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This text has been superseded by a newly published text
MTPDocEd
To William Dean Howells
27 June 1877 • Elmira, N.Y. (MS: NN-BGC, UCCL 02510)
(SUPERSEDED)
My Dear Howells:

If you should not like the first 2 chapters, send them to me & begin with Chap. 3—or Part 3, I believe you call these things in the magazine. I have finished No. 4, which closes the series, & will mail it tomorrow if I think of it. I like this one, I liked the preceding one (already mailed to you some time ago) but I had my doubts about 1 & 2. Do not hesitate to squelch them, even with derision & insult.

To-day I am deep in a comedy which I began this morning—principal character, that old detective—I dr skeletoned the first act & wrote the second, to-day; & am dog-tired, now. Fifty-four closed emendation pages of MS in 7 hours. Once I wrote 55 pages at a sitting—that was on the opening third chapters of the gi Gilded Age novel. Whenemendation I cool down, an hour from now, I shall go to zero, I judge.

When does Barrett open in your piece in N. Y (or Boston). I calculate to be there.

Ys Ever
Mark.
Textual Commentary
Previous Publication:

MTL , 1:296–97; MTHL , 1:184.

Provenance:

See Howells Letters in Description of Provenance.

Emendations and Textual Notes
  closed  •  ‘d’ partly formed
  novel. When •  novel. | When