To R. F. Cooke 9 September 1879
Down, | Beckenham, Kent. | (Railway Station | Orpington. S.E.R.)
Sept. 9th 79
My dear Sir
I am very much obliged to you for all your information & kind attendance to my wishes. It pleases me that Mr Murray will allow me profits, for I am very anxious that Dr Krause shd. receive some profit.1 I do hope that the little work will sell fairly; & as I suppose it will have a better chance in your hands than on Commission I gladly agree with the proposed usual terms.—
I have always intended that the book shd. match in size all my previous ones.—
I enclose copy of the Autotype, which was made by the Coy. under the instructions of my son, who understands photography & commands the Photographic Department at Chatham;2 & all that is required is to order copies to be struck off, as soon as estimate is given.— I must know price per 1000 for sake of foreign editors.—
I got estimate of the 2 wood-blocks from Mr. Cooper,3 but cannot this minute lay my hand on it.—
Yours very sincerely | Ch. Darwin
I hope that you will enjoy your holidays in Wales: we have just returned from the Lakes, where we had dreadful weather, but most glorious scenery.—4
P.S. 2d. My son & I are preparing a large Botanical book, which will be expensive for the number of Diagrams & which will be dry as dust; & this I must publish on Commission, & if I lose only about 100£ shall think myself very lucky.5
Footnotes
Bibliography
Erasmus Darwin. By Ernst Krause. Translated from the German by W. S. Dallas, with a preliminary notice by Charles Darwin. London: John Murray. 1879.
Krause, Ernst. 1879a. Erasmus Darwin, der Großvater und Vorkämpfer Charles Darwin’s: ein Beitrag zur Geschichte der Descendenz-Theorie. Kosmos 4 (1878–9): 397–424.
Movement in plants: The power of movement in plants. By Charles Darwin. Assisted by Francis Darwin. London: John Murray. 1880.
Summary
Pleased that JM will allow two-thirds profits [on Erasmus Darwin] for he wants Krause to receive some profit.
He and his son [Francis] are preparing a large botanical work [Movement in plants], dry as dust, which he must publish on commission. He will be lucky to lose only £100.
Letter details
- Letter no.
- DCP-LETT-12222
- 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. 360–1)
- Physical description
- ALS 4pp †
Please cite as
Darwin Correspondence Project, “Letter no. 12222,” accessed on 26 September 2022, https://www.darwinproject.ac.uk/letter/?docId=letters/DCP-LETT-12222.xml