5778. Frederic Chapman to RB
As published in The Brownings’ Correspondence, 32, 99–101.
193. Piccadilly. London. W.
June 21st 1866
Dear Mr. Browning,
I am very grieved at receiving your letter and I do hope that a plain statement will place me in that favour with you that I have always so greatly prized.
Miss Blagden’s “Cost of a Secret” was published by us on commission for Bradbury & Evans– I have had nothing whatever to do with Miss Blagden concerning it– [1] I have neither heard from her nor written to her about it.
The book left a balance of £279.11.8 and that sum was paid to, Bradbury & Evans as far back as 1863—viz
1863
Feby. 7. Cash—75 —.—
Aug. 24 ʺ—200 —.—
ʺ—4. 11 8
—£279. 11. 8
For more than 2 years I have done with that book.
With regard to “The Woman I loved” it was published at our risk on half profits– I have already informed Miss Blagden that we printed 500 copies and have only sold 130 copies and that leaves a deficeincy [sic] of £60—.
I trust you will read the Enclosed note which I feel bound to write to Miss Blagden.
Of the Selections [2] we printed 1000 Copies and we have left, & in the house this day 46 copies.
No one regrets more than I do that we have not published the second Edition, [3] and also that the first Ed. was published so late in the year– The delay arose from the binder not being able to get the brass work cut in time– The copies were sent to America and I can only account for our having so many as 46 copies on hand from the fact that we are obliged in accordance with the Custom of the trade to recall all copies that may be out unsold before a new Edition is published.
As the trade ask for the work they are supplied from the first Edition. I am so certain of doing well with the book that when I ordered the second Edition to be printed I also ordered it to be stereotyped.
In all our arrangements I have always studied to pay you as much as ever an Edition will afford and although you may perhaps think £75/./. a small sum to receive for 1000 copies I can assure you that it was nearly all that the Edition would produce– I will give you the cost & proceeds.
1000 Copies of Selections.
Printers charge—44. 10.—
Paper 20¾ reams 34/6—35. 16. 6
Engraving 2 plates 25. 4—
Printing 1000 each 4—
Binding 1000 Copies 1/3 62. 10.—
Advertising 38. 10.—
Mr. Browning’s Royalty @1/6. 75—
Total Cost £285. 10. 6
200 copies sold to Lippincot[t] [4] 4/7– 45. 16. 8
34 ʺ Gratis
766 as 736 sold @ 7/6 276—.—
1000 less 10 per cent 27. 12. 248. 8
£294. 4. 8
This Edition will leave us £8/14/2 profit when all the Copies are sold, and when I offered £75/./. for it I was quite aware of this result.
I write this hurriedly so that you may at once hear from me, and I am now going to the printers to get the exact cost of the new Editions [5] that I may fairly make up the cost and pay you—
You know how fatal to me would be your withdrawal, and I Earnestly implore you to reconsider the matter, more especially as I feel I do not quite deserve it, as with respect to Miss Blagden I am perfectly free from blame– Of the Selections I left that to be paid when it was ready not thinking that you cared for it before—and of the new Edition of Mrs Browning I find that the first copies delivered to us were on June 12th [6] —not much more than a week ago–
As soon as ever I get the cost of the two books which I hope will be tomorrow, I shall write again to you–
Believe me
Yrs most truly
Fred Chapman
Publication: None traced.
Manuscript: Yale University.
1. See letter 5146, note 2. The Cost of a Secret was published in December 1862.
2. A Selection from the Poetry of Elizabeth Barrett Browning (1866), published on 9 December 1865.
3. Chapman and Hall would not issue the second edition of Selection (1866) until November (see The Athenæum of 10 November 1866, no. 2037, p. 617).
4. Presumably J.B. Lippincott Co., Philadelphia publisher and book distributor, founded by Joshua B. Lippincott (1813–86) in 1836.
5. That is, the second edition of Selection, mentioned above, and the recently published Poetical Works (5 vols., 1866).
6. But see letter 5763, note 2.
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