To J. V. Carus 21 June [1869]1
Down, Beckenham | Kent [Caerdeon]
June 21st
My dear Sir
I have despatched by Book-Post, this day “viâ France” (as postage is less) the new Edit. of the Origin, & very truly obliged I am to you for your offer to look through the whole of the new Edit.—2 I have had to make some corrections even since the sheets were printed; & I have been led into one dreadful blunder, (at p. 75), by the false calculation of a mathematical friend.—3
I am very decidedly of opinion that it wd. be mistake to change “enstehung” into “ursprung”, although the latter may be much more correct. If this change were made, purchasers wd think it a new Book & wd. complain; I have known trouble thus caused in England.
I have not changed, & never shall, my House; but the Post-Office have changed the head Post-Town. which for the future will be Beckenham instead of Bromley.—
I am writing this in N. Wales, where I have taken a house for a couple of months for a change & rest, as I have lately not been so well as usual.—4
Believe me | My dear Sir | Yours very sincerely | Ch. Darwin
Footnotes
Summary
Sends new edition of the Origin. Has made some corrections.
Has been led into dreadful blunder on p. 75 by erroneous calculations of a mathematical friend.
Opposes change of Entstehung into Ursprung [in title] even if more correct. It would make readers think it is a new book.
Letter details
- Letter no.
- DCP-LETT-6790
- From
- Charles Robert Darwin
- To
- Julius Victor Carus
- Sent from
- Caerdeon Down letterhead
- Source of text
- Staatsbibliothek zu Berlin – Preußischer Kulturbesitz (Slg. Darmstaedter Lc 1859: Darwin, Charles, Bl. 19–20)
- Physical description
- ALS 4pp
Please cite as
Darwin Correspondence Project, “Letter no. 6790,” accessed on 19 April 2024, https://www.darwinproject.ac.uk/letter/?docId=letters/DCP-LETT-6790.xml
Also published in The Correspondence of Charles Darwin, vol. 17
