l86l.] OF FLOWERS. 267 



think my paper would interest a good many of such persons 

 who care for Natural History, but no others. 



... It would be a very little book, and I believe you think 

 very little books objectionable. I have myself great doubts 

 on the subject. I am very apt to think that my geese are 

 swans ; but the subject seems to me curious and interesting. 



I beg you not to be guided in the least in order to oblige 

 me, but as far as you can judge, please give me your opinion. 

 If I were to publish separately, I would agree to any terms, 

 such as half risk and half profit, or what you liked ; but I 

 would not publish on my sole risk, for to be frank, I have 

 been told that no publisher whatever, under such circum- 

 stances, cares for the success of a book. 



C. Darwin to J. Murray. 



Down, Sept. 24 [1861]. 



MY DEAR SIR, I am very much obliged for your note and 

 very liberal offer. I have had some qualms and fears. All 

 that I can feel sure of is that the MS. contains many new and 

 curious facts, and I am sure the Essay would have interested 

 me, and will interest those who feel lively interest in the 

 wonders of nature ; but how far the public will care for such 

 minute details, I cannot at all tell. It is a bold experiment ; 

 and at worst, cannot entail much loss ; as a certain amount 

 of sale will, I think, be pretty certain. A large sale is out of 

 the question. As far as I can judge, generally the points 

 which interest me I find interest others ; but I make the 

 experiment with fear and trembling, not for my own sake, 

 but for yours. . . . 



[On Sept. 28th he wrote to Sir J. D. Hooker : 



" What a good soul you are not to sneer at me, but to pat 

 me on the back. I have the greatest doubt whether I am not 

 going to do, in publishing my paper, a most ridiculous thing. 



