From John Murray 9 November 1872
50, Albemarle St. | W.
Nov 9/72
Dear Mr Darwin
I write under pressure of much business, to let you know that the reception of your Expression by the Booksellers yesterday even exceeded my expectations— not less than 6000 have been taken1 I have not yet had time to ascertain the precise numbers.— The Printers are hard at work but I fear we cannot publish till the week after next
Your other Works have done fairly well2
The modest way in wch you introduced to me your new work on Expression a little misled me as to its probable reception— I had not made allowance for the immense popularity of its author— Long may it last & long may he be able to enjoy it is the hearty wish of his very faithful servt & | publisher | John Murray
Before closing this I am enabled to send you a tolerably correct return of the Sale. To the 5267 of Expression must be added the demands for my Country agents & 150 copies sent out for Author & to Reviewers & Newspapers.
Chas Darwin Esqr
CD annotations
Footnotes
Summary
The reception of Expression has exceeded even JM’s expectations; 5267 copies were sold at the annual sale. CD’s modesty about the work had misled him about its probable sale.
Letter details
- Letter no.
- DCP-LETT-8616
- From
- John Murray
- To
- Charles Robert Darwin
- Sent from
- London, Albemarle St, 50
- Source of text
- DAR 171: 429
- Physical description
- ALS 2pp
Please cite as
Darwin Correspondence Project, “Letter no. 8616,” accessed on 26 September 2022, https://www.darwinproject.ac.uk/letter/?docId=letters/DCP-LETT-8616.xml
Also published in The Correspondence of Charles Darwin, vol. 20
