1892-01-28 to Charles Scribner’s Sons

Autograph letter signed, Princeton University, 610 words

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

8 Kings Bench Walk, Temple

[Thursday] Jan 28th 1892

Dear Sir

I received your letter yesterday, the 27 Jan. It was a very pleasant letter to receive and I am sure we shall always continue in the friendly spirit which marks the commencement of our business relations.

I was especially glad to hear that you approved of the alterations I made in my book. To be sure, I felt as certain as I could feel that I had improved the book, but an author's opinion of his own work never amounts to much.

I think there can be very little doubt that you will do very fairly well with the book; it is bound to sell sufficiently well to recompense you for your trouble and if it does that I shall be quite satisfied.

The loss of page 18 alarmed me. It seemed to me that I should never be able to fill in the hiatus, but by some miracle I found at once (where do you think? in the wastepaper basket!) the very page. I enclose the missing page and beg you to send me either proofs or an early copy of the book. I want to see about the French translation. I think the book would suit the Figaro very well indeed. The title, by the way, goes into French fairly well: Vaine Fortune.

But all this chatter about this book will lead you to think that I attach special importance to it. I really don't. It is only a trifle. I am ten thousand times more interested in the book I am now writing, a book which I somewhat unwisely put aside to write Vain Fortune         — I thought I could write a tiny book like VF in three months.

If I ever write a novel worth writing it will be the book I am now writing — Mother and Child. It is the life struggle of a servant girl, the drama of motherhood, a servant girl who devotes her whole life to her illegitimate child. The girl I am trying to depict represents the simple sturdy steadfastness of the Saxon race. All characters in the book are servants, betting men and jockeys. For it is a racing book in low-life or rather betting in low-life. Both masters and servants are ruined by betting.

The book is one of the most honest ever written but it contains many scenes which will surprise the novel reader; for instance the story of Esther’s confinement in the lying-in hospital. I do not introduce any of the horrible medical details after the fashion of M. Zola, but I describe the calumny of the midwives and students and the suffering of the girl in order to intensify the moment of sublime happiness when they put her baby into her arms — the son for whom she will have to work all her life.

The book is very long and I have only written half of it, but I should like to know if it is possible to arrange with you for the publication of the book without the annoyance of sending the MS to America. If you do well with Vain Fortune I hope you will let me arrange with Mr. Bangs.

Of one thing I'm sure, if I have not failed in the execution the book will sell in thousands. It is a book for everybody's money. When you have time let me hear from you on this subject.

Hoping to receive an early copy of Vain Fortune, I remain

Sincerely yours

George Moore