To John Murray 15 July [1866]1
Down. | Bromley. | Kent. S.E.
July 15
My dear Sir
As I have recd the last clean sheets, the new Edit. of the Origin will now soon be bound.2 I therefore enclose a list of copies which I shall be much obliged if you will have the kindness to distribute.3
I would suggest for your consideration whether or not it wd be worth while to send copies to a few of the scientific periodicals which might notice it. I have sent a copy to Mr. Samuelson the Ed. of the Q. Journal of science.4 The London Rev. wd I think be likely to notice it, but you will be much the best of judge of all this.5 If you advertise I hope you will specify that the work is corrected & enlarged.
I am making decided progress with my next work—6
My dear Sir | yours sincerely | Ch. Darwin
P.S. I wish I cd persuade you to have the pages of the Origin cut. It is such an immense advantage in any work which has to be referred to by the aid of the index; it keeps it cleaner looks better & saves trouble at first; in fact nothing but insanity will account for this not being done in England—7
Footnotes
Bibliography
Correspondence: The correspondence of Charles Darwin. Edited by Frederick Burkhardt et al. 29 vols to date. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. 1985–.
Origin: On the origin of species by means of natural selection, or the preservation of favoured races in the struggle for life. By Charles Darwin. London: John Murray. 1859.
Owen, Richard. 1866–8. On the anatomy of vertebrates. 3 vols. London: Longmans, Green & Co.
Variation: The variation of animals and plants under domestication. By Charles Darwin. 2 vols. London: John Murray. 1868.
Summary
4th edition of Origin will soon be bound. Suggests sending copies to scientific periodicals that might notice it. Hopes JM will specify in advertisements that the work is corrected and enlarged. Hopes pages will be cut. Only insanity accounts for this not being done in England.
Letter details
- Letter no.
- DCP-LETT-5155
- From
- Charles Robert Darwin
- To
- John Murray
- Sent from
- Down
- Source of text
- National Library of Scotland (John Murray Archive) (Ms.42152 ff. 145–146)
- Physical description
- LS 4pp
Please cite as
Darwin Correspondence Project, “Letter no. 5155,” accessed on 1 September 2024, https://www.darwinproject.ac.uk/letter/?docId=letters/DCP-LETT-5155.xml
Also published in The Correspondence of Charles Darwin, vol. 14