Torrington Square, 19th May, 1846.
MY DEAR SIR,
In reply to your letter I beg leave to say, that your explanation is
wholly unsatisfactory to me.
I did not make any complaint respecting the _four_ books, because I am
so accustomed to such a delay, that I consider it a matter of course,
though certainly not one of necessity.
With respect to the _fifth_ book, I am of opinion that the _title only_
ought to be--as it would have been in the time of your
predecessors--sufficient. I did however give, and correctly, the
_Press-mark_, and there is no other book in the English language with
that title. It is idle to pretend that, because a mistake was made as to
its size and date, which, in the instance of a work of which there is
only _one_ edition, cannot be necessary, and ought not to be required,
there was any difficulty in finding the volume.
If there had really been any doubt as to the work I required, why was
not the question asked me, or _both_ books brought? whereas no notice
whatever was taken of my application for _an hour and a half_, and then
only because I insisted upon its being attended to.
You seem to think that I should have informed you of the delay in
bringing the _four_ books. I rejoice that I did not waste my time in
such a manner; for now, when I do complain of a flagrant act of neglect,
you think fit to justify it, by imputing it to myself, in not having
given correctly that which ought not to be required. My next complaint
shall be to the Trustees themselves.
I pray of you to use your own discretion about submitting this
correspondence to the Trustees. It is the less material to me whether
you do or do not do so, inasmuch as I am perfectly sure that their
attention must very shortly be called by the Public or by the Government
to the difficulties and delay, arising from the present regulations and
the state of the Catalogues, in obtaining printed books.
Believe me, &c.