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43.
Even before the war the usual fate of a volume of fiction by a new writer was hardly better than that of "Dubliners". Many quite reasonable novels with more of the essential stuff of popularity in them have sold less well than 379 copies. And "Dubliners" is not a novel. Collections of short stories are always handicapped. And there was the war.
The 120 copies that you bought are included in the number shown as sold.
I will see if there is any amount owing by you and if there is I will enclose a note of it; but do not, if there is anything owing, send it, because on the next statement, which will include the matter of the "Smart Set" stories, there will be some small balance due to you which can be set off.
Do not, in any case, I beg you, describe the position as "disastrous". It is not encouraging, but the position of very few books is encouraging just now.
I note that you have appointed Mr. Pinker your literary agent; and I have already returned the end of the novel to "The Egoist". Sincerely yours,
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