Lond. the 13th[24 n. s.] Augt [1751]
Dear Sir,
Your Letter found me in the Country, & as I cou'd not give a proper answer to your Enquirys without going to Town, I thought I might as well put off my acknowledgements til I could procure some information therupon.
The Person I applied to is of some eminence in his profession & frequently concern'd in publications, but I have not been conversant enough in this way of business to be acquainted With the best methods & fitest Persons for such a transaction, but I pitch'd upon this Person from an acquaintance I contracted with Him, by lodging two years in his house upon my last return from Turkey. His name is Robert Dodesley.
He told me that He did not think it would be proper for Him to make proposals to You, but that He would sel your book at such price as You might fix, & take a reasonable allowance for his trouble. He said He could not give any opinion as to the price as You have not given any rule to judge by, as to the Volume or other circumstances upon which this must depend.
He advises your not publishing your Work at Berlin or elsewhere til You send it hither, because there will be immediately pirated Editions of it both here & in Holland, which will prejudice The sale of yours. He would likewise have a litle Page printed for those to be sent hither in which may be express'd in the proper manner, as if it was printed here for Robert Dodesley in Pal Mal.
He proposes having your work translated here & which cannot be avoided as soon as it gets abroad; but by having it first & by the property which will appear in Him from the title page He wou'd have printed, He says He shall have some advantage in point of time & his brethren of the trade will be kept in some bounds with regard to a new Edition, til at least your Parcel may be dispos'd of. I know not what to say as to the number which it may be adviseable to send, a good deal will depend upon the price. What comes from You will be much sought after, but when a certain sum is in question People will have recours to many shifts.
I know You had a good deal of trouble with Printers & Booksellers when You printed your Henriade here. I wou'd if I could, skreen You against any inconveniences of that sort in your present transaction; but as I have no practice in this sort of commerce, I shall be glad of all the instruction You can give me, of which I shall make The best use, for I am very desirious You should reap all the advantages in their fullest extent from those labors from which the World will receive so much pleasure.
I was extremely glad to hear from You, all the fruit of my Enquirys after You was to know where you was. I don't enquire what engaged You to seek a new Country under another sun, & that not a better, at an Age when Ease & quiet must stand for pleasure & happyness. Had you gone to Lisbon, Naples or Madrid, a better Sun would at once [have] answer'd for the change. I hope your metaphorical Sun shines warmly upon You; I thought some time since I should have been placed within the influence of his Beams, for I was first named for that Mission which had afterward place in Mr Legg. How the change hapned I don't know, nor ever inquir'd. I was quite passive, & as my Master first inform'd me of the King's pleasure, I left my Interests implicitly with Him. I don't know how it came into their heads to think of sending so plain a Man to so refin'd a Prince; as I had chosen the Party of obedience, I used sometimes, during the deliberation, to laugh with myself at the contrast, but when I was told of the alteration of this purpose I will own to You I was pleas'd not a little.
As You work, I hope You enjoy some share of health. I continue the same You always knew me tho the advances of old age will not be quite kept back. I am, as you say, a happy Father & a happy husband. I have a son of 3 1/2 years & a daughter two years Younger, both healthy & strong, without any blemish in their Persons, or the appearance of defects in their minds or tempers. With all this, & wherewith to procure the conveniences of life, I advance to my end without envying Power or Wealth, & if in my way I can now & then find an occasion of procuring any good of softning an evil to those I meet with in it, I make use of it with Pleasure. I wish I had one by which I could give you a real proof that I am truly Dear Sir,
Your most faithful & obedt humble servant
Everard Fawkener