James T. Fields — 1 May 1862

To JAMES T. FIELDS
May 1, [1862], Wheeling

Mr Fields

I enclose Mr. Macmillan’s[1] letter for which I thank you. Will you explain one sentence for me? When he says he would like to publish a story of mine without announcing its American origin does he mean one written for you and republished there or written for them? Please let me know. If I understand you right (I always was dumb at arithmetic), I am much in your debt. The two last (or last two) eds of Margret[2] are only 300 copies? As you said the first was 1500 and all amount to 2000 only? As for per cent you owed me not 50 dollars then? Well I hope it will all come right, sometime. Shall you like to see me in Boston? For I am very much in the mind of going to Philadelphia in June and may go on unless something happens.

Please write. I don’t like to trouble you, but I wish to understand what your English friend means. If I could write a story about this war as I wish! And I could do that for English readers.

Yours
R.B.H.

Another thing. Does he mean a story for a magazine or a book? David Gaunt will be finished in a week or two, I hope.

Notes

1. Alexander MacMillan (1818-1896), Scottish publisher and cofounder of Macmillan Publishing.

2. Margret Howth.

Key Words

"David Gaunt", Alexander Macmillan, Civil War, English publication, financial issues, Margret Howth, travel

Source

Richard Harding Davis Papers, Albert and Shirley Small Special Collections Library, University of Virginia

Contributor

S. M. Harris