University of Virginia Library

2. Letter from W. W. Greg to W. Bang [16]

I take the opportunity of being on a visit +[17] away from work to reply to your letter of just a month ago. You will I believe have had a letter from A. W. Pollard to whom I showed yours, + who was I believe the original inventor of our scheme. I mention this to show that I am only acting as one of a committee, but at the same time I do not in any way wish to shirk responsibility in connection with the affair, especially as upon me will most likely devolve the main task of running the Society.

Now I want you to believe that [that canceled] it is not from any motive of personal consequence, or any desire for [illegible word] recognition, that I am embarking on this enterprise. I should not expect + I should not desire any more prominent mention in connection with the Materialien. The organization + the responsibility of that undertaking rest with you + it is only right that you should receive whatever Kudos attaches to it. Nor should I desire any special arrangements to be made as to remuneration. I shall not get any money out of the proposed society, so you will see that your kind offer of special terms cannot influence my decision.

You seem by the way to have got a slightly inaccurate idea, no doubt through my want of clearness, as to the scope + objects of the new Society. It is not proposed to start a society for the purpose of editing some 15 plays, as you seem to think--parturiunt montes nascitur +c!--but [next word interlined above canceled with] in the hope of producing some ten plays a year, + I look forward to its continuing for ten years at least.

Well, I suppose the question does resolve itself into a national one au fond. I quite agree that England is well represented on your covers + I rejoice to think that English scholars should have given their support to so deserving an undertaking. It would be desastrous if we were to refuse co-operation because work was initiated + organized by foreign enthusiasts. The fact that you value my support as you say you do--though I am afraid you greatly over-rate its value--should show that I do not approach the question in a narrow spirit. While the work of English scholarship is left to foreigners they will have my whole hearted support, but that does not prevent my holding that the work ought to be done by us Englishmen ourselves, as an English affair--I dont [sic] of course mean a monopoly--+ that the importance of [a canceled] waking English men up to a sense of their responsibilities in the matter is such as to outweigh all minor considerations. Now, we have our prejudices over here, some well founded, others not, but all held pretty strongly, + this fact is one which has to be recognised + reconed [sic] with. And I am sorry to say that a foreign series of monographs on English literature will not wake up Englishmen to a sense of the situation.

Of course I quite understand the annoyance you must feel on the subject of the maison à coté + I really sympathize with you + regret the annoyance deeply. You have also I think special reason to be angry with me. I originally met your schemes with mistrust + it was largely, though not entirely, through working for you that I became converted to your methods of facsimile reprint--+now I propose to take a leaf out of your book! It is hard, I admit. I can only repeat that the importance of the end seems to me to outweigh all personal considerations, + beg you to think as well of me as you can.

I have not yet touched on the question of the practical effect that the Materialien + our Society may have on one another because I think that the decision must be taken on other grounds. It is possible that our scheme may injure you--if so I shall regret it, but I shall not cease to think that we are right in starting. But are you not inclined to take too gloomy a view? Are you sure there is not room for both? On the whole there will I think be little cause to come into conflict--at least for the present--+I am sure that it will always be the desire of the Society to avoid doing so. I am sure too that we should be only too glad if we could in some way recognize the good work you have been doing [ampersand and next six words interlined] + the lead you have given us + help [in and illegible letters canceled] to the best of our ability in the success of your [scheme canceled] undertaking. That the two must however remain distinct is I fear unavoidable. Now obviously the extent to which we can assist you will depend largely upon the manner in which you are prepared to meet us. What are our relations to be? I am sure that we are all most anxious that a friendly spirit should prevail in our relations. How about you? for I quite realize that you have an excuse for feeling agrieved which we obviously could not have.

For my own part I should be very sorry to close my connection with the Materialien + I hope that no such action may be necessary. I shall hope in time to achieve all the work that has been put down to my name (except the B.J. Which I had already shirked going on with). On the other hand I shall no doubt be less free to devote time to it than hitherto. In view of this I shall be quite willing to become an ordinary subscriber to the series--instead of receiving the publications free as an assistant editor or co-operator, + also if it is likely to make relations in any way easier I shall be quite willing to forgo the half profits.

I do not myself see why the two [next word uncertain] houses should not work harmoniously side by side--+ prosper.

We meet to found the Society on July 30--so if you have any practical points to raise, let me have them before that. I hear that Frank Sidgwick may be seeing you + talking over matters--so I have sent him your letter.