office of “belgravia”
of “the gentleman’s magazine” & of “academy notes”
chatto & windus publishers
74 & 75, piccadilly,
london. w.Jan 1 187 8
Dear Clemens,
First of all a happy New Year to you & yours!—old-fashioned but never more heartfelt.
Your note came today & here I am. Chatto & I have consulted & bargained; and he proposes to bring out your new all-inclusive book, so soon as our two shilling Tom Sawyer (just out) is a little out of the way. On each copy of the “Random Notes of an Idle Excursion”—which we both think would be the best label,—you will get 4d per copy. That is the biggest available royalty (about 17 per cent of two shillings) which can be got on a cheap book. If any body offers more than that he is sure to cheat and we do not wish nor mean to be cheated.—All will go well. Chatto means to sell lots of the cheap books.
I have had to hurry this note to catch boat.
Write to Routledge that you have arranged elsewhere
Ever yours
M D Conway
