The Apostle of Evolution. 157 



to get a statement concerning the forthcoming volume of 

 Essays. Will you not send me its table of contents, and 

 tell me how much it will make, what will be its price, 

 whether you have begun to print, whether it is now too 

 late to negotiate for a large edition, and, if not too late, 

 on what terms it could be procured ? Should we publish 

 the present Essays, could we not procure editions of First 

 Principles and of the new series, by taking a considerable 

 number, so near to cost price that we could afford to throw 

 them into the American market as high-priced American 

 books, and thus secure a supply and forestall competition ? 

 I fear that the rate of exchange will make this utterly im- 

 practicable, and at any rate it is only a suggestion of my 

 own, and amounts to nothing until I see Mr. Appleton. My 

 chief anxiety now is to learn concerning the new volume 

 of Essays. We may choose to print a volume selected from 

 the two, particularly if it is impossible to arrange for an 

 American edition of the second series. How does that 

 notion strike you? It would be every way desirable to 

 make the book we issue now as complete a business success 

 as possible. Such a result would be highly salutary in all 

 directions. If desirable, another. volume could follow with 

 the remaining essays. I wish, however, to begin in such a 

 way that step by step we shall get all your works; for a 

 very common experience with us is, that when a person 

 has procured one he subsequently wants the rest, and it is 

 most desirable also that they should all be procurable in 

 one place. Again, I want a popular introductory statement 

 of your scheme of philosophy to prefix to the volume we 

 publish something continuous; readable, and attractive. 

 Your synopsis is of course invaluable, and should be pub- 

 lished at the close of the volume, but it is not the thing to 

 win strangers. I am not competent to do that any sort of 

 justice; I will do the best I can with such assistance as I 

 can get, but I should be glad of any hints from you ; or, if 



