Brown, Marie A.–ZT 14.2.1883

Marie A. Brown till Zacharias Topelius 14.2.1883

Grand Hotel. Stockholm, Feb. 14th / 83.

Prof. Topelius.
Dear sir.

1 Here in the sixth week of mother’s intense suffering, your letter reached me. I opened it eagerly, expecting good news, and good news would be new life to her now, for she is still very ill – but it was not good news, and it made her worse. The audacity of those scoundrels, to dare to send you that book and ask for your authorization! And Prof. Anderson has played me false, too, for he wrote to me just before I left Chicago, promising to do everything for the success of my translation of “Fältskärn”. He has reviewed my translations for years and wrote that one in the “Nation” about “Nadeschda”. The only way in which I will deal with Jansen, McClurg & Co., is with the strong arm of the law. I herewith enclose a coläsligt p.g.a. konservering/inbindningopy of the sworn statement of my entire transaction with them, in order that you may have all the details. This statement I have sent to over 50 newspapers in the U. S., including all the literary reviews and magazines.|| I gave my oath, in the legal way, before our American consul here, Col. Elfwing, who affixed his full official name and seal to the statement. As I made the copies with a hektograph, I was able to send a facsimile of his handwriting to every editor. I will fight this thing out to the bitter end! My complaint against them, is, that I sold them the enterprize on the express condition that they should print my translation and put the my name on every title page. Mr. Schovelin, the Dane I mention, was to read all the proof. I strongly suspect that he is the concealed, anonymous translator (of the one third). He has never appeared before the public, but desires to, and here is a good opportunity for him to make his debut with my stolen goods, especially if the author authorizes his work. I would rather be hung than have my name appear on the same title-page with his, or with any nameless, piratical translator. My experience with Selma Borg has cured me of any desire for a partnership of that kind. – I do not feel that the criticism of the English lady is a just one. By the “bad language”, “vulgar terms”, “strange expressions”, she probably refers to|| what Larsson, or some of the other boys say. This is rather too much in the spirit of a Swedish (very orthodox) paper in the U. S., “Skaffaren”, which said that all Miss Brown had done for Swedish literature in America was, that she “låtit Amerikanaren veta, att vi äfven i Sverige och Finland hafva författare, som kunna svärja bra,” meaning Runeberg and Topelius. When the lady critic alleges that there are “errors and misunderstandings in comparison with the original”, she makes a charge that has never been made against any of my translations before, and for which I demand proof. I have always had the credit of keeping very close to the original. As for the book, I have translated every word and line of it, Miss Borg not a syllable. All she ever did was to give me a very crude translation, in pencil, of “Guld och Namn” och and “Börd och Bildning” by Fru Schwartz. Every other book I did myself. The reason I left out the poems in the 1st vol. was that the publisher, Carleton, was in such great hurry for the book; I translated the whole of it, and it was published, in less than six weeks. At the end of it I was quite ill. Carleton proved a thorough scoundrel, and I have|| never received a dollar for the book, for before I had time to receive any money from Porter & Coates Selma Borg put a stop to the whole thing for me, and has lied about me ever since. – Upon receipt of your letter to-day, I went at once to Mr. Bonnier, and had a long, good talk with him. I placed the 1st vol. in his hands to read, for I found it in the Kongl. biblioteket. By the way Dr. Wieselgren writes me this: “Your translation of the Baltic is in all I can judge of first rate and very much better than the former one, that could not only conserve the metre of the original. His majesty the author, would certainly be very glad to see his Östersjön in your English form and I should wish you would show it to him. “– I have sent the poem to the king, through kindness of Lieutenant Sundström and Prince Oscar. Today I met Lieutenant Sundström again, and told him of my proposed trip to London on behalf of Sveriges historia, “Fänrik Ståls sägner” and “Fältskärns berättelseroläsligt p.g.a. konservering/inbindning”. He was cordially interested and thought, if anything, “Fältskärn” would be the greatest success of the three.oläsligt p.g.a. konservering/inbindning Mr. Beijer has consented to undertake “Fänrik Stål”, if I can find an English publisher, and Prof. Malmström is delighted with the idea. Mr. Beijer will have the|| illustrations ready for me on the 1st of March.

2 Mr. Bonnier, also, is pleased with the thought of my going to London, and will have the illustrations of “Fältskärn” ready for me. He quite agreed with me to-day that to have an illustrated, authorized edition for England and America, in my translation would settle the matter, as far as Jansen, McClurg & Co. are concerned. All I ask for success, the only favor or support from your hands, and this is but simple justice to me, is your letter of authorization and the opportunity of placing the illustrated edition before the public in England and America. Should I fail to take “Fältskärn” with me to London, and only have the other two works, I should be obliged to state the reason, for all my friends know that I have intended to work for all three works. I should be sorry to have to say that you had given me your promise to authorize my translation, and then withdrawn it, leaving me in the worst trouble of my whole literary career. It would indeed be the most cruel injustice to me that could well be done me, and what a return for my long labors in behalf of your works! The second|| will forever stand that I introduced you, as an author, in America. Surely if I were a careless and incompetent critic, the desire would not have been expressed by so many persons in Sweden, that I should translate “Fänrik Ståls sägner”, acknowledged to be the most difficult work in the language to translate well. And do you suppose Prof. Malmström would be willing to have his superb illustrations accompanyoläsligt p.g.a. konservering/inbindning an inferior translation? What a shame that I should have to defend myself thus to you! It is the last time I shall write on the subject, for now, if you do not send me the letter of authorization, if you would be willing to subject me to all the trouble and wrong that such a course of action on your past would subject me to, I have nothing to say, and I will simply drop “Fältskärns berättelser” altogether. They say this is always the way in life, the pioneer, the inventor is always the sufferer, the victim of the world’s supreme injustice, but the one who steals his work or his thought, prospers.

3 Hoping, however, that you will not inflict this upon me, I remain

Yours very truly


Marie A. Brown.

4 Now I shall write, and have published at once, my autobiography, a full, graphic account of my literary work in the U. S.