To J. V. Carus 11 November [1872]1
Down, | Beckenham, Kent.
Novr 11th
My dear Sir
If the success (as far as sale is concerned, & very favourable newspaper criticisms) in England is any guide of success in Germany, it may cheer you in the tedious labour of Translation to hear that my book has been wonderfully successful. On last Friday, (the first day of its sale) 5267 copies were sold to the London booksellers alone.—2 This will cause some delay in distributing copies to the public for Mr. Murray had not enough copies of text or Plates ready.— Fortunately Mr M. agreed with Printers to keep the type sets up.— Would it not be worth while for Mr Koch to do the same in Germany?3 The Heliotype Coy. can print off very quickly, but as soon as ever Mr. K. thinks the sale wd. exceed 3000 he had better give the order & send the money to Mr. Murray.—4
I despatched a copy of the book to you about a week ago.—5
Very many thanks for your last letter, with its remarks.—6 I am now hard at work on some old Botanical observations, which interest me greatly, & afford a very pleasant change from speculations on Expression.—7
Believe me | My dear Sir | Yours vy sincerely | Ch. Darwin
Footnotes
Bibliography
Ekman, Paul. 1998. Introduction, afterword, and commentary to the third edition of The expression of the emotions in man and animals, by Charles Darwin. London: HarperCollins Publishers.
Expression: The expression of the emotions in man and animals. By Charles Darwin. London: John Murray. 1872.
Prodger, Phillip. 2009. Darwin’s camera: art and photography in the theory of evolution. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Summary
Reports on very successful sale of Expression in England. Suggests German publisher keep the type set up in case more than the expected 3000 copies are needed.
Has begun work on some old botanical observations [of Drosera for Insectivorous plants].
Letter details
- Letter no.
- DCP-LETT-8618
- From
- Charles Robert Darwin
- To
- Julius Victor Carus
- Sent from
- Down
- Source of text
- Staatsbibliothek zu Berlin – Preußischer Kulturbesitz (Slg. Darmstaedter Lc 1859: Darwin, Charles, Bl. 98–99)
- Physical description
- ALS 4pp
Please cite as
Darwin Correspondence Project, “Letter no. 8618,” accessed on 26 September 2024, https://www.darwinproject.ac.uk/letter/?docId=letters/DCP-LETT-8618.xml
Also published in The Correspondence of Charles Darwin, vol. 20