From R. F. Cooke 16 June 1874
50A, Albemarle Street, London W.
June 16 1874
My dear Sir
I hope the printer is going on to your satisfaction with the popular edition of the “Descent of Man”.1
This edition is to be stereotyped, & we must now think of printing off the copies.
We are in doubt as to the proper quantity. Do you think we can venture on more than 2000 No?2
We have made a rough calculation for 2000 & find if we fixed the retail price at 12/-, it would not give more than a profit altogether of £250.!!!
It is when we can venture on 5000 copies, that these cheap editions come out well.3
The next reprint will be much less expensive, as there will be a saving of nearly £200.
Yours faithfully | Robt. Cooke
Chas. Darwin Esq
Footnotes
Bibliography
Descent: The descent of man, and selection in relation to sex. By Charles Darwin. 2 vols. London: John Murray. 1871.
Summary
In doubt about size of printing of the 2d edition of Descent. Profit on 2000 at 12s would be only £250.
Letter details
- Letter no.
- DCP-LETT-9493
- From
- Robert Francis Cooke; John Murray
- To
- Charles Robert Darwin
- Sent from
- London, Albemarle St, 50a
- Source of text
- DAR 171: 439
- Physical description
- ALS 2pp
Please cite as
Darwin Correspondence Project, “Letter no. 9493,” accessed on 29 March 2024, https://www.darwinproject.ac.uk/letter/?docId=letters/DCP-LETT-9493.xml
Also published in The Correspondence of Charles Darwin, vol. 22