skip to content

Darwin Correspondence Project

To J. V. Carus   30 July 1881

Down, | Beckenham, Kent. | (Railway Station | Orpington. S.E.R.)

July 30 1881

My dear Sir

I write one line to say that there has been an extraordinary delay by the Printers in correcting the few last sheets (perhaps intentional on their part) & now my Publisher begs me so earnestly not to publish, until the end of October (our publishing season) that I have been forced to accede.—1 But I have requested the printers to send me clean sheets as soon as ever any are printed off, & as soon as I receive any they shall be forwarded to you.—

Perhaps this delay will suit you better than the immediate publication of the book; but I am much vexed, for I like to throw a subject quite off my mind.

My dear Sir | Yours very sincerely | Ch. Darwin

Footnotes

CD’s publisher was John Murray; Murray’s printers were William Clowes & Sons. Carus was translating Earthworms into German. See letter to R. F. Cooke, 31 July 1881.

Bibliography

Earthworms: The formation of vegetable mould through the action of worms: with observations on their habits. By Charles Darwin. London: John Murray. 1881.

Summary

Delay in publication [of Earthworms] vexes CD, as he likes to throw a subject off his mind.

Please cite as

Darwin Correspondence Project, “Letter no. 13259,” accessed on 19 April 2024, https://www.darwinproject.ac.uk/letter/?docId=letters/DCP-LETT-13259.xml

letter