The Correspondence of Thomas Carlyle and Ralph Waldo Emerson, 1834-1872, Vol. I eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 316 pages of information about The Correspondence of Thomas Carlyle and Ralph Waldo Emerson, 1834-1872, Vol. I.

The Correspondence of Thomas Carlyle and Ralph Waldo Emerson, 1834-1872, Vol. I eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 316 pages of information about The Correspondence of Thomas Carlyle and Ralph Waldo Emerson, 1834-1872, Vol. I.

Thanks for your too friendly and generous expectations from my wit.  Alas! my friend, I can do no such gay thing as you say.  I do not belong to the poets, but only to a low department of literature, the reporters; suburban men.  But in God we are all great, all rich, each entitled to say, All is mine.  I hope the advancing season has restored health to your wife, and, if benedictions will help her, tell her we send them on every west wind.  My wife and babes are well.

—­R.W.E.

XL.  Emerson to Carlyle

Concord, 28 April, 1839

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

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The Correspondence of Thomas Carlyle and Ralph Waldo Emerson, 1834-1872, Vol. I from Project Gutenberg. Public domain.