5779. Frederic Chapman to RB
As published in The Brownings’ Correspondence, 32, 101–102.
193. Piccadilly. London. W.
June 23rd 1866
My dear Mr. Browning
Your kind letter has been a real relief.
For the future, that all may go on smoothly, it would be better that an arrangement such as I Enclose should be made between us– You will then know on what days you will receive payment for the various books printed during each half year– We have such an arrangement with Mr. Dickens and Mr. Carlyle–
Will you please read the Enclosed and make such alterations as you may deem necessary.—
I can only say about the Selections [1] that the Trade took it freely at first and that I naturally thought they would have sold them, and when you made Enquiry about the sale I was but too glad to be able to tell you that nearly the whole Edition had been sold by us– Before however bringing out a second Edition, it is the Custom of the trade to ascertain what of the former Edition may be unsold, and take any unsold copies back in Exchange for the new Edition. I did not anticipate finding any Copies unsold but I was greatly disappointed–
To show you how liable we are & what losers we may be by a new Edition being published before the old one is withdrawn, I enclose a letter from Simpkin Co [2] in which you see they charge us £14.13.10 for books bought three years ago, and of which a cheaper Edition has this week been published– We having sold the Copyright– Now as this was a half-share book we had accounted to Mr. Trollope [3] for them long ago– I expect many claims for allowance from the different booksellers.
I hope that if you are passing on Monday that you will look in and arrange about the agreement between us– I will then explain to you how scandalously I find Bradbury & Evans have treated me with regard to Miss Blagden by making me a scapegoat for their neglect, or their unwillingness or inability to part with the money.
I am sure you will believe me when I say that I know no one for whom I should be willing to render any service that might be in my power than to yourself. And that I am proud of being the publisher of your works, knowing the great advantage your name is to me as a publisher, and feeling certain that in a few years that I shall reap great benefit from the sale of your books which no one can doubt will be twenty fold greater than now–
Believe me
Yr most truly
Fred Chapman
Publication: None traced.
Manuscript: Yale University.
1. A Selection from the Poetry of Elizabeth Barrett Browning (1866).
2. Simpkin, Marshall & Co., book wholesaler and publishing firm.
3. Anthony Trollope. The book mentioned may have been Rachel Ray, published by Chapman and Hall in October 1863.
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