—­T.  Carlyle

XLVIII.  Emerson to Carlyle

Concord, 12 December, 1839

My Dear Friend,—­Not until the 29th of November did the five hundred copies of the French Revolution arrive in Boston.  Fraser unhappily sent them to New York, whence they came not without long delays.  They came in perfectly good order, not in the pretty red you told us of, but in a sober green;—­not so handsome and salable a back, our booksellers said, as their own; but in every other respect a good book.  The duties at the New York Custom House on these and a quantity of other books sent by Fraser amounted to $400.36, whereof, I understand, the French Revolution pays for its share $243.  No bill has been brought us for freight, so we conclude that you have paid it.  I confided the book very much to the conscience and discretion of Little and Brown, and after some ciphering they settle to sell it at $3.75 per copy, wherefrom you are to get the cost of the book, and (say) $1.10 per copy profit, and no more.  The booksellers eat the rest.  The book is rather too dear for our market of cheap manufactures, and therefore we are obliged to give the booksellers a good percentage to get it off at all:  for we stand in daily danger of a cheap edition from some rival neighbor.  I hope to give you good news of its sale soon, although I have been assured today that no book sells, the times are so bad.  Brown had disposed of fifty or sixty copies to the trade, and twelve at retail.  He doubted not to sell them all in six months....

Several persons have asked me to get some copies of the German Romance sent over here for sale.  Last week a gentleman desired me to say he wanted four copies, and today I have been charged to procure another.  I think, if you will send me by Little and Brown, through Longman, six copies, we can find an immediate market.

It gives me great joy to write to my friend once more, slow as you may think me to use the privilege.  For a good while I dared believe you were coming hither, and why should I write?—­and now for weeks I have been absorbed in my foolish lectures, of which only two are yet delivered and ended.  There should be eight more; subject, “The Present Age.”  Out of these follies I remember you with glad heart.  Lately I had Sterling’s letter, which, since I have read his article on you, I am determined to answer speedily.  I delighted in the spirit of that paper, loving you so well and accusing you so conscientiously.  What does he at Clifton?  If you communicate with him, tell him I thank him for his letter, and hold him dear.  I am very happy lately in adding one or two new friends to my little circle, and you may be sure every friend of mine is a friend of yours.  So when you come here you shall not be lonely.  A new person is always to me a great event, and will not let me sleep.—­I believe I was not wise to volunteer myself to this