To R. F. Cooke 29 July 1881
Down, | Beckenham, Kent. | (Railway Station | Orpington. S.E.R.)
July 29th 1881
My dear Sir
I am as much surprised as you can be, for I thought that you understood that I wished to publish at once.1 As you have the risk of the volume I must yield to your remonstrances; but it destroys all my satisfaction in the book, as I hate to have the publication hanging over me, for until published I cannot banish the subject from my mind. Well, let it be as you wish. You had better return me the list of copies for distribution as it may be lost amidst of all your papers.2 I suppose I shall feel less sulky in a day or two.—
My dear Sir | Yours very sincerely | Ch. Darwin
P.S | Please tell Mr. Clowes that I hope he will send me the 3 sets of clean sheets as soon as a few sheets are printed off.3 I will write to Translators that the book will not be out for some months.—
They have been bothering me to begin their work.—4
Footnotes
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
CD thought it was understood that he wanted to publish [Earthworms] at once, but as Murray "has the risk" CD must yield, though it destroys all his satisfaction in the book to have the publication hanging over him.
Letter details
- Letter no.
- DCP-LETT-13256
- From
- Charles Robert Darwin
- To
- Robert Francis Cooke; John Murray
- Sent from
- Down
- Source of text
- National Library of Scotland (John Murray Archive) (Ms. 42152 ff. 387–8)
- Physical description
- ALS 4pp
Please cite as
Darwin Correspondence Project, “Letter no. 13256,” accessed on 26 September 2022, https://www.darwinproject.ac.uk/letter/?docId=letters/DCP-LETT-13256.xml
