MS British Library Add MSS 54920: 21-221
My dear Mr Macmillan,
I suppose the Trial ought to be stereotyped that it may stand on the same footing with the other books. In all the former cases I have been at the whole expense of printing, paper, binding &c, and have thus had all the profits, except the commission on the sales – I think the arrangement with regard to the Trial was that I was to receive £200 for 2,000 copies; I conclude therefore that the £68 would be separately my purchase of the stereotype plates – It makes a considerable diminution of the profits of the first edition, but it is certainly a necessary one and I agree to the arrangement.
I am glad you decided against illustrations for the Little Duke. Mrs Blackburn’s were not very successful, though she had been so kind about them that I should hardly have liked to put out others by a different hand without first giving her the option. Those to the Lances of Lynwood are much better, but she is never really at home without animals as her subject.
I think I prefer Golden Deeds to noble deeds, but that may be only because I have thought of the incidents by the former title, and besides it is a little more uncommon and vague – which last is a gain in a miscellaneous sort of collection, and gives a certain sense of freedom in gathering them. I have a delightful letter about them from Mrs Macmillan which I am going to answer at once.
There are some grand incidents in the Indian Mutiny such as Lieutenant Willoughby’s destruction of the powder at Delhi, Dr Hay remaining with the sick at Benares, and a young officer’s escape carrying a little girl of 3 years old.2 But I never saw them but in the Times, and I suppose the only chance of getting the sight of them again would be in some library when I am in London again.
Yours faithfully
C. M. Yonge
There are two chapters of the Trial still to come