登陆注册
5380500000156

第156章

MY DEAR HOWELLS,--I reckon it would ruin the book that is, make it necessary to pigeon-hole it and leave it unpublished.I couldn't publish it without a very responsible name to support my own on the title page, because it has so much of my own matter in it.I bought Osgood's rights for $3,000 cash, I have paid Clark $800 and owe him $700 more, which must of course be paid whether I publish or not.Yet I fully recognize that Ihave no sort of moral right to let that ancient and procrastinated contract hamper you in any way, and I most certainly won't.So, it is my decision,--after thinking over and rejecting the idea of trying to buy permission of the Harpers for $2,500 to use your name, (a proposition which they would hate to refuse to a man in a perplexed position, and yet would naturally have to refuse it,) to pigeon-hole the "Library": not destroy it, but merely pigeon-hole it and wait a few years and see what new notion Providence will take concerning it.He will not desert us now, after putting in four licks to our one on this book all this time.

It really seems in a sense discourteous not to call it "Providence's Library of Humor."Now that deal is all settled, the next question is, do you need and must you require that $2,000 now? Since last March, you know, I am carrying a mighty load, solitary and alone--General Grant's book--and must carry it till the first volume is 30 days old (Jan.1st) before the relief money will begin to flow in.From now till the first of January every dollar is as valuable to me as it could be to a famishing tramp.If you can wait till then--I mean without discomfort, without inconvenience--it will be a large accommodation to me; but I will not allow you to do this favor if it will discommode you.So, speak right out, frankly, and if you need the money I will go out on the highway and get it, using violence, if necessary.

Mind, I am not in financial difficulties, and am not going to be.I am merely a starving beggar standing outside the door of plenty--obstructed by a Yale time-lock which is set for Jan.1st.I can stand it, and stand it perfectly well; but the days do seem to fool along considerable slower than they used to.

I am mighty glad you are with the Harpers.I have noticed that good men in their employ go there to stay.

Yours ever, MARK.

In the next letter we begin to get some idea of the size of Mark Twain's first publishing venture, and a brief summary of results may not be out of place here.

The Grant Life was issued in two volumes.In the early months of the year when the agents' canvass was just beginning, Mark Twain, with what seems now almost clairvoyant vision, prophesied a sale of three hundred thousand sets.The actual sales ran somewhat more than this number.On February 27, 1886, Charles L.Webster & Co.

paid to Mrs.Grant the largest single royalty check in the history of book-publishing.The amount of it was two hundred thousand dollars.Subsequent checks increased the aggregate return to considerably more than double this figure.In a memorandum made by Clemens in the midst of the canvass he wrote.""During 100 consecutive days the sales (i.e., subscriptions) of General Grant's book averaged 3,000 sets (6,000 single volumes) per day: Roughly stated, Mrs.Grant's income during all that time was $5,000 a day."To W.D.Howells, in Boston:

HOTEL NORMANDIE

NEW YORK, Dec.2, '85.

MY DEAR HOWELLS,-- I told Webster, this afternoon, to send you that $2,000; but he is in such a rush, these first days of publication, that he may possibly forget it; so I write lest I forget it too.Remind me, if he should forget.When I postponed you lately, I did it because Ithought I should be cramped for money until January, but that has turned out to be an error, so I hasten to cut short the postponement.

同类推荐
  • FINISHED

    FINISHED

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 佛说阿难七梦经

    佛说阿难七梦经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 和权载之离合诗

    和权载之离合诗

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 佛说帝释岩秘密成就仪轨

    佛说帝释岩秘密成就仪轨

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 影梅庵忆语

    影梅庵忆语

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
热门推荐
  • 教童子法

    教童子法

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 国士

    国士

    一次意外的穿越却成了婴儿,熟悉而又陌生的历史,看罗宇一步步成长,如何使用现代知识和古人斗智斗勇。
  • 我怎么又被撩了

    我怎么又被撩了

    我不是魔王吗?怎么又被撩了???(简介无力,点进来看看吧)
  • 政理

    政理

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 飞鸟集·新月集(新课标同步课外阅读)

    飞鸟集·新月集(新课标同步课外阅读)

    《飞鸟集》与《新月集》是文学巨匠泰戈尔最具美感和欣赏性的代表作,也是世界上最杰出的诗集和散文集之一。白太和黑夜、海洋和河流、自由和背叛、哲学和宗教,都在泰戈尔的笔下合二为一。短小的语句阐述了深刻的人生哲理,引领读者在读完后探寻真理和智慧,是他诸多文集中最适合青少年阅读的作品,对陶冶他们的情操和激发他们对文学的热爱有着不可估量的作用。本书为《飞鸟集》与《新月集》的合订本,由我国著名的翻译家郑振铎翻译,附录中收录了泰戈尔生平、泰戈尔访华记及1913年诺贝尔文学奖获奖致辞,具有很高的文学价值和收藏价值。
  • 密室

    密室

    一切的偶然都是必然——致所有“不可能”的杀人案件。没有出口的迷宫,凶手就在拐角处,7个不可能的杀人案件,7个深埋心底的无限怨恨……就像一只巨大的食人花,用妖娆的美梦编织一张大网,只等你掉入的那刻,了无痕迹地将你消化干净……
  • 命中注定

    命中注定

    宋颜认为,没有爱情起码还有工作。万鸿宇觉得,爱情于他,是再也无法触及的遥远。宋颜从没遇到过万鸿宇这样的人,他像一本书,每一页都可以学到很多东西。万鸿宇觉得宋颜这个人很有意思,会用最普通的食材做出好吃的食物,相处久了连饮食习惯都改变了。相遇,就是一场命中注定的巧合。
  • 刺客堂

    刺客堂

    人前我是名保镖,人后我是位杀手,私下我还修修真,没事我还泡泡妞,做人就要随心所欲,我就是一个刺客。
  • CEO成长手册

    CEO成长手册

    无论一个企业有多么卓越,一旦离开决策、执行、实际操作三大链条中的任意一环,那么她将会土崩瓦解。诚然,决策领袖的诞生并非偶然,而是通过自我锻造才成为了必然。没有人天和就是伟大的决策者——优秀的CEO也都是通过不断地培养与学习,经年累月的经验累积才发挥出了执行领导者的永恒特质。您无需具备执行领袖的性格或机会,但您可以从我们这本书中悟出新的契机,从我们这本书中得到实现CEO的谋略与勇气。
  • 仙路之大阴阳师

    仙路之大阴阳师

    张稳曾一直过着十分平静的生活,虽然人缘和成绩一样差的要死,有基友却无对象,除了被人欺负嘲笑和同情,大概也没有什么其他的了。直到那三秒的出现……(本文又名《一切从那三秒后开始》)