To R. F. Cooke 23 May [1875]1
May 23 Murray
I have o. an impt point— Some time ago Messrs. Appeton said (though I had told him I doubted whether the book wd be bought they wd bring out my I. Pl. if he cd get stereos from Mr Murray;2 but I do not choose that they shd. publish without knowing the cost of the plates & size of book.— Mr Murray generously allowed them to have plates of the Descent at cost price.3 but this is not fair & if Mr Murray will let Mrs A. have them, say 15 or 20 per cent extra, I wd write & tell them the size of book & the no of woodcuts & then they cd as they wd be able to estimate pretty closely cost of plates & decide. Supposing the Plates to cost 50£, you shd charge 60£ & there wd be 10£ in our favour. Does Mr Murray think this fair?— I shd be obliged for an immediate answer, as I I ought to have written sooner to Mess. Appleton.— Of course I am glad of an American Edition, to extend my 2d edn & for publicity for my work
Footnotes
Bibliography
Correspondence: The correspondence of Charles Darwin. Edited by Frederick Burkhardt et al. 29 vols to date. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. 1985–.
Descent: The descent of man, and selection in relation to sex. By Charles Darwin. 2 vols. London: John Murray. 1871.
Insectivorous plants. By Charles Darwin. London: John Murray. 1875.
Summary
Discusses the price to be charged to Appleton’s for the plates of Insectivorous plants.
Letter details
- Letter no.
- DCP-LETT-9989
- From
- Charles Robert Darwin
- To
- Robert Francis Cooke; John Murray
- Sent from
- Down
- Source of text
- DAR 97: C27
- Physical description
- ADraft 1p
Please cite as
Darwin Correspondence Project, “Letter no. 9989,” accessed on 28 March 2024, https://www.darwinproject.ac.uk/letter/?docId=letters/DCP-LETT-9989.xml
Also published in The Correspondence of Charles Darwin, vol. 23