ROBERT WILLIAMS BUCHANAN (1841 - 1901)

ROBERT BUCHANAN’S LETTERS TO CHATTO & WINDUS

3. 1887 - 1892.

63. Postcard to Chatto & Windus. 22nd May, 1887.

Southend,
May 22

Dear Sirs

                   Kindly send a copy of God & the Man (3/6 edition) to M^r Alex. Grossart, Villa Cannes, 26 Elgin Terrace, Harrow Road W. & oblige

                   Yours truly
                   R. Buchanan.

Messrs. Chatto & Windus.

[Collection page no. 100.
The text is struck through with a diagonal line.
The card is postmarked ‘Southend Essex May 24 87’.

The only thing I’ve found about Alex. Grossart is the following mention in the Burns Chronicle & Club Directory (No. XIX, January 1910, p. 142) about the Liverpool Burns Club:
     “For the winter session 1909-10 a series of lectures, &c., has been arranged in conjunction with the Literary and Social Society of St. Andrews Chruch of Scotland, Rodney Street, Liverpool, viz.:—“Some Scottish Songsters before and after Burns,” by Mr. H. S. Pearson, with musical illustrations; “Robert Buchanan,” by Mr Alex. Grossart; “Edinburgh and its Monuments,” by Major R. S. Archer, V.D., with lantern illustrations; and “The Scottish Border,” by the Rev. James Hamilton, M.A., with lantern illustrations.”]

_____

64. Letter to Andrew Chatto. 6th June [1887].

59, LINCOLNS INN FIELDS, W.C.
June 6

Dear M^r Chatto,

                   Will you kindly let Bearer have 2 copies of the cheap edition of Foxglove Manor? & much oblige

                   Yours always
                   Robert Buchanan.

A. Chatto Esq.

[Collection page no. 95.
The address is printed.

The collection is rather confused at this point (this item is immediately followed by a letter from 25, Maresfield Gardens, which is obviously from some years later) so there is some doubt about the year. Chatto & Windus published a cheap, 2 shilling, edition of Foxglove Manor in March, 1886, which might indicate June 1886 as the correct date. However, the letter is presumably written on Buchanan’s solicitor’s notepaper. Buchanan was involved in two legal actions arising from the dismissal of Amy Roselle from the cast of Alone in London at the Olympic Theatre. The first, an accusation of slander, came before the courts in March, 1886 but was not resolved until a hearing on 7th June, 1887. The second, brought by Amy Roselle against Anna Conover, manager of the Olympic, for wrongful dismissal, came before the court in January, 1887. Because of the coincidence of the dates for the slander hearing, I would suggest that this letter was written in 1887. Reports of the trials are available here.]

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65. Letter to Chatto & Windus. Undated.

         City of Dream

Dear Sirs,

                   I send the finish of Book XI, left blank by Printer. He can now add it straight on the matter in pages, following it right on with the printed matter sent in sheets.—i.e. He can now give me the whole thing (as far as printed) in pages, which I will correct & return at once.

                   Truly yours
                   R. Buchanan.

Messrs Chatto & Windus.

[Collection page no. 101.
Undated and with no address, this follows the postcard (Item 62) and begins a section concerning The City of Dream, so its position is retained.]

_____

66. Letter to Chatto & Windus. 13th October [1887].

9 Gower Street
Bedford Square
                   W.C
Oct 13

Dear Sirs,

                   Your letter has reached me, & you shall have the whole remaining proofs of the City of Dream within the next few days. I will also put the frontispiece (an excellent picture by Macnab) into M^r Swan’s hands for immediate engraving.
         I have been terribly occupied with rehearsals &c. but at last the lull has come.

                   Yours truly
                   Robert Buchanan.

Messrs Chatto & Windus.

[Collection page no. 102.

The City of Dream was published with a frontispiece by Peter Macnab. ‘Mr. Swan’ is presumably Joseph Swan, who founded the Swan Engraving Company in Lambeth in 1885.
Buchanan’s mention of being “terribly occupied with rehearsals” fixes the date as 1887, since in September of that year Harriett Jay had taken on the management of the Novelty Theatre and had produced Buchanan’s The Blue Bells of Scotland on 12th September, and on 6th October there had been the first production in England of Fascination at a matinée at the Novelty Theatre.]

_____

67. Letter to Andrew Chatto. 19th October [1887].

9 Gower St
Oct 19

Dear M^r Chatto,

                   Proofs & all copy of C of D. sent herewith. If you will let me have the revises & concluding proofs at once, the work can be out within a week or so.
         Please note above address.

                   Yours always
                   Rob^t Buchanan.

A. Chatto Esq

[Collection page no. 104.]

_____

68. Letter to Andrew Chatto. 24th October [1887].

HAMLET COURT,
SOUTHEND,
ESSEX.
Oct 24

Dear M^r Chatto,

                   Are you hurrying up the printer of City of Dream? There shall be no delay on my part, if you wish to get the book out at once.

                   Yours truly
                   Robert Buchanan.

A. Chatto Esq.

[Collection page no. 105.
The address is printed.]

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69. Letter to Chatto & Windus. Undated.

HAMLET COURT,
SOUTHEND,
ESSEX.

To Messrs Chatto & Windus.
——

Waiting for revises of last sheets of City of Dream. Contents, Dedication &c. enclosed.

                   Buchanan.

[Collection page no. 106.
The address is printed.
‘Waiting’ is double-underlined.]

_____

70. Letter to Andrew Chatto. 8th January, 1888.

HAMLET COURT,
SOUTHEND,
ESSEX.
Jan. 8. 1888

Dear M^r Chatto,

                   Enclosed please find the last proofs of City of Dream. I am doubtful however if I have corrected the sheet immediately previous, beginning p. 247 & ending 252—and in any case I should like to glance at it again.

                   Always yours
                   Robert Buchanan.

A. Chatto Esq.

[Collection page no. 107.
The address is printed.
There is an open bracket on the right-hand side of the text, enclosing ‘immediately previous’ to ‘should like’, with a line running down to a comment at the bottom of the page, written in pencil, in another hand. This is rather difficult to make out, but begins ‘The author wishes folios 337 -352’ and ends ‘been returned for printer.’]

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71. Letter to Andrew Chatto. 10th March [1888].

9 Gower St
         W.C.
March 10

Dear M^r Chatto,

                   Kindly send copies of “City of Dream” as soon as possible to the following:

E. D. I. Wilson, Times Office –
Herbert Spencer, care of Williams & Norgate –
Frances Power Cobbe, ditto –
W. E. Lecky, care of Longmans –
Alfred Austin, Ashford, Kent –
– Proctor, Knowledge Office –
Hall Caine –

“Author’s Compts” in each. All will be of more or less service to the book & to

                   Yours truly
                   Robert Buchanan.

A. Chatto Esq

[Collection page no. 108.
There is a diagonal line through the text (indicating that Chatto sent the complimentary copies.).]

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72. Letter to Andrew Chatto. 10th April [1888].

Hamlet Court
Southend
Essex
April 10.

Dear M^r Chatto,

                   I shall be glad if you will send me any critiques on the City of Dream that come in your way. I have seen only the Academy & the Glasgow Herald.

                   Yours very truly
                   Robert Buchanan.

A. Chatto Esq.

[Collection page no. 109.
The address is written, not printed.]

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73. Letter to Andrew Chatto. 8th May [1888].

Hamlet Court
Southend
May 8

Dear M^r Chatto,

                   I think it would be worth your while (and certainly worth mine) to insert enclosed, in extensõ not shortened, in a special adv^t in this week’s Athenæum, Academy, Spectator &c. If you do not wish to incur the expense, & will let me know the cost, I will repay it. I should be very thankful, too, if you would separate the work in any future announcement. It looks more than odd, sandwiched between such works as Mark Twain & Mary Ann Married! Verb. sap.
         Kindly let me know if you will insert the adv^t, in order that, if you decline, I may see to it myself.

                   Yours always truly
                   Robert Buchanan.

Andrew Chatto Esq.

         I am posting the missing chapters of story.

after usual adv^t

         In returning thanks for literature at the Royal Academy Banquet, M^r Lecky the Historian spoke as follows of M^r Buchanan’s latest poem:

“

                                                                                                                                               ”

[Collection page no. 111.
‘RB 9 May’ is written, diagonally, in another hand, in the top left-hand corner.
The address is written, not printed.
‘Mary Ann Married’ is Mary Jane Married by George R. Sims.
The reference to ‘the missing chapters of story’ in the postscript is a bit of a mystery. Either it refers to a short story for one of Chatto’s magazines which I have not yet come across (or maybe was not published), or it refers to a novel. Chatto and Windus published The Heir of Linne in January, 1888, but their next Buchanan novel, Woman and the Man was not published until November, 1893. Buchanan’s next novel (after The Heir of Linne) was The Moment After, which was published by William Heinemann in September, 1890. However, a shorter version of this novel had been published as a newspaper serial in January, 1887, so this reference to ‘missing chapters’ could indicate that Chatto & Windus were considering publishing The Moment After.
The second page of the letter is the sample advert with Buchanan’s introduction followed by a cutting from The Times (as above) from the report of the Academy Banquet held at Burlington House on Saturday 5th May, 1888. The article was printed in the Monday edition of The Times (7th May - p. 12) and the full version is available here.
In Buchanan’s introduction, ‘Lecky the Historian’ and ‘Buchanan’s’ are double-underlined.]

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74. Andrew Chatto’s note regarding adverts in the press. [Undated.]

1 Col    Ath                              3 3  0         3. 3. 0
-            Spectator -                   6 6  -           4 0  0
             Chronicle                     2                 3 0. 0
3          Standard -                   6  6               4. 0. 0
             D. News -                   3                 3 0  0
3          Telegraph                    6                 13. 10. 0
1          Guardian                     3 -

                                           _______________________
                                               29. 9

Mr Buchanan will send new copy for these extra advts for which he will contribute an additional 10£.

[Collection page no. 222.
This occurs in the ’unassigned’ section of the collection, and despite the absence of evidence, I thought it might as well be placed here, given Buchanan’s offer to pay for extra adverts in the previous letter.]

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75. Letter to Andrew Chatto. 14th May [1888].

9 Gower Street
         W.C.
May 14.

Dear M^r Chatto,

                   On referring to our agreement for the purchase of my poetical works, I find that it is somewhat informal, and does not cover a considerable portion of the writings inserted in the cheap edition, while it certainly does cover certain works which were not embraced in the 3 vol edition of the poems. It also seems to surrender unconditionally the copyright, with no mention of time.
         I have long been anxious to have the poetical portion of my works in my own hands, and as you yourself have assured me that you have found the books unprofitable, there will possibly be no difficulty in meeting me in the matter. As affairs stand, my later poems, as well as portions of the cheap edition, are in my own hands; and I should like to arrange with you for the recovery of the rest. This of course is not a commercial speculation of mine, but simply a wish to have absolute control over writings which are dear to me quite apart from their pecuniary value; and I shall take it as a great obligation if you will discuss the matter in order to meet my views without delay. If you will humour me in this affair, I will use every effort to serve your interest in all future writings non-poetical & more profitable to a publisher. Your hands are too full, & your interests too wide, to make it worth your while to utilize these poems with any hope of satisfactory results to the individual author. I, on my part, believe that I can do more with them, to the benefit of my reputation, than has yet been done.
         You have now had the works for a number of years, & present some of them to the public in very incomplete form as originally published. Pray understand that I am not complaining of what you have done; I suppose no Publisher would care to do more, having the interests of a great firm to study. But I think books of such slender commercial value would be better in my own hands, & I hope you will endeavour to satisfy my whim as I suggest.
         I am coming to Town & will do myself the pleasure of calling upon you.

                   Truly yours
                   Robert Buchanan.

Andrew Chatto Esq.

[Collection page no. 112 and 113.]

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76. Letter to Andrew Chatto. 7th December [1888].

9 Gower St
W.C.
Dec. 7.

Dear Chatto,

                   Yours received. I am just going to Southend, but I will see you on Monday at long last.
         I should like if possible to make an arrangement covering these transactions & that proposal of mine respecting the poems. As the am^t could be somewhat “large” I would not perhaps pay the whole sum. Pray, but you could have a substantial deposit, & have security on the payment of remainder within say 12 mos. However I can make all this clear to you when we meet. I feel sure that as my sole object is the advancement of my wish sequestration, be its in the suppression if —— —— work. In the possession of my poetical copyrights, you will meet me in every way you can. In the long run we should be the finer by the carrying out of my views.
         Perhaps too, by Monday, you will kindly have a sum made of how we stand re The Earthquake & City of Dream, both publ^d on a royalty upon —— per copy & we can then adjust the whole balance between us.

                   Yours ever
                   Robert Buchanan.

A. Chatto Esq

         I should have seen you as arranged, but my time has been occupied —— to-night with rehearsals.

[Collection page no. 114.
This is by far the worst copy in the whole collection, in fact the second page has part of another letter attached to indicate (I presume) the poor quality of the original. Annoyingly it is not one of those ‘dog ate my homework’ notes, but relates to Buchanan’s plan to buy back his copyrights from Chatto & Windus. The date is clearly December 7th, which, since he is suggesting the method of payment in the final contract of October 1889, would confirm the year as 1888.  This, in turn, confirms the date of the first letter on the subject (No. 68) as 14th May, 1888, and reinforces the idea that Buchanan embarked on the scheme following Lecky’s remarks about The City of Dream. The question remains why it then took eighteen months for Buchanan and Chatto to reach a final agreement (and even then Buchanan seems to have delayed signing it until a year later, at the end of November, 1890). I would suggest it was just delayed because of Buchanan’s dramatic interests of the time. The rehearsals referred to in the postscript were presumably for That Doctor Cupid, which was Buchanan’s third success in a row at the Vaudeville Theatre (opening on 17th January, 1889), and he was also writing plays (adapted from French originals) for Beerbohm-Tree at the Haymarket during this period.

Of the letter itself, the first dubious phrase, ‘at long last’, is a wild guess, but is not really important. The next awkward section, with the gaps, occurs at the end of the first page and borders on gibberish, but it’s the best I can do. The final gap in the postscript is the result of a library stamp obscuring a word in the letter, so not my fault. All I can do is apologise for the imperfect transcription of this letter. If I ever see the original I may be able to improve it, if not, I will have another go when those computers they use on C.S.I. come on the market.]

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77. Letter to Andrew Chatto. 13th February [1889].

‘Leyland’
Arkwright Road
Hampstead
         N.W.
Feb. 13

Dear M^r Chatto,

                   I propose to call upon you to-morrow rê the business of my books & to make you a definite offer.

                   Truly yours
                   Robert Buchanan.

A. Chatto Esq.

[Collection page no. 212.
I had no idea about the year of this letter (there is another with this address, to James Cotton, editor of The Academy, in the National Library of Scotland collection, which also has an incomplete date - 23rd April) until I came across the biography of the actor, Richard Mansfield, which contains two letters from Buchanan, the second of which is from this address and is dated 27th March, 1889. I also discovered though her entry in the D. N. B., that ‘“Leyland”, Arkwright Road, Hampstead’, belonged to the writer, Mona Caird. According to the D. N. B.:
“On 19 December 1877 she married James Alexander Caird (d. 1921), son of Sir James Caird, at Christ Church, Paddington, London. The couple resided at Leyland, Arkwright Road, Hampstead, London, for the remainder of their forty-four-year marriage.”
An item in The Globe of 2nd February, 1889 provides the following information:
“Mr. Buchanan has taken a rather pretty house for the season in Arkwright’s-road, Fitzjohn’s-avenue, Hampstead; but his home is Hamlet Court, Southend-on-Sea, the house in which Sir Edwin Arnold once lived.]

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78. Telegram to Andrew Chatto. 1889.

— Chatto Chatto & Windus
         Piccy

Will call tomorrow to complete

Buchanan Southend

[Collection page no. 115.
The edges of the telegram are damaged so only the year remains on the date stamp. Likewise, ‘Chatto’ is repeated, so presumably it was addressed to Andrew Chatto. It could have been sent anytime during the year, so I thought it might as well be placed here, retaining its original position in the collection.]

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79. Memorandum from Chatto & Windus. 19th September, 1889.

Memorandum

From Chatto & Windus,
         Publishers,
         214 PICCADILLY, W.
         London,
         19/9/89

Copyright Stereos
& stock of Poems                               350

Earthquake & City of Dream
Stereos & mlds of the type of ——       50

R Dene                                               120

Ptg do                                                 28

Bal of a/c                                             19
                                                       _____
                                                           567

Int
Stock in hand of
Earthquake & City of Dream

150 each
150 in 30 days
133.10.0 @ 6 mos
133.10.0 @ 9 –

[Collection page no. 116.
Printed letterhead.
Written, presumably by Andrew Chatto, in a ‘rough note’ style.
Brackets combine lines 1 and 2, 3 and 4, 9 and 10, and 11 to 14.]

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80. Letter to Andrew Chatto. 20th September [1889].

17 Cavendish Place
                   W.
Sept 20

Dear Chatto,

                   My solicitor did not turn up last night, but he will be here—ie. in Town—at midday & I have left instructions for him to draw up the agree^nt in accordance with our mutual understanding. In the meantime, will you kindly have drawn out a formal schedule of the books, stereos & stock, exactly as they stand now to be appended to the agreement. You may consider the affair over, & we will complete finally on my return to Town on Monday.

                   Yours truly
                   Robert Buchanan.

A. Chatto Esq.

[Collection page no. 117.
‘have’ inserted between ‘you kindly’ and ‘drawn out’.
‘formal’ inserted between ‘out a’ and ‘schedule’.]

_____

81. Letter to Andrew Chatto. 24th September [1889].

17 Cavendish Place
                   W.
Sept 24.

Dear Chatto,

                   I failed to get a settlement of certain accounts to-day, & so had to disappoint you. It is, however, only a matter of hours—only I cant press my debtors in formâ pauperis. The money is waiting for me, however.

                   Yours truly
                   Rob^t Buchanan.

A. Chatto Esq.

[Collection page no. 118.]

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82. List of Buchanan’s works held by Chatto & Windus. Undated.

28     clo.    Ballads of Life Love & Humour with frontispiece by Arthur Hughes
                                                                             The Stereotype plates & front.
 –      qrs

8      clo.     Undertones    no stereos.
         qrs

2      clo.     London Poems    no stereos.
         qrs

 –     clo      The Book of Orm     no stereos.
         qrs.

 –     clo      White Rose & Red     no stereos.

7      clo.       Idylls & Legends of Inverburn     Stereos

45     clo       Selected Poems by Robt. Buchanan with front by Dalzeil     Stereos & front.

308  clo.       A Poets SketchBook

 –                   Saint Abe     Stereos & frontispiece

 –                   Collected Poems 3 vol ed. as. 8⁰⁰     Moulds of this type & Engraved fronts
                                       30 clo of vols 2 & 3, 25 qrs vol 2, 78 qrs vol 3.

79.    clo         Complete Poetical Works one vol. Ed.     stereos
714. qrs

                       The Earthquake    moulds of the type
353  qrs

                       The City of Dream     moulds of the type
––   qrs.

[Collection page no. 120.
This is a list of Buchanan’s works, with current stock, presumably written by Andrew Chatto. Partly written in pencil, with several corrections, which I have not listed.

I presume ‘clo’ (cloth) refers to books which have been bound and are ready for sale, whereas ‘qrs’ (quires) are the number of unbound copies of printed sheets.]

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83. Page from Chatto & Windus’s Trade Catalogue with notes. Undated.

[Collection page no. 122.
The notes are again, presumably, written by Andrew Chatto.
The reverse of this page has no written notes and therefore is not reproduced.]

_____

84. List of Buchanan’s works held by Chatto & Windus. [October, 1889].

Cloth                    Quires
   5                           –                     Ballads of Life           Stereos           Cowan Perth
   –                           –                     Undertones              Stereos            Bradbury
   –                           –                     London Poems          Stereos           Ballantyne
   –                           –                     Book of Orm           None
   –                           –                     White Rose              None
   –                           –                     Idylls Legends          Stereos          Bradbury
  33                       304                  Selected Poems         Stereos           Butler & Tanner
   –                           –                     Poets Sketch Book   Stereos
17 v2. 42 v3 25 v2. 75 v3              Collected Poems. 3 v Ed. Stereos    Spottiswoode’s
  95                       508                  Buchanan. Complete   Stereos         Spottiswoode
115                        353                   Earthquake                Moulds           Ballantyne
  67                       108                  City of Dream            Stereos          Strangeways
                                                       St Abe                        Stereos           Virtue
                             354                  Master Spirits (Mr. Buchanan’s)
                                                       Rachael Dene              copyright
                                                       Composition of do.
                                                       Balance of a/c £19.                           £567.

[Collection page no. 123.
Another list of Buchanan’s books, this one is more formally laid out, with no corrections.
‘Oct/—/89’ written at the top of the page in pencil.
A long bracket runs down the right-hand side of the ‘Stereos’ column, combining the items to the total of ‘£567’.]

_____

85. Memorandum of Agreement between Buchanan and Chatto & Windus. October, 1889.

Memorandum of Agreement made this day of October 1889 between Robert Buchanan Esq^re. on the one part and Messrs Chatto & Windus on the other part
         In consideration of the Sum of Five Hundred and Sixty Seven Pounds (£567) payable by M^r Robert Buchanan to Messrs Chatto & Windus as under viz: £100 paid October 4^th /89. £50 to be paid at the signing of this agreement, £150 at thirty days, and the balance £267 in two bills of £133-10- —each at six and nine months date. Messrs Chatto & Windus when the above named bills are paid will assign to M^r Robert Buchanan all their right and interest in the copyrights, stereos, and stock according to the schedule annexed:

The right to use the standing type of Rachel Dene to be forthwith transferred to M^r Robert Buchanan who shall be at liberty to publish it immediately, but the copyrights, stereotypes and stock of the other works named in the schedule to be retained by Messrs. Chatto & Windus until the bills named above have been paid.
         Messrs. Chatto & Windus to account in the meantime to M^r Buchanan for all copies sold by them of the books in the schedule at half the publishing price.

[Collection page no. 124.
In the list of books there is a bracket running from ‘Ballads of Life, Love & Humour’ to ‘Complete Poetical Works’ connecting them to the £350 amount. ‘Earthquake’ and ‘City of Dream’ are similarly bracketed together for the £50 amount.
I believe this is a copy of the final agreement between Chatto & Windus and Buchanan for the sale of his ‘Poetical Copyrights’. Unlike the other lists of works, this has been prepared as a legal document, with handwriting to match. However it is not signed, or properly dated, and there are signs that the document has been altered over time, but rather than treat these as corrections in the normal manner, I thought it best to leave the original document as it was, and list the alterations below:
There is a faint line running through ‘October 1889’, presumably because Buchanan did not accept the agreement until the end of November of the following year, and sent a cheque for the first payment, postdated to 7th December, 1890.
‘/89’ appears to have been added after ‘October 4^th’ judging by the handwriting.
And ‘thirty’ has been crossed through and ‘ninety’ is written (very faintly) above, which would explain why Chatto & Windus asked for the payment of £150 at the beginning of March, 1891.]

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86. Letter to Andrew Chatto. 9th October [1889].

17 Cavendish Place
Cavendish Square
                   W
Oct 9

Dear M^r Chatto,

                   Could you send me up the draft of agreement by hand early tomorrow? I could read it quietly, & then come down & conclude in the afternoon.

                   Yours truly
                   Robert Buchanan.

A. Chatto Esq.

[Collection page no. 126.
‘Sent 10 —’ is written, in another hand, on the left-hand side, under the text of the letter.]

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87. Letter to Andrew Chatto. 13th November, 1890.

MERKLAND,
25, MARESFIELD GARDENS,
SOUTH HAMPSTEAD.
Nov. 13. 1890

My dear Chatto,

                   Besant the foe of all Publishers says they are subject to ‘aberrations’—hence possibly your note of this morning. I paid you £100 cash on Oct 4, 1889, to buy back Rachel Dene, & there was an addendum that I should buy back the poems &c. Owing to the rush of work, I have not gone further, but I must respectfully & politely inform you that Rachel Dene is not yours to publish, as you have had back from me the princely purchase money, or at least £100 of it– I much mistake your character if you really want to ‘rush’ me on a matter of this sort, knowing as you well do that I dont want to reprint Rachel Dene at all.
         With regard to the whole arrangement as previously mapped out, I should very much like to complete it as soon as possible—and I will call upon you with that view early next week.

                   Yours truly
                   Robert Buchanan.

Messrs Chatto & Windus.

[Collection page no. 127 and 128.
‘RB 17 Nov.’ is written, diagonally, in another hand, in the top left-hand corner.
The address is printed (top centre of the page).
‘back’ inserted between ‘have had’ and ‘from me’.]

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88. Letter to Andrew Chatto. 29th November, 1890.

MERKLAND,
25, MARESFIELD GARDENS,
SOUTH HAMPSTEAD.
Nov. 29.

Dear Chatto,

                   I have dated enclosed cheque the 7^th prox, as my own ac/ for the next few days will be overdrawn, & Miss Jay wont pay in certain monies till the end of this week. I suppose this will suit you. Enclosed also are the Bills & the Agreement.

                   Yours truly
                   Rob^t Buchanan.

A. Chatto Esq.

[Collection page no. 129.
Printed letterhead.
’rec^d 1/12/90’ is written, diagonally, in another hand, in the top left-hand corner. Beneath this is another note (both presumably written by Chatto) which is not as clear, but could be ‘Encl Chq of 4’ referring to the Agreement of October 1889 (Item 83) which specified a payment of £50 on signing the agreement, then three payments to follow.]

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89. Letter to Andrew Chatto. 15th February [1891].

TELEPHONE N^o 7442.

MERKLAND,
25, MARESFIELD GARDENS,
SOUTH HAMPSTEAD.
Feb. 15.

Dear M^r Chatto,

                   This is to introduce to you M^r W. Cairns Jones, who wishes you to read a novel which he has written. He is a very able man, the son of the late Lloyd Jones, of whom you have of course heard. I shall take it as a personal favour if you will assist his views in any way possible.

                   Truly yours
                   Robert Buchanan.

Andrew Chatto Esq.

[Collection page no. 96 and 98.
Printed letterhead. The telephone number is printed diagonally in the top left-hand corner. The address is printed on the right-hand side.
’RB Feb 22’ is written, diagonally, in another hand, in the top left-hand corner. Also, underneath the telephone number, ‘11838’.

This letter occurs much earlier in the collection and is obviously misfiled. Buchanan moved to Maresfield Gardens in November, 1889 and the second version of the letterheaded notepaper, with the telephone number, was used from 1891 to 1893. Therefore, this letter could also be from 1892 or 1893, but, until more information is available, I thought it might as well be placed here.
Lloyd Jones was a friend of Buchanan’s father, and a fellow missionary for Robert Owen. In Chapter 2 of the Jay biography, Buchanan recalls that he was a constant visitor to their house in Norwood (prior to their move to Glasgow) and writes:
“I owe Lloyd Jones this debt, that he first taught me to love old songs and homespun English poetry. He was a large- hearted, genial man, not to be forgotten in any chronicle of the Socialistic cause.”

Presumably enclosed with Buchanan’s letter was William Cairns Jones’ card (Collection page no. 98), which just bears his name.]

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90. Reader’s Report on Across The Meadows by William Cairns Jones. Undated.

Across the Meadows.

Serially published in a county newspaper. Mr. Rob^t Buchanan introduces the author & says he is a very able man, the son of the late Lloyd-Jones. A very tedious work.

Retd. We return our best thanks for the favour of the perusal of the slips of your story entitled “Across the Meadows” kindly recommended to our notice by our friend Mr Robert Buchanan. We regret to say however that in view of the large number of new books which we have already in hand, and of the overcrowded state of the book market, we doubt our ability to secure a remunerative sale for the novel, and here we are therefore reluctantly compelled to forego the opportunity of making a proposal for the publication of it. We return the copy herewith again thanking you for the sight of it.

[Collection page no. 99.
‘The author’ crossed out before ‘Mr. Rob^t Buchanan’.]

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91. Letter to Andrew Chatto. 2nd March [1891].

TELEPHONE N^o 7442.

MERKLAND,
25, MARESFIELD GARDENS,
SOUTH HAMPSTEAD.
March 2.

Dear Chatto,

                   A sudden whirlwind of demands prevented me meeting the £150, which I thought was due some weeks later. I will, however, see to it without delay—unless you are agreeable to place it to the credit of the Outcast’s first 1000 copies. I find the book will cost me far more than I expected, & what with sums to artists, engravers &c. I am much out of pocket– Suppose you made me a clear deal for the 1^st edition, delivered complete into your hands? The book is now ready, & all the pictures completed save one—a head by Rudolf Blind (and a very fine one) of the Hero, to serve as frontispiece. At the rate of half price per copy, the nett price being 8/-, the am^t for the 1000 would be £200, but there would of course be a certain number out of that of review-copies & odd numbers in dozens.
         I will call and ascertain your views—meantime I send you this for reflection.

                   Truly yours
                   Robert Buchanan.

Andrew Chatto Esq.

[On reverse of second page, written by Andrew Chatto.]

Mar. 5.

Agreed with Mr. Buchanan that he should send £50 tomorrow on a/c of his bill for £150 and that upon receipt of 1000 copies of the Outcast we should advance offer on account of the sales of that work ie £100 to liquidate the balance of the bill which should then be cancelled. “The Outcast” is to be published by us at 8/- and we are to account to Mr. Buchanan for copies sold at 4/- each 13 copies as 12. We will advertise it in our lists & announcements in the customary manner.

                   A. C.

[Collection page no. 130 and 131.
’Rec RB Mar’ is written, diagonally, in another hand, in the top left-hand corner (the day obscured by an ink blot).
Printed letterhead.
On the reverse of the second page Andrew Chatto has written a rough version of the agreement regarding The Outcast, a more formal version of which is given in the next item.

This letter suggests that Buchanan was intending to become his own publisher with The Outcast. His financial position at this time is, as usual, rather confusing. The English Rose, written in collaboration with G. R. Sims, had opened at the Adelphi on 2nd August 1890 and was a great success - Buchanan cashing in his share of the rights for £2500. However, earlier that year, Buchanan had produced The Bride of Love at the Lyric and it had been a costly failure, losing £5000. Two more plays, The Struggle for Life and The Sixth Commandment had also failed in the autumn of 1890, and he had also taken Lillie Langtry to court over Lady Gladys (Buchanan claiming £2000 damages and being awarded £150). Buchanan might also have been living beyond his means at Maresfield Gardens (the 1891 census lists three servants: a housemaid, a cook and a coachman) and although his partnership with G. R. Sims was successful at the Adelphi, Sims had also introduced Buchanan to the racetrack (in the accounts of Buchanan’s bankruptcy, his gambling losses were given as £1200).

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92. Memorandum from Chatto & Windus. 9th March, 1891.

Copy.

Memorandum

From Chatto & Windus,                                                                          To
         Publishers,                                                                                    Robert Buchanan Esq.
         214 PICCADILLY, W.
         London,
         Mar 9 1891

Dear Sir,

                   We agree to hold over your bill for £150 due March 1^st last, you paying us a cheque for £50 on account and sending us an edition of 1000 copies of your new poem ‘The Outcast’, which we shall publish at 8/- and account to you for all copies sold at 4/- per copy 13 as 12. We will on receipt of the copies of ‘The Outcast’ advance in discharge of this bill £100 on account of sales of the ‘Outcast’.

                   Chatto & Windus

[Collection page no. 132.
Printed letterhead. ‘Copy’ written above.]

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93. Letter to Chatto & Windus. 14th March, 1892.

TELEPHONE N^o 7442.

MERKLAND,
25, MARESFIELD GARDENS,
SOUTH HAMPSTEAD.
March 14. 1892

Dear Sirs,

                   Ill call on you rê your letter tomorrow or Wednesday–
         With reference to your ac/ rê Outcast, are you unaware of the fact that you undertook to purchase 1000 copies of that book at 4/ a copy? & that there was no question whatever of sale or return? Your M^r Chatto at the time remarked “O we shant run much risk of getting rid of the 1000 copies”–
         There is only one poem in the Buchanan Ballads which was included in your original purchase of copyrights. The rest appeared in Ballads of Life & Humour, for which you paid nothing, but which was added voluntarily by me to the Collected Edition. I think under the circumstances you are somewhat ungenerous in talking ab^t infringement of copyright in so small a degree.

                   Yours truly
                   Robert Buchanan.

Messrs. Chatto & Windus.

[Collection page no. 134 and 135.
Printed letterhead.
‘were’ crossed out at start of the second page of the letter before ‘appeared in Ballads’.

The Buchanan Ballads Old and New, was published in March 1892 by John Haddon and Company, with a heading on the title page which read: “Buchanan’s Poems For The People. 1”. As well as containing new work, several poems had been published by Chatto & Windus in Selected Poems, Ballads of Life, Love and Humour and the 1884 collected edition of The Poetical Works. The poem which Buchanan refers to as being included in the original purchase of copyrights is probably ‘Tom Dunstan’, which was originally published in London Poems.]

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94. Draft letter from Chatto & Windus. 18th March, 1892.

18^th Mar 92

Sir

                   We have the pleasure of enclosing all the outstanding acceptances you gave us in respect of your purchase of the copyrights &c of your poems according to our agreement with you of 28 Nov 1890 which acceptances are now fully discharged and accordingly the copyrights a/c specified in the schedule in that agreement we now assign to you. We also enclose account of the sales to date of the stock in hand transferred to you together with one cheque for the balance £5 16/3 due to you in respect to the sales. I will leave 115 copies of the Outcast in our hands to be returned to you or accounted for when sold as you may prefer. We also send you orders on the printers for the transfer to you of the stereos and moulds, and we shall be glad to secure your instructions as to the delivery of the Stock

[Collection page no. 136.
This is a very rough draft of a letter, presumably written by Andrew Chatto, with many minor corrections, which I have not listed.

Since the draft is dated, and comes a few days after Buchanan’s letter of 14th March complaining of Chatto & Windus’ accusation of copyright infringement regarding The Buchanan Ballads Old and New, the implication is that Buchanan decided to pay the remainder of what he owed and finally bring to a close the process of buying back the copyrights of his poetical works, which had begun four years earlier, in the letter of 14th May, 1888. Buchanan’s finances at this point would have been boosted by the success of his second Adelphi drama written with G. R. Sims, The Trumpet Call.]

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95. Telegram to Chatto & Windus. 17th December, 1892.

Chatto & Windus
         Piccadilly London

Complete proofs shall reach printer first post Monday Buchanan

[Collection page no. 138.
Presumably the proofs referred to are those of The Wandering Jew, which was published in January, 1893.]

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The Chatto & Windus Letters - continued

4. 1893 - 1894.

Robert Buchanan’s Letters to Chatto & Windus - contents