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Letter ReferenceHRC/OliveSchreinerUncatLetters/OS-PhilipKent/4
ArchiveHarry Ransom Center, University of Texas, Austin
Epistolary TypeLetter
Letter Date1 May 1883
Address FromEdinburgh House, Warrior Square, St Leonards, East Sussex
Address To
Who ToPhilip Kent
Other Versions
PermissionsPlease read before using or citing this transcription
Legend
The Project is grateful to the Harry Ransom Humanities Research Center, the University of Texas at Austin, for kindly allowing us to transcribe this Olive Schreiner letter, which is part of its Manuscript Collections.
1Edinburgh House
2Warrior Square
3May 1 / 83.
4
5My dear Mr Kent,
6
7I went on Thurs-day to see Mssrs Chapman & Hall, & told them I would
8not take £10 for the book. To-day they have written to offer me £30,
9but want to stipulate that if they give me that sum I have to let them
10have the refusal of my next. Do you think I ought to accept the offer?
11I am so afraid of their getting the next book for a few pounds too.
12
13I have had another offer for the book, but from a private person who
14knows nothing of publishing, & who would be sure to lose by it so I
15could not accept it.
16
17Mr Chapman says I must have nothing to do with other publishers, he is
18so sorry me; he knows they will cheat me if they can. He has sold
19nearly all the copies, & the Clerks at Mudies tell me the book is
20being much called for.
21
22I think I will write & tell him that I shall take the £30 but not
23bind myself at all about the next book.
24
25If I could get £20 from any other firm I would sooner let them have
26it. I am under no obligation to Mssrs Chapman & Hall. They have made
27me pay full trade price for the few copies I wanted, they have doubled
28out of the first agreement which was to give me 5/- for every copy
29after the first 200, & if I could afford it I would make a present of
30the thing to the first firm that would take it.
31
32Of course what I say to you is said in confidence.
33
34Mr Chapman says he does not believe I will find a firm who would take
35the book over his head, it is not “form” among publishers; so I am
36sure you will not have been able to make the arrangements for me that
37you so kindly wanted to. But I feel your great kindness just as much
38as if it had been.
39
40I remain,
41Yours very sincerely,
42Olive Schreiner
43
Notation
The book Schreiner refers to is a possible new edition of The Story of An African Farm.