i86r.] FERTILISATION OF FLOWERS. 441 



He wrote the two following letters to Mr. Murray about 

 the publication of the book :] 



Down, Sept. 21 [1861]. 



MY DEAR SIR, Will you have the kindness to give me 

 your opinion, which I shall implicitly follow. I have just 

 finished a very long paper intended for Linnean Society 

 (the title is enclosed), and yesterday for the first time it 

 occurred to me that possibly it might be worth publishing 

 separately which would save me trouble and delay. The 

 facts are new, and have been collected during twenty years 

 and strike me as curious. Like a Bridgewater treatise, the 

 chief object is to show the perfection of the many contrivances 

 in Orchids. The subject of propagation is interesting to 

 most people, and is treated in my paper so that any woman 

 could read it. Parts are dry and purely scientific ; but I 

 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 



