John Chapman to George Combe, London, 13 April 1854
Title
John Chapman to George Combe, London, 13 April 1854
Title
John Chapman to George Combe, London, 13 April 1854
Sender
John Chapman
Recipient
George Combe
Date(s)
- 1854-04-13
Place
London
Letter Content
John Chapman to George Combe, London, 13 April 1854
MS: National Library of Scotland. Endorsed: London | John Chapman | 16th April ansd per book.
London, 142 Strand | April 13. 1854.
My dear Sir
Being obliged to be out this afternoon I asked Mr. Moir -- one of my clerks new to the business -- to make the enquiries necessary to enable me to answer your letter. I regret to find that, contrary to my intention, he also undertook to answer the letter himself. Being new to the business, he has been I find misled as to the [4 per cent extra copies] about which you write: It is the custom in London, if you ask a printer to deliver the edition of any work he may print, for the printer to send in the exact nominal number printed; any surplus copies which he may have, and which are called "waste," are reserved for a further order upon him.
What is called a "perfect ream" of paper contains 520 sheets, hence, if not a sheet were spoilt, it would yield 520 copies of a pamphlet -- one sheet in lenth. Of course there are often some sheets injured. I will get whatever "waste" there may be from the printers. I find there are 6 copies on my premises, -- one also was given to Mr. Wilson, and I believe I have a copy in my private room.
You will perhaps remember that before you saw a proof at all, corrections had been made by Miss Evans on the slips; and the delivery of proofs in slip is always expensive. The printers make me a separate charge of 18/6 for corrections of your article, besides my share of the composition. "Corrections" as charged by printers are always a most unsatisfactory item; they cannot be fairly estimated or checked, and I resign myself to pay for them usually without question; -- my only resourse being, if I find them charged, as it seems to me, very heavily, to change my printer. I will ask Miss Evans about the missing M.S.
My memory of circumstances is almost invariably associated with locality, and I have a strong impression connected with Cambridge Terrace, that when there you assured me either personally or by letter to the effect I have already mentioned. I may be mistaken altogether. I repeat -- I cannot find any such letter. With regard to the time of publishing your pamphlet, I should be sorry to oppose your wishes and beg of you therefore to publish it when [it] shall seem to you best and I shall be content.
I am grieved that circumstances, chiefly beyond my controul, have resulted in causing in your mind a considerable amount of dissatisfaction with respect to the publication of your article; but I trust you will derive some gratification from the knowledge that your views on Criminal Legislation have, by means of the Westminster, obtained an immediate and wide circulation on both sides of the Atlantic. I am my dear Sir
Yours very truly
John Chapman.
MS: National Library of Scotland. Endorsed: London | John Chapman | 16th April ansd per book.
London, 142 Strand | April 13. 1854.
My dear Sir
Being obliged to be out this afternoon I asked Mr. Moir -- one of my clerks new to the business -- to make the enquiries necessary to enable me to answer your letter. I regret to find that, contrary to my intention, he also undertook to answer the letter himself. Being new to the business, he has been I find misled as to the [4 per cent extra copies] about which you write: It is the custom in London, if you ask a printer to deliver the edition of any work he may print, for the printer to send in the exact nominal number printed; any surplus copies which he may have, and which are called "waste," are reserved for a further order upon him.
What is called a "perfect ream" of paper contains 520 sheets, hence, if not a sheet were spoilt, it would yield 520 copies of a pamphlet -- one sheet in lenth. Of course there are often some sheets injured. I will get whatever "waste" there may be from the printers. I find there are 6 copies on my premises, -- one also was given to Mr. Wilson, and I believe I have a copy in my private room.
You will perhaps remember that before you saw a proof at all, corrections had been made by Miss Evans on the slips; and the delivery of proofs in slip is always expensive. The printers make me a separate charge of 18/6 for corrections of your article, besides my share of the composition. "Corrections" as charged by printers are always a most unsatisfactory item; they cannot be fairly estimated or checked, and I resign myself to pay for them usually without question; -- my only resourse being, if I find them charged, as it seems to me, very heavily, to change my printer. I will ask Miss Evans about the missing M.S.
My memory of circumstances is almost invariably associated with locality, and I have a strong impression connected with Cambridge Terrace, that when there you assured me either personally or by letter to the effect I have already mentioned. I may be mistaken altogether. I repeat -- I cannot find any such letter. With regard to the time of publishing your pamphlet, I should be sorry to oppose your wishes and beg of you therefore to publish it when [it] shall seem to you best and I shall be content.
I am grieved that circumstances, chiefly beyond my controul, have resulted in causing in your mind a considerable amount of dissatisfaction with respect to the publication of your article; but I trust you will derive some gratification from the knowledge that your views on Criminal Legislation have, by means of the Westminster, obtained an immediate and wide circulation on both sides of the Atlantic. I am my dear Sir
Yours very truly
John Chapman.
Signature
John Chapman.
Citation
John Chapman, John Chapman to George Combe, London, 13 April 1854, Complete George Eliot Letters(2026), George Eliot Archive, edited by Beverley Park Rilett. https://GeorgeEliotArchive.org, Accessed September 7, 2026. https://www.georgeeliotarchive.org/items/show/95486