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1306
I am sorry to say our difficulties with printers are not over as I had thought. We began to go into details with Messrs. Richard Clay & Sons as to paper, type & so on, & then after a fortnight's delay they announced that they could not print the book without deletions. A third firm refused for the same reasons, & a fourth has been considering the matter all this week & I am not altogether hopeful of a favourable reply. Meanwhile time is getting on. A clerk at Oakley House whose services we are able to make use of in this matter of publishing & who, curiously enough, was previously in the employment of Messrs. Maunsel & Co. & remembers well the disputes over your book Dubliners, tells me that any book that is coming out in the spring should be out by April 1st. I am afraid we can hardly hope for this now, for no doubt you will want to see proofs (when at last we succeed in securing a printer) shall you not?[1] Perhaps you would also let me know whether you have any preference as to colour of binding. Shall it be like Dubliners or would you prefer a different colour?[2]
Mr. Pound suggests that I try & induce some American firm (he has given me three likely names) to take from us a number of unbound copies & be responsible for publication in America, & I will do this as soon as we have found a printer.
I have not seen the agreement that Mr. Pinker was to draw up.[3] This matter is also in abeyance until such time as a printer is forthcoming. | With kind regards | Yours sincerely
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