My dear Sir

I really feel unable to express any opinion how many copies of the Descent had better be struck off; & I can only hope that 2000 w^d. be safe.— From what you say the price cannot be under 12^s & I am sorry for it.² You will not be put to much expence for corrections, for as yet I have not had a single sheet revised, & the corrections have been few & slight in the first proofs.— M^r Murray asked me to keep the proofs & send them to him, as a check to the M^ess Clowes; but this has been impossible, as I have had only first proofs & these are of course returned to Printers.—³ The Printing gets on slowly, & I have not yet done more than $\frac{1}{4}$^r of vol.; & it will now be rather slower as I must send proofs to Germany where my son is going for health sake, & he looks them over before I do.—⁴

I heartily hope our new Edit. may be fairly successful.— I am sure that it is a much improved book.—

My dear Sir | Yours sincerely | Ch. Darwin

Please send copy of my Orchis book⁵ to

M^rs. Litchfield⁶

2. Bryanston St

Portman Sq^re—