Letter from Ismail Merchant, New York, New York, to Ruth Prawer Jhabvala, Delhi, India, 1968 December 31 : typescript signed.

Thanking her for the scarf she sent [Merchant's birthday was December 25]; telling her he read the outline for "Passion" and "liked it very much except I wanted to see many more things from the original story"; hoping "A Lovely World" will attract some offers; complaining that he "cannot bear the idea of years of gap between films"; again voicing the conviction that he needs to work with other, more commercial directors in addition to Ivory; discussing the New York premiere of "The Guru" and complaining that all the arrangements must be made from friends' offices-- "Sometimes I just feel like throwing the whole bloody thing in Fox's lap and forgetting The Guru"; concluding that it will all work out; sending love to everyone; asking her to send George Trow an autographed copy of "A Stronger Climate"; wishing her a "Happy and Prosperous 1969-- Many more films with greater successes."