 27 February [1871]).

Please cite as “DCP-LETT-9237,” in Ɛpsilon: The Charles Darwin Collection accessed on 5 June 2025, https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/dcp-data/letters/DCP-LETT-9237