T. E. Lawrence Correspondence – Page 210

To: Dr. C. H. Doughty. 14, Barton Street, Westminster, 23. 8. 22. Dear Mr. Doughty, I did write to you too soon. The group last night sent me a final offer of only 2400. There is a precedent for this figure in the case of another living poet: and that has outweighed my arguments for 2500. If I could have used the argument that you really needed the money they would have given the five: it is the price paid for a vice. In your I'm very sorry for the false expectation. In your yesterday's letter you hope they are not your friends. I have seen five of them. One says he once met you, but he can advance no details, and – I think – objects himself. The others form only your work. They are an informal group, like the Amis du Louvre, and admiring e.g. the ... of the Dynasts, a long poem by Hardy, for the museum. The principle each assume responsibility for is taxation of the price. Perhaps they pay it themselves, perhaps they ask friends to help them. Anyway they do not tell, and I'm not supposed to mention even their names. The objects are put in the Museum labelled "From a body of snherers". I do not think you need fear their making appeals to anyone not very able to pay. Of course the transaction is not possible to class commercially. The Manuscript is unique, and made rarer by the destruction of most of your others. It is merely that little as you will sell it for: as much as anyone will give: only in this case you preferred the British Museum as the repository, and that limited the competition. The offer made is as set of 2400. one cannot as you look on it. They estimate that the eventual popular reputation of your poetry will be what their expert opinion now thinks it. Work merely good does not always prevail, and no one of earth can say what your manuscripts will be worth