Brown, Marie A.–ZT 9.11.1882

Marie A. Brown till Zacharias Topelius 9.11.1882

My address is Grand Hotel, Stockholm.

Upsala, Nov. 9:th 1882.


Prof. Z. Topelius.
Dear sir.

1 What a comfort it would be to me to have a conversation with you upon the matter that touches us both so closely, but as this cannot be, I must write to you aoläsligt p.g.a. konservering/inbindningbout my last new trouble with The Surgeon’s Stories”. In my last letter to you before leaving the U. S., I told you with joy that I had at last succeeded in placing those noble works with a good, enterprizing firm that would publish them properly. For the last month I have been troubled with forebodings; Jansen, McClurg & Co’s first aoläsligt p.g.a. konservering/inbindningnnouncement of the series, of the 1:st volume, did not please me at all; they changed the title, calling it: “oläsligt p.g.a. konservering/inbindningIn the Time of Gustav Adolf” (Gustaf spelled wrong) and withheld my name entirely. Then came the letter from Mr. F. F. Browne, the professional mss.manuscripts reader for the firm, which revealed fully their wicked intentions. I send you a copy of it, that you may know the whole case. They bought out the enterprize from me, knowing fully what they purchased; they know that the 1:st vol. had been published ten years before, and that it had|| kept its place in the standard literature of America; they knew that the translation of this volume had been approved by you, its author, by Prof. Rasmus B. Anderson, by our great poet, John Greenleaf Whittier, and yet they pronounce it so bad that they cannot use it. Of course nothing but premeditated rascality can explain such conduct. I have written both to Mr. Browne and the firm, threatening them with exposure, if they publish the 1st volume, in a new translation and without my name, and demanding back my worthless (?) manuscripts. I shall publish this letter of Mr. Browne’s, together with a number of my best press notices, concerning both “The Surgeons’s Stories” and Nadeschda, to “The Literary News”, a trade journal that reaches all the publishers and booksellers in the U. S., and to all the leading newspapers. In London I have a good friend in Mr. Edmund W. Gosse, a warm admirer of yours, who told me that your “Fältskärns berättelser” were a masterpiece, and he too, shall have all the facts, which his able pen may turn to account in “The Saturday Review”.

2 I have many strong, warm friends in Sweden, largely among library people. My friends in Upsala have advised me to write to you instantly about|| this atrocius matter, which touches them very closely as wanton disrespect to one of their first authors, for the kind of translation Jansen, McClurg & Co. would bring out would be a perfect scandal. I must kill that edition. Then, with your sanction and support, I propose to have Mr. Albert Bonnier publish my translation of ”Fältskärns berättelser” in that new illustrated edition, with Larsson's designs. I would like to receive a letter from you, authorizing me fully, before I speak to Mr. Bonnier about it, for this would give me all the power needed with him. I have already had two very pleasant interviews with him, and I think this idea of publishing an English edition together with the Swedish one would strike him very favorably. I have grounds for this belief, for my proposal to have the same thing done with that large illustrated work Sveriges historia meets with enthusiastic support from all, and Dr. Montelius will propose the plan to Mr. Linström, the publisher. Dr. Montelius has spoken to one or two of the authors and he says they will all give me their support. I shall see Prof. Alin this morning. − I have received much praise in Sweden for my translation of Nadeschda, and yesterday, Mr. Annerstedt, at the Library, told|| me he would like one copy of Nadeschda for the Library and one for himself, and that he would procure me other subscribers. This flattering circumstance leads one to the thought of seeing Mr. Beijer, the publisher of Runeberg’s works, and getting him to buy my plates of Nadeschda and the 500 printed copies I have left, for I cannot circulate them at all in America, at least not yet.

3 It will be of the greatest service to me and to your works, if you will write me a letter that I can publish in England and America, authorizing my translation of “Fältskärns berättelser” and giving me full permission to publish them. And a line from you also to Mr. Bonnier, approving of the plan to have him publish an edition in English, with my translation, would also facilitate my efforts greatly there. I would send your letter at once to American edition, with the words of Prof. Anderson and Whittier, so flattering both to you and to me, to check this spurious edition of Jansen, McClurg & Co’s. To publish Swedish works, the English edition of them, in Sweden, is I believe profoundly, the only way to save them from the piracy and fraud of American publishers. I shall eagerly await your reply, so fraught with blessing to me.

Yours with warm esteem


Marie A. Brown.

4 Hyde Park,

17 Oct. 1882.

Dear Miss Brown.

5 I must ask you to pardon my non-replying to your two very kind and interesting letters from Paris and Stockholm. I have been ill and my strength has scarcely been equal to the very pressing demands of daily work. I am writing this at home, where I have been for two weeks, most of the time in bed. I am, however, better and shall get out soon.

6 “The Surgeon’s Stories” drag wearily. I often think they are doomed to misoläsligt p.g.a. konservering/inbindningfortune and sometimes regret my connection with the enterprize. After all the other difficulties, we encountered one of which I assume you I am very sorry to speak and of which you will I know be sorry to hear; and yet I must speak of it with frankness. The translation proved to be very unsatisfactory − so much so that the firm were unwilling to use the one of “Gustaf Adolf” made by you and Miss Borg, and have caused another to be made, which is being put in type as rapidly as possible. But the publication of the book will thereby be delayed until late in the Autumn; and the delay and additional expense are of course very discouraging. Whether the trouble is due to an imperfect knowledge on your part of the original, to a lack of pains, or to a want of facility in English composition, I cannot of course say; but I have so thoroughly satisfied myself of the quality of the translation of the volume referred to that its workmanship could not be at all defended with me. It is of course painful to write this, but it is best to write plainly. I do not know how the translation of the subsequent volumes compares with that of the first, but if no better, a translation de novospråk: latin of the whole series will undoubtedly be made.

7 I do not know what, if anything, was done, regarding the proposition of the London firm. I suspect, however, that there was such a feeling of disgust toward the enterprize just then, that it was allowed to go by default.

8 I am glad to know you like Stockholm, and are so pleasantly situated there. I certainly and sincerely wish for your abundant success and prosperity. I know you have great courage and enthusiasm, and these will do much; but I know also you will pardon the friendly impulse which leads me to say to you that these qualities will never overcome in the endeavor for any substantial success, the more solid requirements of scholarship and training − in a word, hard and conscientious work.

9 Gen. McClurg is absent from the city.

Very truly yours

F. F. Browne.