My Dear Carlyle,--Carey and Hart of Philadelphia, booksellers,
have lately proposed to buy the remainder of our Boston edition
of your _Miscellanies,_ or to give you a bonus for sanctioning an
edition of the same, which they propose to publish. On inquiry,
I have found that only thirteen entire sets of four volumes
remain to us unsold; whilst we have 226 copies of Volume III.,
and 243 copies of Volume IV., remaining.
In replying to Mr. Carey, I proposed that, besides the proposed
bonus, he should buy of me these old volumes, which are not bound
but folded, at 25 cents a volume, (Monroe having roughly computed
the cost at 40 cents a volume,) but this he declines to do, and
offers fifty pounds sterling for his bonus. I decided at once to
accept his offer, thinking it a more favorable winding up of our
account than I could otherwise look for; as Mr. Carey knows much
better how to defend himself from pirates than I do. So I am to
publish that his edition is edited with your concurrence. Our
own remaining copies of entire sets I shall sell at once to
Monroe, at a reduced price, and the odd volumes I think to
dispose of by giving them a new and independent title-page. In
the circumstances of the trade here, I think Mr. Carey's offer a
very liberal one, and he is reputed in his dealings eminently
just and generous.
My friend William Furness, who has corresponded with me on
Carey's behalf, has added now another letter to say that Mr.
Carey wishes to procure a picture of Mr. Carlyle to be engraved
for this edition. "He understands there is a good head by
Laurence, and he wishes to employ some London artist to make a
copy of it in oil or water colors, or in any way that will
suffice for the engraver; and he proposes to apply to Mr.
Carlyle for permission through Inman the American artist who is
now in England." Furness goes on to ask for my "good word" with
you in furtherance of this design. Well, I heartily hope you
will not resist so much good nature and true love; for Mr.
Furness and Mr. Griswold, and others who compose a sort
of advising committee to Mr. Carey, are sincere lovers of
yours. One more opportunity this crisis in our accounts will
give to that truest of all Carlylians, E.P. Clark, to make his
report. I called at his house two nights ago, in Boston; he
promised immediate attention, but quickly drew me aside to
his "Illustrations of Carlyle," an endless train of books, and
portfolios, and boxes of prints, in which every precious word of
that master is explained or confirmed.
Affectionately yours,
R.W. Emerson