CHAPTER IV. 



PUBLICATION OF THE 'DESCENT OF MAN.' 



THE 'EXPRESSION OF THE EMOTIONS/ 

 18/1-1873. 



[THE last revise of the ' Descent of Man ' was corrected on 

 January I5th, 1871, so that the book occupied him for about 

 three years. He wrote to Sir J. Hooker : " I finished the 

 last proofs of my book a few days ago ; the work half-killed 

 me, and I have not the most remote idea whether the book 

 is worth publishing." 



He also wrote to Dr. Gray : 



" I have finished my book on the ' Descent of Man/ &c., 

 and its publication is delayed only by the Index : when pub- 

 lished, I will send you a copy, but I do not know that you 

 will care about it. Parts, as on the moral sense, will, I dare 

 say, aggravate you, and if I hear from you, I shall probably 

 receive a few stabs from your polished stiletto of a pen." 



The book was published on February 24, 1871. 2 500 

 copies were printed at first, and 5000 more before the end of 

 the year. My father notes that he received for this edition 

 ^"1470. The letters given in the present chapter deal with 

 its reception, and also with the progress of the work on 

 Expression. The letters are given, approximately, in chrono- 

 logical order, an arrangement which necessarily separates 



K 2 



