To J. V. Carus   23 May [1874]1

Down, | Beckenham, Kent.

May 23d

My dear Sir

As the new Edit. of Descent will not be published till Murray’s sales-day early in November, the Printers have been slow;2 but I received 2 days ago a proof of 1st. sheet (in small type for a cheap edit.) & I have today written for a spare revised proof, which I will send you as soon as received; & I will send revises of the next few sheets.— I have altered position of 2d. Chapter.3

I am extremely glad to hear of the great success of your Lectures.4 As you do not mention your health, I hope it is better. Our plans for the summer are all changed since I last wrote, & at present I do not know when we shall leave home for a month’s holidays, which my wife declares I shall have whether I like it or not.—5

Yours very sincerely | Ch. Darwin

1
The year is established by the relationship between this letter and the letter from J. V. Carus, 22 May 1874.
2
The second edition of Descent was published by John Murray on 13 November 1874. The printer was William Clowes & Sons. On Murray’s November sale dinners, at which the leading booksellers could purchase new works at a discount, see Murray 1908–9, p. 540.
3
Carus was preparing a German translation of Descent 2d ed. (Carus trans. 1875a). CD moved chapter 4 (On the manner of development of man from some lower form) to chapter 2 in the second edition of Descent.
5
The last extant letter from CD to Carus is that of 19 March [1874]; however, there may have been a later letter that is now missing (see letter from J. V. Carus, 5 April 1874). CD stayed at Abinger in Surrey and at Southampton from 25 July to 24 August 1874 (see ‘Journal’ (Appendix II)).

Please cite as “DCP-LETT-9464,” in Ɛpsilon: The Charles Darwin Collection accessed on 5 June 2025, https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/dcp-data/letters/DCP-LETT-9464