To Moncure D. Conway
25 March 1876 • Hartford, Conn.
(MS, in pencil: NNC, UCCL 01317)
(SUPERSEDED)

Hartford Mch 25

My Dear Conway:

Got your telegram this today: “London Saturday picture electroes Conway.”1

I take it that it means that you want electrotypes from our pictures but not from the letter-press likewise. All right. We shall try to issue here the middle of April but I think we shall be delayed till the first of May. I think you had better at once get a cheap edition (without pictures) printed & bound & be ready to issue with that the moment I telegraph you our positive date of preparati of publication.

If you want our letter-press as well as picture-electrotypes for the costly edition, telegraph me the word “Yes” when you get this letter. If you want only the picture-leelectros, telegraph the word “No” & I’ll act accordingly. But get the cheap edition all printed & ready now, to cover accidents. Better put in our title-pages, “ Only Authorized ‸English‸[ Edition . ] ‸—or something to that effect.‸ 2

Glad you are home safe. The both of us send warm regards to you both.

Yrs

Clemens

Explanatory Notes | Textual Commentary

Editorial Signs

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1 In his letter of Friday, 24 March, Conway elaborated on this telegram, evidently sent that same day and received in Hartford on Saturday (see 9 Apr 76 to Conway, n. 1).

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2 Clemens was anxious to ensure that the English edition of Tom Sawyer preceded the American, in order to secure his English copyright. Conway did not, however, agree with his plan for a cheap edition (see 9 Apr 76 to Conway, n. 1, and 16 Apr 76 to Conway).

Description of Texts and Provenance

Copy-text:

MS, in pencil, Conway Papers, NNC.

Previous publication: MicroPUL, reel 1.

Provenance:The Conway Papers were acquired by NNC sometime after Conway’s death in 1907.

Emendations and textual notes:

Edition . • Edition . [deletion implied]