Charles Lever, His Life in His Letters Volume I Part 19

"Riedenburg, _Nov_. 2, 1846.

"There never was a bad business man a.s.sisted by a cleverer and more good-natured friend. You have perfectly satisfied all my hazy doubts as to how I stand before the world. Heaven knows, the matter ought to seem easy enough to me now! for all through my life I have never looked beyond the coming month of January,--and how to open the New Year without c.u.mbering it with the deficiencies of the old one....

"From Curry I received a half-apologetic epistle, hoping that if I would state what sum I would accept for my remaining interest, the matter might be arranged without the interference of the gentlemen of the long robe. I sent the letter on to Chapman for advice, and I have not yet received his reply. Could you conveniently see M'Glashan and sound him as to the best mode of terminating the controversy? I am also very anxious to ascertain his feelings towards myself....

"I hear that my 'Knight' (though not by any means so popular as many others) is the best I have done. I hope this is so, because it is the last. I know it is most carefully written: the dialogue has cost me great pains and labour, and the whole book has more of thought in it than its predecessors.... I am glad you like the 'Knight' for more reasons than flattered vanity suggests. I want you to accept of it in dedication. I hope you will receive the barren compliment, not at the poor price of such a production, but as another proof of my sincere regard and affection."

_To Mr Hugh Baker_.*

"Riedenburg, _Nov._ 10, 1846.

* Charles Lever's brother-in-law.

"I possess a contingent interest in certain books--'Tom Burke,'

'Hinton,' and 'O'Donoghue,' the former after 11,000, the latter after 10,000 copies. This interest--or, to speak more plainly, the amount of profit accruing to me--was estimated by M'G. in one of his letters to me, and I believe in a conversation with you, as such, that if the sales reached 20,000 my receipts would be doubled. The sale of 'Hinton' alone [? the a/cs] showed did exceed the limits where my profit began, and in an account furnished to me before leaving Ireland I was credited in a proportion a.n.a.logous to M'G.'s pledge.

"Since that period (mark this--for here the iniquity begins) the house of Curry and Co. effected sales for the purpose, I believe, of raising cash to conclude the winding-up of partnership, of 1000 copies of 'Hinton' at a mere minimum profit (6d, I think, per copy), and thus at one _coup_ not only reduce my profit to a mere fraction, but seriously and gravely--as I am prepared to show--damage my character and that of my books in the London market.

"And these sales made without my consent--without even my knowledge--were in the face of a scale of profit already acknowledged by their own account furnished, and specially pledged by M'G.

"The matter ends not here, for, anxious to purchase my remaining rights,--the only obstacle to selling the sole copyrights in London,--Curry had the impudence to propose 200 for the four vols.

in question, urging as a reason for my compliance his own depreciated sales, and using a threat of the damage he could effect in my reputation by continuing such a system of depreciation.

"This, if related by any less credible witness than Spencer, would scarcely be believed. But the case is so. Up to the moment Spencer had been--when able--moving in the matter; but Curry, from old experience of my capacity for being duped, declined conferring with him, and addressed to me certain letters--half flattery, half insolence--in which he alleges that M'G.'s scale of my half profits was far too high, and that I have been overpaid! and lastly, that the depreciated sales were made by him in full right on his part.

"A case was submitted to Longfield for his opinion on this head (of which I enclose you the copy sent to me by Spencer). The last letter I received from Curry enclosed a statement of the expenses of getting up 'Hinton,' in which I am charged for my share of 20,000 copies--i.e., 4000 more than are sold. It also contains a request to know at what price I do value my contingent interests, as Mr Curry hopes the matter may be arranged without reference to the courts of law.

"As to the scale of half profits, C. & H. set them down as 10 per 1000 Nos.--which is just what M'Glashan [? estimated]."*

* Lever would appear to have received 1300 on account of profits of 'Jack Hinton.'--E. D.

_To Mr Hugh Baker._

"Riedenburg, _Nov_. 14,1846.

"Soon after despatching my letter to you, I received the enclosed from Mr Chapman, for whose consideration and counsel I had stated the whole transaction with Curry. You will perceive that his opinion corroborates mine, and maintains my moiety of profits as fixed and unchangeable. As to his (Chapman's) suggestion that I should ask Curry what price _he_ lays upon his share of the copyrights, it is evidently to reduce him to the dilemma of avowing that he offered me far too little, and of impressing that he asks far too much. Will you see Curry and say that the severe illness of the children in succession has totally prevented my attending to business,--an excuse, I regret to say, not in the least fict.i.tious?

"Curry did ask the trade 2500, which I fancy included stock and stereo-plates, but of this I'm not certain. I had a suspicion that if the copyrights were offered at a fair and reasonable price, Chapman & Hall might purchase,--an arrangement which would suit my views in every respect....

"The affair is of greater moment to me than its mere s. d.

interests,--because it may serve to consolidate a publishing connection which I would be much pleased to fix on a permanent and lasting basis."

_To Mr Hugh Baker._

"Riedenburg, _Dec_ 10, 1846.

"C. & H. might purchase (the copyrights), but I have only this impression from a conversation I once held with Chapman, when he mentioned that Curry, after offering the books in the market, appeared to withdraw them--and this possibly gave rise to the suspicion of a new issue being contemplated. What C. & H. would speculate in is, I fancy, a reissue in weekly parts,* cheap--a 'People's Edition,' or some such blackguard epi., that, being the taste of the day. Chapman told me that we might calculate on 30,000, at least, of some of the vols....

* Edward Chapman (according to Lever) stated in one of his letters to Bregenz that his firm's mode of dealing with d.i.c.kens was to give the author so much per 1000 copies, "not charging anything in the a/c for authorship and plates, save cost of working them off." Doubtless this refers to reprints.--E. D.

"As to M'Glashan. About ten days back I received a note from Spencer which gave me so favourable an impression of his (M'G.'s) feelings towards me, that I at once wrote to him--which I have not done for the last ten months, and although I am very far from being in a writing vein or humour. If he cares for my aid, and if he can afford me such terms as will not be below my mark and _infra dig_. to work for, I'll finish the 'Continental Gossipings,' and make a 1- or 2-vol affair of it, as may seem best.... I am perfectly ready to return to our old and long-continued good understanding.

"I am much amused by your account of Irish affairs. There is something inherent in the national taste for rascality. I am rather well pleased that Old Dan has conquered Young Ireland. I like him, if only that he is the Old Established Blackguard.

"It is rather good fun for us here to read the London morning papers--'Times,' &c.--commenting on the Austrian business. Such a ma.s.s of lies, mistakes, and absurdities as they circulate never was heard of.

First, the Gallician revolt--which 'The Times' allege was collusive on their part--was reported to the Governor eleven days before it broke out, and though he had every evidence before his eyes, being a stupid old beast he would not credit [the news], sent the troops away, and had his rebellion for his pains. As uncle to the Emperor, Metternich could not degrade him: but he has been _invited_ to Vienna, and not permitted to resume his government. There was neither collusion on the part of Austria, nor was the peasant ma.s.sacre instigated by them,--so far from it, that the first movement by the Polish n.o.bles (the greatest blackguards in Europe) was to a.s.sa.s.sinate or poison all who refused to join the conspiracy. We have beside us in the [neighbourhood] here a young Polish count who made his escape in disguise, and would certainly have been killed for refusing to join the revolt, while the Austrians would hang him if he did. As to Cracow: Austria refused twice, and it was only by Russia's ultimatum--you or I--that she consented to the annexation. No one who knows anything of Austrian politics suspects her of desiring increase of territory. It is against her interest and her stability, but Russia is not the best next-door neighbour. There are many faults in Austrian rules, but there are excellences and advantages I never beheld in more democratic governments, and whatever may be said about spies and police visits, &c. (of which, by the way, I have seen nothing myself), I cannot speak ill of a country that lets no man starve--that takes care of its sick and aged, and possesses the safest roads to travel, and the smallest calendar of crime of any population in Europe."

_To Mr Alexander Spencer._

"Riedenburg, _Jan_. 9, 1847.

"You will see by the papers that d.i.c.kens, as well as Bulwer, has fallen under the lash of 'The Times.' It matters little however; the [? love]

for low verbiage and coa.r.s.e pictures of unreality is a widespread--and a spreading--taste. People will buy and read what requires no effort of mean capacities to follow, and what satisfies lowbred tastes by a standard of morality to which they can, with as little difficulty, attain. I have suffered--I am suffering--from the endeavour to supply a healthier, more manly, and more English sustenance, but it may be that before I succeed--if I do succeed at all--the hand will be cold and the heart still, and that I may be only a pioneer to clear the way for the breaching party.

"That such a taste must rot of its own corruption is clear enough, but, meanwhile, literature is an unattractive career for those who would use it for a higher purpose.

"I hope you like my 'Knight'--because, while I perceive many and grave faults in its construction and development, I still would fain hope that the writing (as writing) is pure, and the tone throughout such as a gentleman might write and a lady read. If you agree with me, I shall feel that my book requires no better eulogy.

"Miss Edgeworth and O'Sullivan give me warm encouragement and high commendation; but I take it much of both proceeds from kindness of feeling, which, perhaps, guesses with intuitive good-nature that such are as much 'bids for the future' as flatteries for the past."

_To Mr Hugh Baker._

"Bregenz, _Jan._ 22, 1847.

"....I know c.u.mming has burked my 'Knight,'--not intentionally, but from the blundering of a lethargic bad habit of business, and the result has been most disheartening and unpleasant to me.

"I am suffering severely from gout in the head and palpitations of the heart, and not able to write: even correcting is too much for me."

_To Mr Hugh Baker._

"Riedenburg, _Feb_. 10, 1847.

"C. & H. wrote me that they do not contemplate the purchase, but that if I could get 600 to 800 I should be well off,--though if these sums (either of them) were to include the disputed moiety on the sale of 'Hinton' 'the settlement is not so grand.' I think otherwise, and would be exceedingly glad to have so much out of the fire; besides, I really want the cash, as my present engagement terminates soon, and I have nothing in preparation to succeed it for the remainder of the year....

"What would you say--if in the event of their (Curry) refusing me fair terms--to make this proposal: 'What will you give Mr Lever if he revises the works (and they need it) for republication--adding notes, &c.? and also giving you the copyright of "O'Leary," to appear like the others?'

"This might lead to something, and the occupation of re-editing, writing mems., and prefaces, &c., would give me immediate work."