Dear Emerson,—­By the clearest law I am bound to write you a word today, were my haste even greater than it is.  The last American fleet or ship, about the middle of last month, brought me a Draft for Thirty Pounds; which I converted into ready cash, and have here,—­and am now your grateful debtor for, as of old.  There seems to be no end to those Boston Booksellers!  I think the well is dry; and straightway it begins to run again.  Thanks to you:  —­it is, I dare say, a thing you too are grateful for.  We will recognize it among the good things of this rather indifferent world.—­By the way, if that good Clark like his business, let him go on with it; but if not, stop him, poor fellow!  It is to me a matter of really small moment whether those Booksellers’ accounts be ever audited in this world, or left over to the General Day of Audit.  I myself shudder at the sight of such things; and make my bargain here so always as to have no trade with them, but to be netto from the first.  Why should I plague poor Clark with them, if it be any plague to him?  The Booksellers will never know but we examine them!  The very terror of Clark’s name will be as the bark of chained Mastiff,—­ and no need for actual biting!  Have due pity on the man.

Your English volume of Essays, as Chapman probably informs you by this Post, was advertised yesterday, “with a Preface from me.”  That is hardly accurate, that latter clause.  My “Preface” consists only of a certificate that the Book is correctly printed, and sent forth by a Publisher of your appointment, whom therefore all readers of yours ought to regard accordingly.  Nothing more.  There proves, I believe, no visible real vestige of a copyright obtainable here; only Chapman asserts that he has obtained one, and that he will take all contraveners into Chancery,—­which has a terrible sound; and indeed the Act he founds on is of so distracted, inextricable a character, it may mean anything and all things, and no Sergeant Talfourd whom we could consult durst take upon him to say that it meant almost anything whatever.  The sound of “Chancery,” the stereotype character of this volume, and its cheap price, may perhaps deter pirates,—­who are but a weak body in this country as yet.  I judged it right to help in that; and impertinent, at this stage of affairs, to go any farther.  The Book is very fairly printed, onward. at least to the Essay New England Politics, where my “perfect-copy” of the sheets as yet stops.  I did not read any of the Proofs except two; finding it quite superfluous, and a sad waste of time to the hurried Chapman himself.  I have found yet but one error, and that a very correctable one, “narvest” for “harvest";—­no other that I recollect at present.