My dear Sir

The title will do very well. It is very good plan to have Vol. I bound, as I am very anxious for early publication.²

I have no idea about length of Index, but Mr. Dallas says it is a very heavy job, which I can believe. He wrote yesterday that it would take him about 10 days more. I urged him to despatch.³ I much wish that you would write in 4 or 5 days and urge him on. I have only 3 or 4 second Revises to glance over.

Kindly answer me following queries on business, soon.

I must give away an awful number of copies to those who have aided me. Please tell me how many you will give me? I may fairly expect that you will charge me the lowest price at which you sold my book at your Auction.

What is this price?

I will then send list for distribution in London and by Rail— Copies for abroad I will myself despatch.⁴

Lastly please tell me whether you shall send copies to following Journals for Review, and I think all following in some degree desirable.

(1) Athenæum

(2) Nature

(3) Spectator (my subject would be discussed, I feel sure)

(4) Fortnightly Review (moral sense would be discussed probably as well)

(5) Journal of Anat. & Phys. by Prof. Humphrey of Cambridge; this Journal had excellent Review of Wallace,⁵ and would probably discuss my book on same subject.

(6) Medico-Chirurg. Review. Dr. C. Carter Blake has written to me to say he would review me in this Journal (which has wide circulation in the medical world) if copy sent to his house “46 Devonshire St., Queen’s Sq^r W.C.” He would do it ably, whether favourably I doubt.⁶

(7) Popular Science Journal (sure to give good Review).⁷

Please inform me on all above points.

Lastly I should like all my private copies with edges cut, but left white, for I think edges of Lyell’s book look very ugly.⁸ Please attend to this.

Yours very faithfully | Ch. Darwin

P.S. I hope to Heaven book will sell well. Please inform me whether you will print off more than 2500 copies at first.