To R. F. Cooke 16 September 1876
Down, | Beckenham, Kent. | Railway Station | Orpington. S.E.R.
Sep. 16. 76
My dear Sir,
I have just received proofs in sheet of five sheets, so you will have to decide soon how many copies will have to be struck off.1 I do not know what to advise.
The greater part of the book is extremely dry & the whole on a special subject. Nevertheless I am convinced that the book is of value, and I am convinced that for many years copies will be occasionally sold. Judging from the Sale of my former books and from supposing that some persons will purchase it to complete the set of all my works, I would suggest 1,500. But you must be guided by your larger experience.2 I will only repeat that I am convinced the book is of some permanent value.—
Secondly, will you be so good as immediately to find out some person capable of making a good index, and have the sheets as printed off sent to him. The index need not be a very long one, but will be difficult to make. I enclose some instructions for the maker.3 I hope that you will attend to this point so that there may be no delay in the publication; about which I am anxious. Pray avoid any dilatory man.—
Thirdly, Messrs. Appleton have agreed to publish an American edition of the present book & of the 2nd. Edit. of the Orchids, (which I am very desirous of) if you will supply them with stereotype plates of the type as on former occasions.4
Please to mention this to Mr Murray. They express a strong wish that the plates should be sent as soon as possible, as there is considerable delay in printing off, & the sale then largely depends upon early publication.
My dear Sir, | Yours sincerely | Ch. Darwin
Please let me hear from you before very long.
Footnotes
Bibliography
Correspondence: The correspondence of Charles Darwin. Edited by Frederick Burkhardt et al. 29 vols to date. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. 1985–.
Cross and self fertilisation: The effects of cross and self fertilisation in the vegetable kingdom. By Charles Darwin. London: John Murray. 1876.
Cross and self fertilisation US ed.: The effects of cross and self fertilisation in the vegetable kingdom. By Charles Darwin. New York: D. Appleton and Company. 1877.
Orchids 2d US ed.: The various contrivances by which orchids are fertilised by insects. By Charles Darwin. 2d edition, revised. New York: D. Appleton and Company. 1877.
Summary
Convinced Cross and self fertilisation is of permanent value, though an extremely dry, special subject. Thinks it will sell for many years and suggests a printing of 1500 copies. Asks that a good indexer be found and put to work. Appleton has agreed to publish it
and Orchids, [2d ed.], if Murray’s will supply stereotype plates.
Letter details
- Letter no.
- DCP-LETT-10603
- 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. 308–9)
- Physical description
- LS(A) 4pp
Please cite as
Darwin Correspondence Project, “Letter no. 10603,” accessed on 26 September 2022, https://www.darwinproject.ac.uk/letter/?docId=letters/DCP-LETT-10603.xml
Also published in The Correspondence of Charles Darwin, vol. 24
