[[1]]
[[MS 2750/351/6]]
William Plomer Esq
21 May, 1925
Dear Mr Plomer,
Mr Brace, a partner in the firm of Harcourt, Brace, & Co which is one of the best firms of American Publishers is over in London. We told him that we thought very highly of your MS [Manuscript] and asked him to read it with a view to his firm possibly publishing an American edition. He came to see me yesterday after reading the book. He said that, if we publish it here, his frim [sic] will publish it in America, and will pay a royalty to you of 10% up to 3000 with 15% after 3000 and an advance of £25. I said that, as far as we were concerned, we would agree to this, but that we had not yet received the agreement actually signed by you.
Mr Brace said with regard to the MS that he enjoyed it very much up to the speech of Friston which he thought much too long. As a matter of fact both my wife and I had independently thought the same. We think that you rather spoil the effect of your book by "preaching" the moral at too great length which really comes through, and should be allowed to come through, in the remainder of the book.
The fact that three people independently have felt this emboldens me to return this part of the MS to you and to suggest that you should either alter or cut out this speech. I hope that you do not mind my doing this.
Yours sincerely | Leonard Woolf [signature]