Dear M^r. Darwin,

I have seen M^r. Youman & thank you for sending him to me. I do not see that other than good results can spring for any author from an arrangement for having his book brought out in America even sh^d. he get no “profit”.¹ It happens that in despair of finding time to complete my new book soon I have been considering suggestions offered from various quarters for a New Edition of Primitive Marriage which is out of print & in regard to which Y^r. own friendly observations must have helped to set people on their enquiry.² I have promised in the event of resolving on a new Edition to let M^r. Youman have plates for the American Market.—³

I hope you are now comparatively well. When lately at Sir John Lubbock’s it was a disappointment to me to find you were from home.⁴ I hope that next year I may sometimes have the pleasure of meeting you at the house of my very old & excellent friend Litchfield in whom I am certain you will feel happy as having him for son in law.⁵

I sh^d. now be in the North but am detained here by illness—a bad cold ending in congestion of the left-lung which however is yielding to sharp treatment.

Believe me Yours very sincerely | J. F. M^c Lennan.