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Plan your visit. 225 Madison Avenue at 36th Street, New York, NY 10016.

Autograph letter signed : Torquay, to Edward Moxon, 1846 October 19.

BIB_ID
104737
Accession number
MA 9604
Creator
Knowles, James Sheridan, 1784-1862.
Display Date
1846 October 19.
Description
1 item (7 pages) ; 18.1 x 11.2 cm
Notes
Written from "1 Park Street, / Torquay - Devon."
Removed from an extra-illustrated copy of Forster's Life of Dickens.
Summary
Concerning his hopes that Moxon will publish his novel; saying "You surely will recollect, when I remind you of it, that you yourself put an extinguisher upon former terms - expressly - when I returned the hundred pounds which you had advanced. Moxon I only left myself then provision for a few weeks - and was obliged to borrow ten pounds of my sister, to enable me to carry on. I told you at the time that I then saw my way clear before me, and that I could complete the novel by the following Nov., but, taking the money you said that it would be better to let the matter stand in its altered position - in plain words, you, yourself, put an end to the engagement. My position now is a different one from that under which that engagement was entered into. My abilities then as a novelist were problematical - If I may believe the opinions of others - of everyone who has spoken to me upon the subject - they are now established, and upon no humble basis. Chapman himself has cautioned me to look for superior terms, for the re-publication - warning me on no account to throw the work away. I have had some conversation here with Mr. Elliot - a gentleman who keeps a library and who was bred to the trade in London; & he gives me the most substantial grounds for believing that the information upon which you rely for the probable sale to libraries alone is incorrect. However that is a matter for you to consider. At present you are the only publisher I have had any communication with, direct or indirect; and as we have worked together for so many years I am anxious that it should be Moxon & Knowles still, as publisher and author. Accordingly until I receive your decision not to treat upon any terms than those which you yourself, and not I, have rescinded I shall not open any negociation with another publisher. Will you buy an edition of 1000 - 1500 - or 2000 of the novel? - and if you will, what will you give me for it? My chief reason for wishing to deal in this fashion is the fact that at sixty three, I am not as sanguine as I was at Fifty; and that I had rather put up with a [illegible] that was under the mark, than encounter a contingency that might be far over it; with all the attendant anxiety and incertitude. I don't wish to be hard on you you old boy. If you offer me any thing in reason, I shall accept it. Be so kind as to tell me when you published the 1000 of the dictionary - Also what your views are with respect to my plays - It is strange that they should remain so long out of print - Would not they do in one cheap volume? Can you point out to me any way of raising money by them or the dictionary? Your early answer will oblige me. I begin to lose all patience at your long silence - and believe me, dear Moxon, I am heartily sorry at the case. You and I old fellow have not been together the ordinary Publisher and Author! My new novel is yet more powerful than Fortescue. I am now in the middle of the second volume - with my [illegible] to the end abounding in delightful prospects, and lying right before me. Write - and Recollect yours ever faithfully..."