Letter from Leonard Woolf to William Plomer (21/05/1925)

 

[[1]]

 

[[MS 2750/351/6]]

 

William Plomer Esq

 

21 May, 1925

 

Dear Mr Plomer,

 

Mr Brace, a partner in the firm of Harcourt, Brace, & Co which is one of the best firms of American Publishers is over in London. We told him that we thought very highly of your MS [Manuscript] and asked him to read it with a view to his firm possibly publishing an American edition. He came to see me yesterday after reading the book. He said that, if we publish it here, his frim [sic] will publish it in America, and will pay a royalty to you of 10% up to 3000 with 15% after 3000 and an advance of £25. I said that, as far as we were concerned, we would agree to this, but that we had not yet received the agreement actually signed by you.

 

Mr Brace said with regard to the MS that he enjoyed it very much up to the speech of Friston which he thought much too long. As a matter of fact both my wife and I had independently thought the same. We think that you rather spoil the effect of your book by "preaching" the moral at too great length which really comes through, and should be allowed to come through, in the remainder of the book.

 

The fact that three people independently have felt this emboldens me to return this part of the MS to you and to suggest that you should either alter or cut out this speech. I hope that you do not mind my doing this.

 

Yours sincerely | Leonard Woolf [signature]

Source: MS 2750/351/6

Image Rights Holder: Society of Authors

Letter from Leonard Woolf to William Plomer (21/05/1925)

Library:

University of Reading, Special Collections

Archival Folder:

Leonard Woolf writes to inform Plomer that Harcourt, Brace and Co will publish an American edition of his book if The Hogarth Press publish it in the UK. He provides information on the royalties and commission associated with the American edition which The Hogarth Press agree to but have not yet received a signed agreement from Plomer. Woolf informs Plomer that he and Mr Brace share the same criticism of a section of the manuscript (regarding Friston's speech) and suggests that Plomer alters, or cuts the speech out.