To John Murray 12 June [1849]
Summary
Appreciates what Murray and the printer are doing to rectify the error [transposition of pages of text in "Geology"]. But if the responsible person will be fined heavily, CD would want to "make some present".
| Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
| Addressee: | John Murray |
| Date: | 12 June [1849] |
| Classmark: | National Library of Scotland (John Murray Archive) (Ms.42153 ff.16–17) |
| Letter no: | DCP-LETT-1245 |
To John Murray 9 June 1880
Summary
Asks JM to provide Quarterly Journal of Science with five woodcuts from Climbing plants to illustrate an article, based on that work, by Francis Darwin [see 12462].
| Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
| Addressee: | John Murray |
| Date: | 9 June 1880 |
| Classmark: | National Library of Scotland (John Murray Archive) (Ms. 42152 ff. 368–9) |
| Letter no: | DCP-LETT-12625 |
To John Murray 11 June 1880
Summary
Asks John Murray to allow R. F. Charles to quote Journal of researches passages in a school text-book [Relfe Brothers model reading-books … in prose and verse (1880–3)].
| Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
| Addressee: | John Murray |
| Date: | 11 June 1880 |
| Classmark: | Private collection |
| Letter no: | DCP-LETT-12628F |
To John Murray 10 July 1880
Summary
Asks advice on size of printing for Movement in plants. Expects it to sell a few copies for some years. Asks price of paper and of printing of 250 copies. Sends instructions for the index.
| Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
| Addressee: | John Murray |
| Date: | 10 July 1880 |
| Classmark: | National Library of Scotland (John Murray Archive) (Ms. 42152 ff. 370–1) |
| Letter no: | DCP-LETT-12651 |
To John Murray 21 January 1882
Summary
Thanks JM for copy of Quarterly Review, with article on his worm book [Henry Wace, "Darwin on earthworms", Q. Rev. 153 (1882): 179–202].
Writer will change his mind on evolution. CD cannot think of any young worker in biology who is not convinced of the truth of evolution, though many believe that natural selection has not done much.
| Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
| Addressee: | John Murray |
| Date: | 21 Jan 1882 |
| Classmark: | National Library of Scotland (John Murray Archive) (Ms. 42153 ff. 51–52) |
| Letter no: | DCP-LETT-13632 |
To John Murray 24 July [1853]
Summary
Asks JM to forward letter [1525] to Francis Galton "the author of the very interesting volume" Murray recently published.
| Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
| Addressee: | John Murray |
| Date: | 24 July [1853] |
| Classmark: | DAR 249: 31 |
| Letter no: | DCP-LETT-1524 |
To John Murray 31 March [1859]
Summary
CD has heard from Lyell that JM is inclined to publish his work on the origin of species. Will send some chapters as soon as copyist has finished. Sends list of 12 chapters. It will be a popular abstract of more than 20 years’ work. It ought to be popular with scientific and semi-scientific readers.
| Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
| Addressee: | John Murray |
| Date: | 31 Mar [1859] |
| Classmark: | National Library of Scotland (John Murray Archive) (Ms.42153 ff.12–13) |
| Letter no: | DCP-LETT-2441 |
From John Murray 1 April 1859
Summary
On the strength of CD’s details about his work on species and his knowledge of CD’s former publications, JM offers to publish [Origin] without seeing the MS.
| Author: | John Murray |
| Addressee: | Charles Robert Darwin |
| Date: | 1 Apr 1859 |
| Classmark: | National Library of Scotland (John Murray Archive) (Ms. 41913 p.32) |
| Letter no: | DCP-LETT-2443 |
To John Murray 2 April [1859]
Summary
Accepts JM’s terms for publication of Origin. If, on reading the MS, JM thinks it will not sell, CD frees him from the offer. Will send chapters soon so he can judge. Though some parts are dry and abstruse, CD thinks it will be interesting to "those who care for the curious problem of the origin of all animate forms".
| Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
| Addressee: | John Murray |
| Date: | 2 Apr [1859] |
| Classmark: | National Library of Scotland (John Murray Archive) (Ms.42153 ff.18–19) |
| Letter no: | DCP-LETT-2445 |
To John Murray 5 April [1859]
Summary
Sends title and first three chapters [of Origin]. Thinks first chapter will interest the public and is sure views are original. If JM thinks otherwise, he should freely reject the work. Chapter 2 is dull and abstruse, chapter 3 is plain and interesting.
| Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
| Addressee: | John Murray |
| Date: | 5 Apr [1859] |
| Classmark: | National Library of Scotland (John Murray Archive) (Ms.42152 ff.35–35A) |
| Letter no: | DCP-LETT-2447 |
To John Murray 29 April [1859]
Summary
Will send first six chapters [of Origin] for the press. Sends data on size of MS and book. His "beau ideal" for type and size is Lyell’s Manual [of geology] 1st ed.
Important to his health to get the work printed quickly. Must leave home soon to stay for months at a water-cure establishment.
Asks printer to send a proof-sheet a day until he gets well ahead.
| Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
| Addressee: | John Murray |
| Date: | 29 Apr [1859] |
| Classmark: | National Library of Scotland (John Murray Archive) (Ms.42152 ff.38–39) |
| Letter no: | DCP-LETT-2455 |
To John Murray 6 May [1859]
Summary
CD is convinced that the suggestions [for the Origin?] of both Lyell and Whitwell Elwyn are impracticable.
Will send first six chapters of MS next week. Has taken such pains with it that he hopes corrections will not be heavy.
| Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
| Addressee: | John Murray |
| Date: | 6 May [1859] |
| Classmark: | National Library of Scotland (John Murray Archive) (Ms.42152 ff.57–57A) |
| Letter no: | DCP-LETT-2459 |
To John Murray 10 May [1859]
Summary
Sends first six chapters [of Origin] for the press. Asks JM to urge printer to keep well ahead of CD so as not to waste time. This is important for his health’s sake.
| Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
| Addressee: | John Murray |
| Date: | 10 May [1859] |
| Classmark: | National Library of Scotland (John Murray Archive) (Ms.42153 ff.56–57) |
| Letter no: | DCP-LETT-2460 |
To John Murray 14 May [1859]
Summary
Approves specimen sheet [of Origin]. Sorry book will be so long. Has now written half of last chapter; it is as long as his estimate of the entire chapter. Now thinks it will run to 6000 or 7000 words. Will do his utmost to improve his style. Anxious to publish soon; he knows of two men already writing on the subject, starting from his Linnean Society paper ["On the tendency of species to form varieties", Collected papers 2: 3–19]. Will send a diagram for the book.
| Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
| Addressee: | John Murray |
| Date: | 14 May [1859] |
| Classmark: | National Library of Scotland (John Murray Archive) (Ms.42152 ff.40–40A) |
| Letter no: | DCP-LETT-2462 |
To John Murray 18 May [1859]
Summary
His health has suddenly failed. He is leaving home for one week’s rest.
Has informed William Clowes that he will begin correcting on the 27th.
| Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
| Addressee: | John Murray |
| Date: | 18 May [1859] |
| Classmark: | John Wilson (dealer) (no date) |
| Letter no: | DCP-LETT-2463A |
To John Murray 31 May [1859]
Summary
CD’s diagram [for chapter on "Divergence of character", Origin] is indispensable.
Finds he will have to make many corrections, his text is so obscure.
A week of hydropathy at Moor Park has done him a world of good.
| Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
| Addressee: | John Murray |
| Date: | 31 May [1859] |
| Classmark: | National Library of Scotland (John Murray Archive) (Ms.42152 ff.41–42) |
| Letter no: | DCP-LETT-2465 |
To John Murray 14 June [1859]
Summary
Finds style [of Origin] incredibly bad; corrections are very heavy. Supposes it was due to his attention being fixed on general lines of argument and not on detail. Wishes to share expense of corrections.
| Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
| Addressee: | John Murray |
| Date: | 14 June [1859] |
| Classmark: | National Library of Scotland (John Murray Archive) (Ms.42152 ff.43–44) |
| Letter no: | DCP-LETT-2469 |
To John Murray 25 [July 1859]
Summary
Sends five sheets [of Origin] to printer. Incapable of forming an opinion, but thinks he has the style "fairly good and clear". Cannot conjecture if book will be successful enough to satisfy JM.
| Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
| Addressee: | John Murray |
| Date: | 25 [July 1859] |
| Classmark: | National Library of Scotland (John Murray Archive) (Ms.42152 ff.36–37) |
| Letter no: | DCP-LETT-2477 |
To John Murray 31 August [1859]
Summary
Sheets [of Origin] up to p. 240 are ready. Asks how many copies and how soon JM will publish. Hopes as soon as possible because of his health. Bitterly disappointed at delay he has caused.
| Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
| Addressee: | John Murray |
| Date: | 31 Aug [1859] |
| Classmark: | National Library of Scotland (John Murray Archive) (Ms.42152 ff.58–59) |
| Letter no: | DCP-LETT-2484 |
To John Murray 2 September [1859]
Summary
Delighted with JM’s suggestions. Asks JM to send sheets to Lyell.
| Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
| Addressee: | John Murray |
| Date: | 2 Sept [1859] |
| Classmark: | National Library of Scotland (John Murray Archive) (Ms.42152 ff.45–46) |
| Letter no: | DCP-LETT-2487 |
| Darwin, C. R. | (201) |
| Murray, John (b) | (90) |
| Murray, John (b) | (201) |
| Darwin, C. R. | (90) |
| John Murray | (1) |
| Darwin, C. R. | (291) |
| Murray, John (b) | |
| John Murray | (1) |
