1891-12-29 to Charles Scribner’s Sons

Autograph letter signed, Princeton University, 724 words

[Edited for paragraph breaks, capitalization, spelling and punctuation.]

8 Kings Bench Walk, Temple

[Tuesday] December 29th 1891

Dear Sir

About eight days ago I wrote telling you that I hoped to improve Vain Fortune fifty per cent. I have this day handed the rewritten version to your agent Mr. Bangs.

I have little doubt that I have redeemed my promise. I believe that I am sending you a book that will sell two copies where the original book would have sold one. It will be well to briefly describe the alteration, or perhaps I should say the manuscript.

The first package contains the first six chapters, consisting of ninety seven numbered pages. The revised version [of Vain Fortune] consists of sixteen chapters.

In the second and smaller package you will find fifteen manuscript pages. These are the commencement of Chapter VIII (revised version), Chapter IX (original version). This is very simple and with ordinary care, mistakes are impossible.

I now come to the most important part of my letter. I must impress on you the absolute necessity of having the proofs read by a competent person. Had there been time I should have had the MS typewritten, but there was no time; there is nothing for it but to put the proofs in the hands of a competent person with instructions to slightly edit, and to be sure to make it read right.

There will be no difficulty about this, only it must be done. It must be made to read right. In a great house like yours there are twenty people on the premises who can do this. In case of accidents, I may as well refer you to my friend Madame Clara Lanza, 45 West 73 Street. She will be glad to see the book through the press, but the proofs can be corrected on your premises if more convenient.

The extensive alterations I have made will no doubt make the book a copyright book and, to still further secure yourselves against pirates, you have only to change the title. The object of these alterations being to give prominence to Emily Watson, it would not be unwise to call the book Emily Watson. It would perhaps be still better to call the book An Autumn Tragedy. Choose which title you prefer, but unless you have grave reasons for not altering the title, pray alter it.

The illustrations, should you choose to retain them, can all stand although the text which suggested two has almost entirely disappeared. It has always been a favorite theory of mine that an illustrator should not describe what the writer describes. I think that the frontispiece and Lockarts cocoa rooms will gain in pictorial interest and the illustrator will probably receive praise for an originality not strictly his.

You offered me 20£ for the book as it stood, a noncopyright book. I send you not only [a] copyright book but a book infinitely superior to the book you proposed to buy. I therefore propose that the twenty-five pounds which Mr. Bangs is to pay me will be in advance of royalties, the royalty to be fixed at ten per cent. If you agree to this I shall consider that you have treated me very handsomely indeed and all my future books will be offered to you in the first instance. But even if you do not agree to this arrangement I shall still feel indebted to you for the opportunity you gave me of rescuing my poor book from the pasty way that leads to the everlasting packing case.

I hope you will send me a set of corrected proofs as soon as possible for I should not be averse to publishing a French translation of the new version. I generally publish a French translation if the book pleases me.

I shall feel obliged if you will send me twenty copies; the English edition will have no real existence for me, nothing more than a painful memory.

If the question is not an indiscreet one, I should like to know how you sold Impressions and Opinions.

Very truly yours

George Moore

Please note that I enclose [a] marked copy of Vain Fortune with rejected pages torn out and all indications marked. Without this copy you cannot print the book.