WCP1589

Letter (WCP1589.1368)

[1]1

5, Henrietta Street,

Covent Garden,

London, W. C.

January 2nd, 1910

D[octo]r. Alfred Russel Wallace,

Old Orchard, Broadstone,

Wimborne,

Dorset.

Dear D[octo]r Wallace:

Enclosed herewith are the agreements for "THE WORLD OF LIFE". Moffat Yard & Company insisted on following their usual custom with works of this sort and dividing up the payments by intervals of thirty days. We objected to this without avail, and as they finally agreed to pay an additional sum of $250. if the work sells over 2500 copies, it seemed best to let the matter rest, as the payments will come along as rapidly, and as no one else was willing to rise to this price. I trust, therefore, that you will be pleased to retain the copy of the agreement signed by Moffat Yard & Company, and to sign and return to me the other copy.

Yours very truly, with best wishes for the New Year, and congratulations on the success of the book in England, | Curtis Brown [signature]

2 enc[losures].

1
Letter head also reads: "Curtis Brown, Hughes Massie, Curtis Brown & Massie, Literary & Dramatic Business, London and New York" and " Telephone 1350 Central, Telegrams and Cables "Bromasite, London"., Codes, Western Union and Anglo-American"

Editorial information

Status: Draft transcription [Letter (WCP1589.1368)]

For more information about the transcriptions and metadata, see https://wallaceletters.myspecies.info/content/epsilon

Revision history

Transcribed by Bevan, Deniz [2015-03-03] Transcription checked by Benny, Ruth [2015-03-03] Transcription checked by Sherwood, Danni [2020-08-10]

Enclosure (WCP1589.1429)

[1]

MEMORANDUM OF AGREEMENT made this twentieth day of December 1910 between Alfred Russell1 Wallace of London, England (hereinafter termed the Author) of the one part and MOFFAT YARD AND COMPANY, of 31 East 17th Street, New York City, U. S. A. (hereinafter termed the Publishers) of the other part.

WHEREBY it is mutually agreed as follows:

1. The Publishers shall at their own expense and risk and with due diligence produce and publish in suitable volume form in the United States of America2, the work at present entitled:

"THE WORLD OF LIFE"

by the Author and shall use their best endeavors to sell the same.

2. The publishers shall publish a first edition of the said work on a date within six months of the date of this agreement, by arrangement with the Author.

3. The Author will hold the Publishers harmless from any action against the Publishers for libel or for infringement of copyright arising from the contents of the said work.

4. The Publishers agree to copyright the said work in the Author's name.

5. The Publishers agree to make payments as follows:

  • The sum of Two Hundred and Fifty Dollars ($250.) on the day of first publication of the said work.
  • The sum of Two Hundred and Fifty Dollars ($250.) thirty (30) days after first publication of the said work.
  • The sum of Two Hundred and Fifty Dollars ($250.) sixty (60) days after first publication of the said work.
  • The sum of Two Hundred and Fifty Dollars ($250.) ninety (90) days after first publication of the said work.
  • Should the said work sell over Twenty Five Hundred (2500) copies a further sum of Two Hundred and Fifty Dollars ($250.). This sum to be paid within one month of the date when the twenty five hundredth copy is sold.

6. The Author shall receive six presentation copies of the said work upon publication and shall be entitled to purchase further copies at a price not to exceed the lowest wholesale price.

7. If the Publishers shall give notice to the Author that in their opinion the demand for the work has practically ceased, or if the Publishers shall for six months after the work is out of print decline, or within six months after due notice, neglect to publish a new edition, then in either of such cases this agreement shall terminate and on the termination of this agreement in the above or any other manner, all rights under this agreement shall revert to the Author, and the Author shall be entitled to purchase from the Publishers forthwith the plates, moulds and engravings (if any) produced especially for the work at a fair valuation not to exceed half the cost of production and if the Author does not within three months of the said termination purchase and pay for the said plates or moulds, engravings and copies, the Publishers may at any time thereafter dispose of such plates or moulds, engravings and copies as they see fit.

8. All dums due under this agreement shall be paid to the Author's representatives Curtis Brown & Massie, of London and New York, and the receipt of the American Manager of the said Curtis Brown & Massie [2] 3 shall be a full and sufficient receipt of such obligation and the said Curtis Brown &c Massie are hereby empowered by the Author to conduct all negotiations with the Publishers in respect of the said work.

Moffat Yard & Company4

per J.H. Coit [signature]

L. K. Ross [signature]

1
The initials A.R.W. appear above the first line of the agreement to show that Wallace had deleted the second letter 'l' from Russell.
2
A hand written text "and shall have the exclusive right so to publish" was added to the left of the book title. The initials and date "J.H.C. Dec. 20, '10" appeared on the left margin next to this text.
3
Text on the right hand margin after the signatures and written vertically "Agreement for American Edition of "The world of Life""
4
Handwritten text.

Editorial information

Status: Draft transcription [Enclosure (WCP1589.1429)]

For more information about the transcriptions and metadata, see https://wallaceletters.myspecies.info/content/epsilon

Revision history

Transcribed by Lo, Yen-Nyuk [2019-12-17]

Please cite as “WCP1589,” in Beccaloni, G. W. (ed.), Ɛpsilon: The Alfred Russel Wallace Collection accessed on 30 April 2024, https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/wallace/letters/WCP1589