Dato: 15. maj 1868
Fra: Anne S Bushby   Til: H.C. Andersen
Sprog: engelsk.

Southend, Essex, 15 May, 1868.

Dear Mr. Andersen,

I am very sorry to be under the necessity of troubling you again, but before Fru Jerichau's arrival in London, and consequently before I heard that you preferred publishing translations of your works in America, I had offered the translation of some of your Eventyr to more than one London Publisher. Of these, ane declined taking them on account of their forming too small a volume to ensure a good sale; the other declined unless I could guarantee that no other translation of the same tales would come out, which, af course, it was impossible for me to do.

I wished my translation to be published, and especially to prevent the Semi-German translators from palming an the English public their garbled versions af your tales; therefore, to enlarge the book, I added some of your charming little poems, which I think so beautiful.

Among them are "The Storm" (one af the finest descriptions af a storm at Sea ever written), "The dying child", "The blind Mother", "The Bride of Rørvig church", "The soldier", "The san af the Desert", "The Elf-King's Bride", etc. etc.

Your poems are not at all known in England - and I thought they would add to the value of the book. l am accustomed to translating verse; having translated many poems from the Danish, French, and Italian, also some from the Spanish, I had much pleasure in doing yours. I sent the MSS for a volume of prose tales and poems to Messrs. Sampson Low, San & Marsten, very respectable publishers, and have only this morning received a note from them, in which they say -

"If you can get Mr. Andersen to stamp the volume with his Authority by writing a preface especially for it, we would venture an the publication of the work as a speculation, giving you half profits, should any arise. We will retain the MSS until we hear further from you."

If you can kindly write a few lines by way af a preface, however short, to prefix to the volume, I should be much obliged to you; and I should be happy to hand over to you the half profits, mentioned by Messrs. Sampson Low, should any arise.

If you are so good as to write a short preface (Fortale), will you kindly write it in the Roman character, as I am not accustomed to read the Danish written character.

I am in the country for a few days, and am then going with my daughter to Switzedand for 2 months; will you therefore address your answer to this letter to -

Mrs. Bushby, Care of J. W. Bushby, Esq.,

St. Peter's Chambers,

St. Peter's Alley, Cornhill, London,

then it will be forwarded to my wherever I am.

With best regard, I am, dear Mr. Andersen,

Yours sincerely,

A. S. Bushby.

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