54 o SCIENCE PROGRESS 



In those days, when fewer books were published and the 

 average life of those that did appear was longer than at present, 

 it was the general custom for each of the leading publishers to 

 hold a " Sale Dinner " in November, to which all the principal 

 booksellers were invited. The new books of the season were 

 then introduced to them, and offered on specially favourable 

 terms, to enable them to purchase stock for the ensuing six 

 months or so. Such methods of business are impossible in 

 these days of high pressure ; and the Coffee-house Sales have 

 almost passed out of memory. 



In November 1859 the Origin of Species was thus first 

 offered to the trade, and orders for 1,493 copies were there 

 and then received. The first edition consisted of 1,250 copies 

 (a large number for a new book of a comparatively little known 

 writer in those days), and consequently a reprint had to be 

 ordered at once. 



On November 24, 1859, Darwin writes : " I am astounded at 

 your news of the sale," and immediately set to work to make 

 a few necessary corrections. 



On December 5, 1859, he adds : 



I have made some few corrections, and have inserted a 

 capital sentence from the Rev. C. Kingsley in answer to any one 

 who may, as many will, say that my book is irreligious. 



P.S. — I have omitted what I particularly wished to say, 

 namely to thank you sincerely for the exertions which you 

 must have taken to sell my volume so promptly. It will have 

 obviously an important effect in getting my notions known. 



In July i860 appeared the, now famous, article in the 

 Quarterly, by Samuel Wilberforce, on the Origin of Species ; and 

 the author's first comment on it was : 



The article on the Origin seems to me very clever, and I am 

 quizzed splendidly. I really believe that I enjoyed it as much 

 as if I had not been the unfortunate butt. There is hardly any 

 malice in it, which is wonderful considering the source whence 

 many of the suggestions come. 



The reputation of the Origin was now firmly established in 

 spite of the review in the Edinburgh, in which " I am thrashed in 

 every possible way to the full extent of my bitterest opposing,'' 

 and it is unnecessary for me to enter into any further record 

 of new and amended editions, which were called for in rapid 

 succession, as all this is recorded in the Life and Letters. Nor 



