T. E. Lawrence Correspondence – Page 203

To: Dr. G. M. Doughty, G. G. 10. VI. 21. Dear Mr. Doughty, Many thanks for signing those books: Aubrey Herbert asks me to thank you specially for his copies. Autographed A.D's. by you are found rather thrilling things by people. The Middle East is all upset: and Hussein is, as you suspect, not popular in Syria: However, he is strong, and if I go up to Tair it will probably be in one of his Derby and they are too quick for the hand of the ordinary fanatic. We are going to give him some armoured cars, which will make the roads quite safe for the pilgrims. They are much better than camel-police. About the 3rd Edition of Arabia. I've withdrawn my note because it's an bad taste. Lee Warner faced the gamble of the reprint more readily because my name was on the title-page, with yours, and I've been much advertised, and so would help sell it -- perhaps. Well, it sold excel- lently, and now A.D. will go on selling. Lee Warner and Cape have both done better than they ever hoped out of the 2nd Edition: and they can stand on their own feet quite well for the 3rd, which will cost them very little, and pay them handsomely. I hope it will be profitable to you also. The cheaper edition must come some time, but not just yet, in deference to those who have made it possible by paying for the dear edition. I think perhaps in 1925, or thereabouts. If you write a new preface for this third edition, (I see no real need for writing anything new at all), I think it should only be something formal. It isn't possible for you to say why I withdraw my bit, ("he felt he had acted like a tourist, and scribbled his name on a monument" ...... but you are the monuments, and it wouldn't be manners to call yourself that), and I don't see why the public should want to know at all.