Letter to Grant Richards (1 october 1899)
This letter was written by Arthur Conan Doyle on 1st october 1899 from Haslemere, to editor Grant Richards about his book A Duet, with an Occasional Chorus mentioning his statement, offering to pay a share in the extra advertising, observing that he should have advised a first edition of 10,000 "as the book was admittedly experimental and open to comparative failure", and expressing grief that the publisher should have so many copies left on his hands. He declares his desire for "a 6/ net uniform Edition", wondering if The Duet could be bound to fit into it.
Letter (extracts)
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as the book was admittedly experimental and open to comparative failure.
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I wish you would tell me if you have been out of pocket over the whole business and if so how much. I hate that you a young man entering business should lose by me, and I cannot offer you the prospect that any loss will be made up by some subsequent gain on another book.
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- Letter auctioned at Sotheby's (London), 17 december 1998, Lot 338.
