No, I shall not do or willingly say anything to interrupt our friendly relations. I am sorry I made that remark, since it hurts you; but it was not new matter—it had been conveyed, before, through Webster. And I said to Webster distinctly, “I will not have ill blood with Osgood, nor any but honest speech, plain but without bitterness—State my case, but make no demand—leave that the rest to Osgood & me.”

In Boston I could not bring myself to talk. It was a festive occasion, & not a proper time to discuss the failure of a book which could not have failed if you had listened to me.

I am peculiarly situated. The Prince & Pauper & the Mississippi are the only books of mine which have ever failed. The first failure was not unbearable—but this second one is so nearly so that it is not a calming subject for me to talk upon. I am out $50,000 on this last book—that is to say, the sale which should have been 80,000 (seeing that the Canadians were for the first time out of competition,) is only 30,000.

NowⒶemendation I did not want to say anything which could not be said through Webster, because I did not want to run the risk of saying or writing one word which might mar the pleasant relations existing between you & me. I have never for a moment doubted that you did the very best you knew how—it is impossible to doubt that—but there were things about the publishing of my books which you did not understand. You understand them now, but it is I who have paid the costs of the apprenticeship.

Damn that remark in that letter the other day, I did not want to make any remark. But it was based upon the fact—& it is unquestionably a fact—that the publisher who sells less than 50,000 copies of a book for me has merely injured me, he has not benefitted me. Legally one pays the saneⒶemendation rate for an injury as for a benefit, but not morally. In the beginni[n]g, you may have contemplated the possibility of a sale which should fall short of 50,000; but I had had no experience of that kind & h never once thought of it. I could not have engaged to pay any royalty at all on 30,000, at all, & would not have engaged to pay much on 50,000 if the sale stopped at that.

If it is necessary that we talk together, & if it seems to you best, we will do it; but let us not write about it—for writings do not successfully interpret the feeling of the writer. My remark seemed sharp & unfri[e]ndly to you—consequently it lied, as to my feeling. Your reply closes sharp & bitter to me. It may have sounded a false note. If you will stop over here, any night, we will talk; & if bitter things are to be said, I will do my best to see that only you say them, & not I.