Summary

Charles Lyell has asked WE to pass his opinions on the MS of Origin to CD via Murray. WE is convinced of the value of CD’s researches but "to put forth the theory without the evidence", as in the MS, "would do grievous injustice to his views". The omission of these facts reduces both the philosophical and popular value of the work, by virtue of its dryness.

Supports Charles Lyell’s suggestion that CD should first publish his observations on pigeons with a theoretical outline, for "[e]very body is interested in pigeons". Such a work would generate wider interest and be better understood. A subsequent, larger book would then be approached with impartiality "not to say favour" by a wider public.

Summary

Has received a confusing set of engravings, with both missing and superfluous illustrations [for Polish translation of Descent].

Summary

Encloses a letter to be forwarded to CD [see 10212].

Summary

Wishes JM’s new periodical [the Academy] could have been a weekly so it might kill the Athenæum by a lingering death.

Has drafted a piece [about Descent] but is not pleased with it.

Summary

Masson et Fils have brought out a third French edition [of Origin] without informing CD and without the advantage of the corrections of the 4th and 5th English editions. For this and other reasons CD wants to give translation rights for the 5th English edition to C. Reinwald.

Summary

JM advises CD regarding his relations with Masson, the French publisher of the Origin [1866], and the possibility of Reinwald’s publishing a translation of the 5th edition.

Summary

JM reports sales of Facts and arguments for Darwin, Variation, and Origin [5th ed.].

Sends best wishes for success in putting down "Parisian blasphemers".

Summary

Encloses memorandum for CD concerning JLS’s career and the development of his transformist views.

Summary

Finds Academy contains valuable matter for his work.

Descent progresses slowly – will not be ready for press for several months.

Summary

Asks CD whether he is far enough along with his new work [Descent] to allow him to announce it as a forthcoming publication in his next quarterly list.

Summary

Financial adjustments for last edition of Origin

and a tentative title for the new work: "Descent of man and selection according to sex". [Later changed to "in relation to sex".]

Summary

MS of Descent, except last chapter, is ready to send to printer. Hopes the printer will be able to keep him steadily at work correcting proof. "It drives me mad to change from job to job."

Summary

JM informs CD that he will have Clowes give him written assurance that the printing [of Descent] will proceed without interruption.

The [Franco-Prussian] War is a sad damper on international science and his publishing plans.

Summary

Variation is a much better looking volume than Origin due to quality of paper and binding. Hopes JM will attend to this point in Descent. Printers have sent "splendid lot" of proofs.

Summary

Wants sheets [of Descent] for foreign editions. Asks JM to determine price to be charged for the stereotypes of 62 cuts. Dallas would be excellent for the index but must be "civilly warned" not to delay. Encloses memo on the index.

Summary

Various arrangements concerning the publication of Descent. "It will cause men to prick up [their] ears – & to elevate their eyebrows." JM thinks he will venture to print 2500 copies.

Suggests CD tone down as possibly indelicate a passage on proportion of advances made by the two sexes in animals.

Summary

CD did not promise Appleton stereotypes of text [of Descent]; only of cuts.

Wishes to know which passage JM thought "coarse". Remembers only a quotation from John Hunter on courtship of female being required "to give her desires" [Descent 1: 273]. He fancied a quotation rendered the sentence less coarse.

Summary

Cannot find the [indelicate] passage he referred to in last letter.

Various publication arrangements.

Summary

Glad to hear Dallas will do index of Descent, but he needs keeping up to the mark. Agrees to a Dutch edition.

Summary

He agrees with his family that binding of Variation looks much better than Origin.

Asks JM to report the number of copies he has printed of Naturalist’s Voyage [Journal of researches].