Dato: 13. marts 1868
Fra: Horace E. Scudder   Til: H.C. Andersen
Sprog: engelsk.

Riverside, Cambridge, Mass. 13 March 1868

Sir,

I avail myself of the introduction given by Madame Raaslöff to bring to your notice the magazine for the young which it is my pleasure and honor to conduct - The Riverside Magazine for young People; a copy of which the Publishers inform me they send to you. The magazine enjoys a wide popularity among the young of our country and is read in thousands of families not only in cities and populous districts, but in the new settlements of the West and South- West. But I do not believe it can outrun the writings of Hans Andersen, for his name is a household word amongst children throughout our country. I should think myself happy, then, if I might make the magazine a vehicle for carrying your new fresh stories to the homes of these little ones. If, month by month, they could look at once for the Riverside and for one of Andersen' s stories, how happy would they be!

I fear that while numerous editions of your stories have been sold in our country, you have not received that just return from publishers which is every writer's due. If, then, you could be induced to send me short stories from time to time, written either in Danish or in German, my publishers would gladly make at once a remittance, and I would have the stories translated and published in our magazine.

Permit me, Sir, respectfully to propose an arrangement as follows. If you will send me twelve new stories, each as long as "The Kaiser's New Clothes," we will make payment to you in such way as you shall direct, the sum of five hundred dollars, or half that sum for half the number of stories: but do not think we wish to bind you to this; if the stories should be longer, so much the better. It is understood that these stories shall not have been published in English beforehand.

I am instructed by my Publishers to add that they would be pleased to make some arrangement with you by which they might publish a complete edition of your Märchen, which should have your authorization and in which you should have a share of the profits.

It is personally a gratification to me to express my earnest hope that you may be pleased to entertain the above propositions. I have for a long time been a disciple of yours, if I may so say, my first venture in literature being a book of children' s stories, which sprang in part from my admiration of your writings, and I gladly took an opportunity presented to me to analyze your works in the pages of one of our Reviews. Pardon me for speaking of these things: it is only because, laying aside my professional relation, I cannot help addressing you as one to whom I owe much in my literary career.

A waiting your reply

I remain, Sir,

your humble & grateful servant

HORACE E. SCUDDER

An answer may be addressed to me, care of the Publishers Messrs Hurd and Houghton

No. 459 Broome St.

New York.

Messrs. H. & H. are the American Publishers of the New Lue Letters & Posthumous Works of Fredrika Bremer, by special contract with Mr. Quiding.

Tekst fra: Se tilknyttet bibliografipost