1891-12-12 to Lemuel W. Bangs

Autograph letter signed, University of Kansas, 272 words

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

8 Kings Bench Walk, Temple

[Saturday] December 12th 1891

Dear Sir

I have much pleasure in accepting Messrs. Scribner’s offer of £20 for the entire American rights of my novel Vain Fortune.

If however Messrs. Scribner are willing, I should like to prepare a special edition of the book for them. I should like to take out the first hundred pages, substituting some fifty or sixty pages of new matter.

The object of this rearrangement of the text is to make Emily Watson the heroine of the book. She is quite first rate [though] the man is a failure. So if I could make her the heroine of the story the book would be improved fifty percent. The story would not be changed, it would be merely rearranged. I hope I make myself clear. I could furnish you with the new matter in a fortnight.

I suppose Messrs. Scribner would let me have a few pounds more for the not inconsiderable trouble I shall be put to. In a short preface I propose to explain the raison d'être of this new edition.

Very truly yours

George Moore

PS The matter stands thus: I accept your offer made in your letter of the 14 of December 1891 — the [book] is yours. But if you feel inclined to entertain the proposal I make in this letter, let me know what terms you can offer. I shall be curious to know if we shall be able to secure copyright for the proposed new edition.