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Philip Kent

Philip Kent wrote one of the first reviews of Schreiner’s The Story of an African Farm in February 1883 and she subsequently wrote him a dozen letters over the course of that year. Her thank you letter is followed by discussions of other literary and publication matters. In particular they seek his advice about dealing with publishers, especially Chapman & Hall and the machinations surrounding editions of and payment for The Story of an African Farm. Schreiner’s letters convey something of the powerlessness of authors at the time in the face of bullying or exploitative publishers. Although the letters can be read as those by a younger, inexperienced author attempting to forge a professional writing career and writing to Kent as an experienced literary man able to offer advice and guidance, Schreiner was clearly not in thrall to him and in the event made her own decision about Chapman. Schreiner also sent some of her unpublished writing to Kent for his comment, and he in turn suggested various books to her.
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collection icon Humanities Research Center, University of Texas at Austin: The HRC, Austin, is one of the world leading locations for archival papers pertaining to literary life and manuscripts across... Show/Hide Collection Letters
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