TC-EC, 10 May. MS: John Work Garrett Lib., Johns Hopkins Univ. Hitherto unpbd.

1. Chapman wrote to TC, 7 May. “I am … as desirous as you … to have a [fixed?] payment for the Pamphlets; for many reasons, not the least of which are that you will be saved the trouble of investigating accounts and I shall be saved the thankless affair of rendering them. / No doubt you will remember when the project was discussed originally that the estimate was taken upon two sheets, or 32 pages, with occasional extensions of a few pages—on which estimate the difference between the cost of sale of 2000 copies was taken at about £30—but the actual difference between the cost of sale of 2000 copies of No 1 is not £15. This arises from the pamphlets extending much beyond the then supposed limits, and from their seeing many changes for corrections as shown by the enclosed memorandum. These profits are upon the sale of the entire impress of 2000 copies without making any provision for work cost of stock to such future sales. / … / As I am however very desirous of meeting your wishes whenever I can do so I shall be willing to pay you £10 for every 1000 copies sold (although it leaves me far too little profit) upon two other conditions which I am quite sure you will see the justice of … . / Each pamphlet consists of 48 pages— The cost of any pages beyond that number and the cost for correction beyond £3 to be charged to you. / From time to time I am to print such numbers as I may deem necessary, and in the months January, April, July & October of each year to render to you a statement of the copies I have printed and sold since the last account and to pay you £10 for every 1000 copies sold & in the same proportion for parts of thousands. / You misunderstood me respecting the deficiency on your books up to this time. I did not mean that I had lost between £2 & £300, but that faster than the money had been made it had been again sunk in new editions & and that that balance of cash is now against the works, in fact that in all your books printed since [words illegible] there is so much cash out of pocket. Of course I expect it will come back again with a profit & I only mentioned it to counteract the feeling that I know is entertained by most authors that the publishers get the profit to an enormous amount—and the authors all the losses. / Surely it is not unreasonable that after a large outlay of capital for 8 or 9 years a successful series of books should leave the publisher with a balance of metal in his pocket instead of it being all in paper at his warehouse.”

2. TC wrote a receipt: “Chelsea, 14 May, 1850— / received from Mr Chapman, for Latter-Day Pamphlets No 6 [“Parliaments”], Four pounds ten shillings on the part of the American publisher. / T. Carlyle / John Chapman Esq, Publisher. / 142 Strand.” The American publisher was Phillips, Sampson, & Co., which printed all eight of the pamphlets; see TC-[CRO], 22 March.