Dato: 25. februar 1869
Fra: Horace E. Scudder   Til: H.C. Andersen
Sprog: engelsk.

Riverside, Cambridge, Mass. 25 February 1869

Dear Mr. Andersen,

Only a day after my recent letter to you came your pleasant letter of 28th Jany, and I lose no time in replying to it, that this letter and my last may be counted as one, when you reply. Long before this you must have received the February number of the Magazine, containing "The Dryad," and I ardently hope that you will be pleased with the translation. The tale itself with its stirring movement and varied sentiment seems to me one of the most remarkable stories which have come from your pen.

I am delighted with the charming manner in which you send your greeting in "Luck may lie in a Pin" to your young American friends. Each will take it to himself and herself as a special message.

I am glad to hear of the progress you are making in the later biography. I had hoped to receive it this winter, but it may in the end be as well, since it will enable us to reserve Mit Livs Eventyr for the last of the series. The order of the list which I sent you is not necessarily the order of publication.

With regard to the style of handwriting, I would leave you quite free to consult your own convenience, although the Roman characters would make the translation perhaps a little easier here; but it really does not matter. I would however regard it as a favour if you would use the Roman character in your letters to me, as in that case I think I can read them without calling in the aid of a translator, and that would be more agreeable as well as save me some time.

The matter of republishing English books in this country is a simple one. There is no law whatever existing between the two countries which forbids the republication in America of English books, or in England of American books. Consequently an American publishing house could take any or all of your writings, published in England, reprint them in this country, and be under no legal obligation to pay either you or Mr. Bentley or Messrs. Bell & Daldy for the use. Any American publisher moreover could have all your works translated afresh and he would be under no legal obligation to you.

In the arrangements therefore existing between you and Messrs Hurd & Houghton, neither Mr. Bentley nor any English publisher has any concernThe arrangements made by you with them extend only to the English market; those made with Hurd & Houghton extend to the American market. The two markets are entirely distinct. English publishers indeed sell copies of their books in America and we shall have to contend, when publishing your works, with such rival editions as they may choose to publish and send over here. We cannot prevent them from sending the books here, but by our arrangements with you, we hope to publish such an edition as the American people will prefer to buy, and they will buy it the more readily that they know the author to have a direct pecuniary interest in it. There are several editions of your Eventyr, published by different American houses, and we shall have to compete with them, but we propose by your help to make a more perfect edition and so persuade the public to buy our edition rather than that of others.

I trust that I have put the matter in the right light. I desire to show you that in your agreement with Messrs. Hurd & Houghton you are entirely unrestricted by an y previous or existing arrangement made with English publishers. If I have left any point uncovered, I should be much obliged to you, if you would ask me specifically that there may be a clear understanding, for your publishers here respect your conscientious regard for your English publishers, and desire to take no steps which would in the least compromise you.

Since writing the above your esteemed favour of 6 February has just come in. Thank you heartily for the charming new story which comes just as I was beginning to fear lest a number would go by without a story from Andersen, and I know how many disappointed little eyes there would be. While I am writing, let me ask whether you know of any Scandinavian writer who would be ranked with Bjornstein [sic] whose Arne I have read with delight, and whether that author has himself published anything else.

I shall write again presently. Till then believe me, with true regard yours sincerely

HORACE E. SCUDDER

I ought to say that I have not been in New York for several weeks, but shall take an early opportunity to go & shall then pay my respect to GenI RaasIoff. Our printing office where my editorial labor is done is in Cambridge, 200 miles from New York.

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