Letter from F[rancis] J. Garrison to John Muir, 1909 May 14.

Creator

Francis J. Garrison

Creator

F[rancis] J. Garrison

Recipient

John Muir

Transcription

HOUGHTON MIFFLIN COMPANY4 PARK STREET BOSTONMay 14, 1909.John Muir, Esq.,Martinez, California.Dear Mr. Muir:We have heard indirectly that when you saw for the first time, the other day in San Francisco, a copy of the volume which we have recently published under the title "In American Fields and Forests", and which contains two selections from your "Our National Parks", you were surprised that we had said nothing to you about it, and we wish to explain why we did not communicate with you in advance. The book was put together very hastily in the hope of securing an order for it from one of the Western reading circles, and it was very doubtful at the time whether anything would come of it. Pending the result of our campaign in that direction, we issued a small edition through the trade, but did not look for much sale in that channel, and we thought it better, therefore, not to write you about the undertaking until we could say something at once definite and pleasing with regard to it.We are happy now to say that we have succeeded in securing the adoption by the reading circle aforesaid, and that the trade edition has also received a more friendly reception than we had anticipated, and when we render you our next semi-annual royalty account for "Our National Parks", we shall include also an accounting for the use of your two chapters in this new volume; for we have proposed from the start to pay you and the other writers from whom we have taken excerpts a proper price for the use of your and their material. This is one of those cases, which occur from time to time, where we are able to get a "by-product,”04570 HOUGHTON MIFFLIN COMPANY4 PARK STREET BOSTONJohn Muir, Esq.,(2)so to speak, from a book without in any way impairing its sale in the regular channels, and we esteem it good business alike for the authors and ourselves when we can do this.Our Mr. Ticknor has written us of his pleasant meeting with you and Mr. Burroughs in Los Angeles, and we are now waiting to hear from him how you like the suggestion of adding Mr. Chamberlain’s material as an appendix to the new edition of “Our National Parks”, as well as the date by which we may hope to receive your revision of and additions to the new edition.With warm regard, we areVery truly yours,Houghton Mifflin Company.[illegible]04570