When Washington Irving was about to return to America from Madrid, where
he had been minister of the United States to the court of Spain, the
Philadelphia house that had been publishing his books, discouraged by
the decreasing sales, sent word to him that the public was not able to
appreciate his books, and they would have to allow them to go out of
print. The books had been printed directly from the type, so there were
no plates which another publisher might use to bring out further
editions at small expense.
The author, who was then sixty-five years of age, sorrowfully accepted
the verdict of his publisher, and planned to take desk-room in the New
York office of his brother, John Treat Irving, where he hoped to make a
living by the practice of law.
But this was not to be. In New York was a young publisher who believed
that Washington Irving's works were classics, and that the American
public would buy them eagerly if properly approached. Friends told him
that he might make a mistake, but he had the courage to go ahead. So he
wrote to the discouraged author what must have seemed to other
publishers a daring letter; he proposed to publish new editions of all
Irving's old books, on condition that new books, also, be given to him;
and he promised that royalties for the first year should be at least one
thousand dollars, for the second year two thousand dollars, and for the
third year three thousand dollars.
When Irving received the letter, he kicked over the desk in front of
him, at the same time saying to his brother:
"There is no necessity, John, for my bothering with the law. Here is a
fool of a publisher going to give me a thousand dollars a year for doing
nothing."
But the publisher was not so foolish as he seemed. His promises were
more than made good. Sales were large. Other authors were attracted,
until the publishing house became one of the leaders among American
publishers.
Nine years later Washington Irving had an opportunity to show his
gratitude. Just before the panic of 1857 a young man whom the generous
publisher had taken into partnership, involved him seriously. The
defalcations were not discovered until the accidental death of the
partner. Thus weakened, the firm was unable to survive the panic; its
affairs were put in the hands of a receiver, and all accounts were
sold. At the age of forty-two, the head of the firm bravely faced the
necessity of beginning life over.
At the receiver's sale Washington Irving bought the plates of all his
books. A number of publishers offered him fancy terms if he would permit
them to bring out new editions, but he turned a deaf ear to their
entreaties and offered the plates to their former owner, to be paid for
in annual installments. Touched by the gratitude of his friend, the
publisher accepted the offer.
The author never had cause to regret his action. During the years that
elapsed before his death the results of the new venture were more
satisfactory than ever. The courageous action of both publisher and
author had been amply vindicated by results.