From Whitwell Elwin to John Murray 3 May 1859
Summary
Charles Lyell has asked WE to pass his opinions on the MS of Origin to CD via Murray. WE is convinced of the value of CD’s researches but "to put forth the theory without the evidence", as in the MS, "would do grievous injustice to his views". The omission of these facts reduces both the philosophical and popular value of the work, by virtue of its dryness.
Supports Charles Lyell’s suggestion that CD should first publish his observations on pigeons with a theoretical outline, for "[e]very body is interested in pigeons". Such a work would generate wider interest and be better understood. A subsequent, larger book would then be approached with impartiality "not to say favour" by a wider public.
Author: | Whitwell Elwin |
Addressee: | John Murray |
Date: | 3 May 1859 |
Classmark: | National Library of Scotland (John Murray Archive) (Ms. 42197) |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-2457A |
From Ludwik Masłowski to [John Murray?] 25 July 1875
Summary
Has received a confusing set of engravings, with both missing and superfluous illustrations [for Polish translation of Descent].
Author: | Ludwik Masłowski |
Addressee: | John Murray |
Date: | 25 July 1875 |
Classmark: | DAR 171: 90 |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-10092 |
From Louis Grenier to John Murray 22 December 1875
Summary
Encloses a letter to be forwarded to CD [see 10212].
Author: | Louis Grenier |
Addressee: | John Murray |
Date: | 22 Dec 1875 |
Classmark: | DAR 171: 474 |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-10211 |
To John Murray [after 18 September 1869]
Summary
Wishes JM’s new periodical [the Academy] could have been a weekly so it might kill the Athenæum by a lingering death.
Has drafted a piece [about Descent] but is not pleased with it.
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | John Murray |
Date: | [after 18 Sept 1869] |
Classmark: | National Library of Scotland (John Murray Archive) (Ms. 42153 ff. 39–40) |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-6900 |
To John Murray 8 November [1869]
Summary
Masson et Fils have brought out a third French edition [of Origin] without informing CD and without the advantage of the corrections of the 4th and 5th English editions. For this and other reasons CD wants to give translation rights for the 5th English edition to C. Reinwald.
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | John Murray |
Date: | 8 Nov [1869] |
Classmark: | National Library of Scotland (John Murray Archive) (Ms. 42152 ff. 205–6) |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-6977 |
From John Murray 8 November [1869]
Summary
JM advises CD regarding his relations with Masson, the French publisher of the Origin [1866], and the possibility of Reinwald’s publishing a translation of the 5th edition.
Author: | John Murray |
Addressee: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Date: | 8 Nov [1869] |
Classmark: | DAR 171: 373 |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-6978 |
From John Murray 17 November 1869
Summary
JM reports sales of Facts and arguments for Darwin, Variation, and Origin [5th ed.].
Sends best wishes for success in putting down "Parisian blasphemers".
Author: | John Murray |
Addressee: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Date: | 17 Nov 1869 |
Classmark: | DAR 171: 374 |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-6992 |
From James Leask Sinclair to John Murray 22 December 1869
Summary
Encloses memorandum for CD concerning JLS’s career and the development of his transformist views.
Author: | James Leask Sinclair |
Addressee: | John Murray |
Date: | 22 Dec 1869 |
Classmark: | DAR 177: 172 |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-7031 |
To John Murray 9 April [1870]
Summary
Finds Academy contains valuable matter for his work.
Descent progresses slowly – will not be ready for press for several months.
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | John Murray |
Date: | 9 Apr [1870] |
Classmark: | National Library of Scotland (John Murray Archive) (Ms. 42152 ff. 207–208) |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-7162 |
From John Murray 10 June [1870]
Summary
Asks CD whether he is far enough along with his new work [Descent] to allow him to announce it as a forthcoming publication in his next quarterly list.
Author: | John Murray |
Addressee: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Date: | 10 June [1870] |
Classmark: | DAR 171: 375 |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-7226 |
From John Murray 1 July 1870
Summary
Financial adjustments for last edition of Origin
and a tentative title for the new work: "Descent of man and selection according to sex". [Later changed to "in relation to sex".]
Author: | John Murray |
Addressee: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Date: | 1 July 1870 |
Classmark: | DAR 171: 376 |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-7259 |
To John Murray 5 [August 1870]
Summary
MS of Descent, except last chapter, is ready to send to printer. Hopes the printer will be able to keep him steadily at work correcting proof. "It drives me mad to change from job to job."
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | John Murray |
Date: | 5 [Aug 1870] |
Classmark: | National Library of Scotland (John Murray Archive) (Ms.42152 ff. 209–10) |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-7265 |
From John Murray 6 August [1870]
Summary
JM informs CD that he will have Clowes give him written assurance that the printing [of Descent] will proceed without interruption.
The [Franco-Prussian] War is a sad damper on international science and his publishing plans.
Author: | John Murray |
Addressee: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Date: | 6 Aug [1870] |
Classmark: | DAR 171: 377 |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-7295 |
To John Murray 4 September [1870]
Summary
Variation is a much better looking volume than Origin due to quality of paper and binding. Hopes JM will attend to this point in Descent. Printers have sent "splendid lot" of proofs.
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | John Murray |
Date: | 4 Sept [1870] |
Classmark: | National Library of Scotland (John Murray Archive) (Ms.42152 f. 211) |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-7316 |
To John Murray 26 September 1870
Summary
Wants sheets [of Descent] for foreign editions. Asks JM to determine price to be charged for the stereotypes of 62 cuts. Dallas would be excellent for the index but must be "civilly warned" not to delay. Encloses memo on the index.
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | John Murray |
Date: | 26 Sept 1870 |
Classmark: | National Library of Scotland (John Murray Archive) (Ms. 42152 ff. 214–17) |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-7327 |
From John Murray 28 September [1870]
Summary
Various arrangements concerning the publication of Descent. "It will cause men to prick up [their] ears – & to elevate their eyebrows." JM thinks he will venture to print 2500 copies.
Suggests CD tone down as possibly indelicate a passage on proportion of advances made by the two sexes in animals.
Author: | John Murray |
Addressee: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Date: | 28 Sept [1870] |
Classmark: | DAR 171: 378 |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-7329 |
To John Murray 29 September [1870]
Summary
CD did not promise Appleton stereotypes of text [of Descent]; only of cuts.
Wishes to know which passage JM thought "coarse". Remembers only a quotation from John Hunter on courtship of female being required "to give her desires" [Descent 1: 273]. He fancied a quotation rendered the sentence less coarse.
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | John Murray |
Date: | 29 Sept [1870] |
Classmark: | National Library of Scotland (John Murray Archive) (Ms. 42152 ff. 212–13) |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-7331 |
From John Murray 10 October [1870]
Summary
Cannot find the [indelicate] passage he referred to in last letter.
Various publication arrangements.
Author: | John Murray |
Addressee: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Date: | 10 Oct [1870] |
Classmark: | DAR 171: 379 |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-7339 |
To John Murray 11 October [1870]
Summary
Glad to hear Dallas will do index of Descent, but he needs keeping up to the mark. Agrees to a Dutch edition.
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | John Murray |
Date: | 11 Oct [1870] |
Classmark: | National Library of Scotland (John Murray archive) (Ms.42152 ff. 41–2) |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-7341 |
To John Murray 22 October [1870]
Summary
He agrees with his family that binding of Variation looks much better than Origin.
Asks JM to report the number of copies he has printed of Naturalist’s Voyage [Journal of researches].
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | John Murray |
Date: | 22 Oct [1870] |
Classmark: | National Library of Scotland (John Murray Archive) (Ms.42152 ff. 218–19) |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-7348 |
Darwin, C. R. | (201) |
Murray, John (b) | (90) |
Asher, G. M. | (1) |
Chiantore, G. | (1) |
Darwin, Emma | (1) |
Murray, John (b) | (210) |
Darwin, C. R. | (90) |
Cooke, R. F. | (1) |
John Murray | (1) |
Murray, John (b) | (300) |
Darwin, C. R. | (291) |
Asher, G. M. | (1) |
Chiantore, G. | (1) |
Cooke, R. F. | (1) |