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Darwin Correspondence Project

To Robert Francis Cooke   [22 February 1869]1

6 Queen Anne St

Monday,

My dear Sir

I have just been applied to for permission for a French translation of my Orchis book.2 As Mr Murray has never objected, I have assumed that he will not in this case. I write now to ask whether you will supply, if required, stereotypes of the woodcuts at prime cost, or only at a slight increase;3 for if there is any large charge, I feel nearly sure that the work will not appear, which I should regret. If in your power would you let me have an answer by tomorrow evening as we return home early on Wednesday morning.4

Dear Sir | yours very faithfully | Ch. Darwin

Footnotes

The date is established by the relationship between this letter and the letter from Ernest Faivre, 18 February 1869. In 1869, the Monday following 18 February was 22 February.
John Murray had supplied woodcuts for the German translation of Orchids (Bronn trans. 1862; see Correspondence vol. 10, letter to H. G. Bronn 25 April [1862]). CD had also given approval for Murray to supply the woodcuts from Orchids to Mary Somerville for Somerville 1869 (see Correspondence vol. 14, letter to M. E. Lyell, [19 October 1866] and nn. 2 and 3).
CD was in London from 16 to 24 February 1869 (see CD’s ‘Journal’ (Correspondence vol. 17, Appendix II)).

Bibliography

Correspondence: The correspondence of Charles Darwin. Edited by Frederick Burkhardt et al. 29 vols to date. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. 1985–.

Orchids: On the various contrivances by which British and foreign orchids are fertilised by insects, and on the good effects of intercrossing. By Charles Darwin. London: John Murray. 1862.

Somerville, Mary. 1869. On molecular and microscopic science. 2 vols. London: John Murray.

Summary

Assumes Murray will give permission for French translation of Orchids; asks that stereotypes of woodcuts be supplied at cost, since if expensive the work will not appear.

Letter details

Letter no.
DCP-LETT-6966
From
Charles Robert Darwin
To
Robert Francis Cooke; John Murray
Sent from
London, Queen Anne St, 6
Source of text
National Library of Scotland (John Murray Archive) (Ms. 42152 f. 200)
Physical description
LS 2pp

Please cite as

Darwin Correspondence Project, “Letter no. 6966,” accessed on 9 November 2024, https://www.darwinproject.ac.uk/letter/?docId=letters/DCP-LETT-6966.xml

Also published in The Correspondence of Charles Darwin, vol. 17

letter