es delivered to subscribers.
Thus, a large number, say sixty-six, had been sold by them to our
subscribers, and our half-dollar on each copy put in their pocket
as commission, expressly contrary to treaty! With some ado, I
mustered fifty-five names of subscribers known to me as such, not
recorded on their books as having received copies, and demanded
$27.50. They replied that they also had claims; that they had
sent the books to distant subscribers in various States, and had
charged no freight (with one or two exceptions, when the books
went alone); that other booksellers had, no doubt, in many
cases, sold the copies to subscribers for which I claimed the
half-dollar; and lastly, which is indeed the moving reason, that
they had sent twenty copies up the Mississippi to a bookseller
(in Vicksburg, I think), who had made them no return. On these
grounds they proposed that they should pay half my demand, and so
compromise. They said, however, that, if I insisted, they would
pay the whole. I was so glad to close the affair with mutual
goodwill that I said with the unjust steward, write $13.75. So
are we all pleased at your expense. [Greek] I think I will not
give you any more historiettes,--they take too much room; but as
I write this time only on business, you are welcome to this from
your friend,

--R.W. Emerson

XLI. Emerson to Carlyle*

Concord, 15 May, 1839.

My Dear Friend,--Last Saturday, 11th instant, I had your two
letters of 13th and 17th April. Before now, you must have one or
two notes of mine touching the stereotype plates: a proposition
superseded by your new plan. I have also despatched one or two
sheets lately containing accounts. Now for the new matter. I
was in Boston yesterday, and saw Brown, the bookseller. He
accedes gladly, to the project of five hundred American copies of
the _History._ He says, that the duty is the same on books in
sheets and books in boards; and desires, therefore, that the
books may come out _bound._ You bind yours in cloth? Put up his
in the same style as those for your market, only a little more
strongly than is the custom with London books, as it will only
cost a little more. He would be glad also to have his name added
in the titlepage (London: Published by J. Fraser; and Boston:
by C.C. Little and James Brown, 112 Washington St.), or is not
this the right way? He only said he should like to have his name
a