"I suppose there is nothing now to prevent your immediately commencing the printing of the work.
"When you acknowledge the receipt of the draft, will you state how soon it will be completed?--I am, gentlemen, yours truly,
"C. BRONTE."
TO AYLOTT & JONES
"_March_ 11_th_, 1846.
"GENTLEMEN,--I have received the proof-sheet, and return it corrected. If there is any doubt at all about the printer"s competency to correct errors, I would prefer submitting each sheet to the inspection of the authors, because such a mistake, for instance, as _tumbling_ stars, instead of _trembling_, would suffice to throw an air of absurdity over a whole poem; but if you know from experience that he is to be relied on, I would trust to your a.s.surance on the subject, and leave the task of correction to him, as I know that a considerable saving both of time and trouble would be thus effected.
"The printing and paper appear to me satisfactory. Of course I wish to have the work out as soon as possible, but I am still more anxious that it should be got up in a manner creditable to the publishers and agreeable to the authors.--I am, gentlemen, yours truly,
"C. BRONTE."
TO AYLOTT & JONES
"_March_ 13_th_, 1846.
"GENTLEMEN,--I return you the second proof. The authors have finally decided that they would prefer having all the proofs sent to them in turn, but you need not inclose the Ms., as they can correct the errors from memory.--I am, gentlemen, yours truly,
"C. BRONTE."
TO AYLOTT & JONES
"_March_ 23_rd_, 1846.
"GENTLEMEN,--As the proofs have hitherto come safe to hand under the direction of C. Bronte, _Esq_., I have not thought it necessary to request you to change it, but a little mistake having occurred yesterday, I think it will be better to send them to me in future under my real address, which is Miss Bronte, Rev. P. Bronte, etc.--I am, gentlemen, yours truly,
"C. BRONTE."
TO AYLOTT & JONES
"_April_ 6_th_, 1846.
"GENTLEMEN,--C., E., and A. Bell are now preparing for the press a work of fiction, consisting of three distinct and unconnected tales, which may be published either together, as a work of three volumes, of the ordinary novel size, or separately as single volumes, as shall be deemed most advisable.
"It is not their intention to publish these tales on their own account. They direct me to ask you whether you would be disposed to undertake the work, after having, of course, by due inspection of the Ms., ascertained that its contents are such as to warrant an expectation of success.
"An early answer will oblige, as, in case of your negativing the proposal, inquiry must be made of other publishers.--I am, gentlemen, yours truly,
"C. BRONTE."
TO AYLOTT & JONES
"_April_ 15_th_, 1846.
"GENTLEMEN,--I have to thank you for your obliging answer to my last.
The information you give is of value to us, and when the MS. is completed your suggestions shall be acted on.
"There will be no preface to the poems. The blank leaf may be filled up by a table of contents, which I suppose the printer will prepare.
It appears the volume will be a thinner one than was calculated on.--I am, gentlemen, yours truly,
"C. BRONTE."
TO AYLOTT & JONES
"_May_ 11_th_, 1846.
"GENTLEMEN,--The books may be done up in the style of Moxon"s duodecimo edition of Wordsworth.
"The price may be fixed at 5s., or if you think that too much for the size of the volume, say 4s.
"I think the periodicals I mentioned in my last will be sufficient for advertising in at present, and I should not wish you to lay out a larger sum than 2 pounds, especially as the estimate is increased by nearly 5 pounds, in consequence, it appears, of a mistake. I should think the success of a work depends more on the notice it receives from periodicals, than on the quant.i.ty of advertis.e.m.e.nts.
"If you do not object, the additional amount of the estimate can be remitted when you send in your account at the end of the first six months.
"I should be obliged to you if you could let me know how soon copies can be sent to the editors of the magazines and newspapers specified.--I am, gentlemen, yours truly,
"C. BRONTE."
TO AYLOTT & JONES
"_May_ 25_th_, 1846.
"GENTLEMEN,--I received yours of the 22nd this morning. I now transmit 5 pounds, being the additional sum necessary to defray the entire expense of paper and printing. It will leave a small surplus of 11s. 9d., which you can place to my account.
"I am glad you have sent copies to the newspapers you mention, and in case of a notice favourable or otherwise appearing in them, or in any of the other periodicals to which copies have been sent, I should be obliged to you if you would send me down the numbers; otherwise, I have not the opportunity of seeing these publications regularly. I might miss it, and should the poems be remarked upon favourably, it is my intention to appropriate a further sum to advertis.e.m.e.nts. If, on the other hand, they should pa.s.s unnoticed or be condemned, I consider it would be quite useless to advertise, as there is nothing, either in the t.i.tle of the work or the names of the authors, to attract attention from a single individual.--I am, gentlemen, yours truly,
"C. BRONTE."
TO AYLOTT & JONES
"_July_ 10_th_, 1846.
"GENTLEMEN,--I am directed by the Messrs. Bell to acknowledge the receipt of the _Critic_ and the _Athenaeum_ containing notices of the poems.
"They now think that a further sum of 10 pounds may be devoted to advertis.e.m.e.nts, leaving it to you to select such channels as you deem most advisable.
"They would wish the following extract from the _Critic_ to be appended to each advertis.e.m.e.nt:--
""They in whose hearts are chords strung by Nature to sympathise with the beautiful and the true, will recognise in these compositions the presence of more genius than it was supposed this utilitarian age had devoted to the loftier exercises of the intellect."
"They likewise request you to send copies of the poems to _Fraser"s Magazine_, _Chambers" Edinburgh Journal_, the Globe, and _Examiner_.--I am, gentlemen, yours truly,
"C. BRONTE."
To an appreciative editor Currer Bell wrote as follows:--