My dear M^r Murray

I heartily wish your Periodical all success: I wish it had been weekly, as then perhaps it would have killed the Athenæum by a lingering death, & that to me would have been a pleasing sight.—²

I have been sorely puzzled what to write about my book, & know not in the least whether the enclosed will do, or is too long.³

Pray ask your Editor to strike out or alter to any extent.⁴ It looks now too clearly as coming from me. Perhaps if the Editor w^d. put in here & there. “We hear” or “we are informed”—it w^d improve matters, but I leave it to his or your discretion.— Pray do not publish anything which seems absurd, superfluous or unnecessary.—

I shall be in London later in the Autumn, & want to consult you about woodcuts &c⁵

Your’s very sincerely | Ch. Darwin

The M.S. is legible, but badly written, as I dictated it to one of my boys.—⁶