Susanna [Mrs. John] Chapman to George Combe, London, 14 July 1852
Title
Susanna [Mrs. John] Chapman to George Combe, London, 14 July 1852
Title
Susanna [Mrs. John] Chapman to George Combe, London, 14 July 1852
Sender
Susanna [Mrs. John] Chapman
Recipient
George Combe
Date(s)
- 1852-07-14
Place
London
Letter Content
Susanna [Mrs. John] Chapman to George Combe, London, 14 July 1852
MS: National Library of Scotland. Endorsed: London 14 July 1852 | Mrs. John Chapman | 20 July ansd. Her own letter shows that Mr. C has no adequate business talent. He must get into a line for which he is fitted before he can succeed.
42 Strand | July 14th 1852.
My dear Sir
We have heard from Mr. Bray that you think Mr. Chapman has many good qualities but that he is not a man of business. As I have been intimately acquainted with him during the whole of his business career I think I can shew you where his faults lie and what is the reason that he has not been successful. You are perhaps aware that he had no business education and when eight years ago he commenced business as a publisher 111 he scarcely knew the names of Ledger and Daybook. His predecessor's accounts were kept in a most slovenly manner and he soon made great reforms and thoroughly mastered the science of book keeping. He likes every thing to be done well, he must have the best paper and the best printing and for this he pays the highest price, he is apt also to spend both time and money in ornamental covers etc. which are much admired but do not increase the number of copies sold; he says they give him a reputation, which is true, but these expenses leave too narrow a margin for profit; he likes to employ a good printer, one who pays his men well; he likes to pay his assistants well, and has thought that by so doing he would secure their services and cordial cooperation in his plans; he has been singularly unfortunate in his assistants though he takes great pains and care in the selection. Two of them have left in his debt.
In another aspect he has been very unfortunate; he published the life of Channing 112 and under the existing law procured a copyright for it in this country. When the edition was about half sold the decision was given against the legality of the copyright, and the book was republished for 7/ and an abridgement for five. He was obliged to reduce the price to 10/6; the same thing happened with Emerson's Representative Men, 113 from which he might have expected to reap some profit to compensate for the loss on the second series of Emerson's Essays and the Poems. 114 Then in a short time the copyright was made legal and he was subjected to an injunction by Mr. Fellowes 115 for selling one copy of a third edition of a book, in the first edition of which published many years ago Mr. Fellowes had an interest. This cost him 'a350 and recently Mr. Moxon 116 has subjected him to the same penalty. Mr. Chapman is now convinced that he must go to the cheapest market. The last number of the Westminster is I think equal to the others in appearance but has cost considerably less.
The same thing must be done with other things. He is too generous; when he has gained by a book he feels as if he were bound to make some compensation to the author. When a boy who has been a year in his service asks for an increase of wages he gives it him because he thinks he deserves it, though I believe that a boy with 5/ per week is generally more industrious and punctual than one with ten, and he must learn to curb that generous feeling and look more to his own interest. He has surely gained some experience from the past, he has been trying experiments, when one branch of business seemed failing he tried another. Thus the business is large and complicated, and requires more assistance than a much larger business would if it were confined to one department.
And now for his business qualities: he is methodical and orderly to a fault, if such a thing can be; he is industrious beyond any man I ever knew; he generally goes to bed at ten and rises at 5, takes a showerbath and works till breakfast time; he has great energy; often when the assistants have said it was impossible to get a case packed by a certain time, he says it must be possible and by urging and superintending and assisting, the impossible is performed. He always likes to bottom every thing and that is his great complaint against his assistants; the first difficulty stops them, but a difficulty only makes him more determined to persevere till it is overcome. He has no habits of procrastination -- he does not love business but performs it as a duty.
I could wish very much that he were out of business; if he had the editing of the Westminster Review he would work hard but it would be in a direction that suited him, but then the Westminster is at present a loss rather than a gain. Also we have a good connexion, a considerable stock, all the implements and machinery for carrying on business, and if it is suddenly brought to a close not only shall we lose every thing but our friends will lose also, whereas I hope by going on we might redeem ourselves. When we took to the business the returns were barely 4000 'a3, they are now or were at Christmas nearly 'a31200. One great trouble is this large house. The boarding house will nearly pay our expenses but not the rent which is 'a3400, and the rates including water and gas more than another hundred; but I am going into details which are not to the point. My wish is to clear my husband from the imputation of not being a business man, that is, not devoting his energies and talents to his business. He has been long purchasing experience and if he had only the power to do it, I think he is now in a position to win back what he has lost. I hope you will not be annoyed at this long letter. Believe me
Respectfully yours
Susanna Chapman.
MS: National Library of Scotland. Endorsed: London 14 July 1852 | Mrs. John Chapman | 20 July ansd. Her own letter shows that Mr. C has no adequate business talent. He must get into a line for which he is fitted before he can succeed.
42 Strand | July 14th 1852.
My dear Sir
We have heard from Mr. Bray that you think Mr. Chapman has many good qualities but that he is not a man of business. As I have been intimately acquainted with him during the whole of his business career I think I can shew you where his faults lie and what is the reason that he has not been successful. You are perhaps aware that he had no business education and when eight years ago he commenced business as a publisher 111 he scarcely knew the names of Ledger and Daybook. His predecessor's accounts were kept in a most slovenly manner and he soon made great reforms and thoroughly mastered the science of book keeping. He likes every thing to be done well, he must have the best paper and the best printing and for this he pays the highest price, he is apt also to spend both time and money in ornamental covers etc. which are much admired but do not increase the number of copies sold; he says they give him a reputation, which is true, but these expenses leave too narrow a margin for profit; he likes to employ a good printer, one who pays his men well; he likes to pay his assistants well, and has thought that by so doing he would secure their services and cordial cooperation in his plans; he has been singularly unfortunate in his assistants though he takes great pains and care in the selection. Two of them have left in his debt.
In another aspect he has been very unfortunate; he published the life of Channing 112 and under the existing law procured a copyright for it in this country. When the edition was about half sold the decision was given against the legality of the copyright, and the book was republished for 7/ and an abridgement for five. He was obliged to reduce the price to 10/6; the same thing happened with Emerson's Representative Men, 113 from which he might have expected to reap some profit to compensate for the loss on the second series of Emerson's Essays and the Poems. 114 Then in a short time the copyright was made legal and he was subjected to an injunction by Mr. Fellowes 115 for selling one copy of a third edition of a book, in the first edition of which published many years ago Mr. Fellowes had an interest. This cost him 'a350 and recently Mr. Moxon 116 has subjected him to the same penalty. Mr. Chapman is now convinced that he must go to the cheapest market. The last number of the Westminster is I think equal to the others in appearance but has cost considerably less.
The same thing must be done with other things. He is too generous; when he has gained by a book he feels as if he were bound to make some compensation to the author. When a boy who has been a year in his service asks for an increase of wages he gives it him because he thinks he deserves it, though I believe that a boy with 5/ per week is generally more industrious and punctual than one with ten, and he must learn to curb that generous feeling and look more to his own interest. He has surely gained some experience from the past, he has been trying experiments, when one branch of business seemed failing he tried another. Thus the business is large and complicated, and requires more assistance than a much larger business would if it were confined to one department.
And now for his business qualities: he is methodical and orderly to a fault, if such a thing can be; he is industrious beyond any man I ever knew; he generally goes to bed at ten and rises at 5, takes a showerbath and works till breakfast time; he has great energy; often when the assistants have said it was impossible to get a case packed by a certain time, he says it must be possible and by urging and superintending and assisting, the impossible is performed. He always likes to bottom every thing and that is his great complaint against his assistants; the first difficulty stops them, but a difficulty only makes him more determined to persevere till it is overcome. He has no habits of procrastination -- he does not love business but performs it as a duty.
I could wish very much that he were out of business; if he had the editing of the Westminster Review he would work hard but it would be in a direction that suited him, but then the Westminster is at present a loss rather than a gain. Also we have a good connexion, a considerable stock, all the implements and machinery for carrying on business, and if it is suddenly brought to a close not only shall we lose every thing but our friends will lose also, whereas I hope by going on we might redeem ourselves. When we took to the business the returns were barely 4000 'a3, they are now or were at Christmas nearly 'a31200. One great trouble is this large house. The boarding house will nearly pay our expenses but not the rent which is 'a3400, and the rates including water and gas more than another hundred; but I am going into details which are not to the point. My wish is to clear my husband from the imputation of not being a business man, that is, not devoting his energies and talents to his business. He has been long purchasing experience and if he had only the power to do it, I think he is now in a position to win back what he has lost. I hope you will not be annoyed at this long letter. Believe me
Respectfully yours
Susanna Chapman.
Signature
Susanna Chapman.
Citation
Susanna [Mrs. John] Chapman, Susanna [Mrs. John] Chapman to George Combe, London, 14 July 1852, 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/95574