T. E. Lawrence Correspondence – Page 192

To: Dr. D. M. Doughty. All Souls College, Oxford. October 4. 1920. Dear Mr. Doughty, I'm very glad that Arabia Deserta is being pushed so fast. It will be a great thing to have it on the market once more, though I regret the price, which seems terribly high. It is good that you should look over the proofs: the first edition had singularly few misprints, and it will be a pity if the second falls below it in accuracy. Your preface will add very much to the understanding of the book, and I look forward to reading it. I wish I could say the same about my miserable effort. They asked me for 5000 words, and I managed it at last: but it was as difficult a thing as I have tackled, and the whole affair is in shocking taste. Of course "Arabia Deserta" cannot be prefaced by anyone but the author. The Medici people were interested only in their American sales, in which my name will be useful, for I have had better advertisements there than you have had : but the people who like "Arabia" will, I am sure, think a blemish, and will be annoyed with me for writing it, and with you for letting me write it ! However time will cure all these things: and I'll make sure that my note appears only in the second edition ! Yours sincerely, T. E. Lawrence. If possible I will come down to Eastbourne and see you at the end of next term. October and November are very busy months for me. L.