To John Gould [February 1838]
[36 Great Marlborough Street]
My dear Sir
I have just seen my publisher.1 we have fixed to have fifty plates of birds, so will you at once take into consideration which are most worthy being done.—2
Will you also oblige me by the favour of seeing Bayfield,3 & see whether he will undertake the birds (which are chiefly small ones) at something less than 5d a piece, as it is rather more than our estimate calculated upon.—
If he would also undertake my quadrupeds I should be very glad.— There will be about 28 plates, chiefly small animals.—4 See if you cannot make for me some kind of agreement to take the whole at something under 5d.—
It will be rendering me a very great assistance if you can effect this
Yours most truly | Chas Darwin
Footnotes
Bibliography
Birds: Pt 3 of The zoology of the voyage of H.M.S. Beagle. By John Gould. Edited and superintended by Charles Darwin. London: Smith, Elder and Co. 1839–41.
Gould, John. 1832–7. The birds of Europe. 5 vols. London.
Mammalia: Pt 2 of The zoology of the voyage of HMS Beagle. By George Robert Waterhouse. Edited and superintended by Charles Darwin. London: Smith, Elder and Co. 1838–9.
Zoology: The zoology of the voyage of HMS Beagle, under the command of Captain FitzRoy RN, during the years 1832 to 1836. Edited and superintended by Charles Darwin. 5 pts. London: Smith, Elder & Co. 1838–43.
Summary
The publishers [of Zoology] have agreed to 50 plates [for Birds]. Asks JG to decide which are most worthy of being done. Also asks him to see whether Bayfield will undertake [to colour] the birds (and quadrupeds) at something under 5d each.
Letter details
- Letter no.
- DCP-LETT-401
- From
- Charles Robert Darwin
- To
- John Gould
- Sent from
- London, Gt Marlborough St, 36
- Source of text
- William Patrick Watson (dealer) (catalogue 20, April 2014)
- Physical description
- ALS 3pp
Please cite as
Darwin Correspondence Project, “Letter no. 401,” accessed on 1 September 2024, https://www.darwinproject.ac.uk/letter/?docId=letters/DCP-LETT-401.xml
Also published in The Correspondence of Charles Darwin, vol. 2