My Dear Friend,--I received last night C.C. Little & Co.'s
proposition in reference to the stereotyping the _History._
Their offer is based on my statement that you proposed to print
the book in two volumes similar to ours. They say, "We should be
willing to pay three hundred dollars for the use of plates for
striking off five hundred copies of the two volumes, with the
farther agreement that, if we wished to strike off another five
hundred in nine months after the publication of the first five
hundred, we should have the liberty to do so, paying the same
again; that is, another three hundred dollars for the privilege
of printing another five hundred copies;--the plates to be
furnished us ready for use and free of expense." They add,
"Should Mr. Carlyle send the plates to this country, he should be
particular to ship them to _this port direct._" I am no judge of
the liberality of this offer, as I know nothing of the expense of
the plates. The men, Little and Brown, are fair in their
dealings, and the most respectable book-selling firm in Boston.
When you have considered the matter, I hope you will send me as
early an answer as you can. For as we have no protection from
pirates we must use speed.
I ought to have added to my account and statement sent by Miss
Sedgwick one explanation. You will find in the account a credit
of $13.75, agreed on with Little & Co., as compensation for lost
subscribers. We had a little book, kept in the bookshop, into
which were transferred the names of subscribers from all lists
which were returned from various places. These names amounted to
two hundred, more or less. When we came to settle the account,
this book could not be found. They expressed much regret, and
made much vain searching. Their account with me recorded only
one hundred and thirty-four copies delivered to subscribers.
Thus, a large number, say sixty-six, had been sold by them to our
subscribers, and our half-dollar on each copy put in their pocket
as commission, expressly contrary to treaty! With some ado, I
mustered fifty-five names of subscribers known to me as such, not
recorded on their books as having received copies, and demanded
$27.50. They replied that they also had claims; that they had
sent the books to distant subscribers in various States, and had
charged no freight (with one or two exceptions, when the books
went alone); that other booksellers had, no doubt, in many
cases, sold the copies to subscribers for which I claimed the
half-dollar; and lastly, which is indeed the moving reason, that
they had sent twenty copies up the Mississippi to a bookseller
(in Vicksburg, I think), who had made them no return. On these
grounds they proposed that they should pay half my demand, and so
compromise. They said, however, that, if I insisted, they would
pay the whole. I was so glad to close the affair with mutual
goodwill that I said with the unjust steward, write $13.75. So
are we all pleased at your expense. [Greek] I think I will not
give you any more historiettes,--they take too much room; but as
I write this time only on business, you are welcome to this from
your friend,
--R.W. Emerson