T. E. Lawrence Correspondence – Page 287

Tor: Lieut.Robin White, R.N., B.N.S. Antelope. Am: very Plymouth, 10/VI/31. Dear Lieutenant White You will have thought me very rude for not answering your letter before, but I have been on detached- duty for months, seeing and testing some new types of motor- boats being built for the R.A.F. A hard interesting job which has entirely held up all my affairs. Consequently the Odyssey is not finished. I have done book 21, and have 3 to do. The publisher wants it as soon as possible, to produce in the late autumn or next spring. It will probably be 12 guineas, and is not yet all subscribed. 500 copies. This bad season has killed the luxury book trade, like all other luxuries: and Emery Walker Ltd. (16 Clifford's Inn Fleet Street E.C.4) will be lucky if they sell the whole edition, now. I would like to give you a copy, but get only two, and both are earmarked already. I do not know what to say about the book. It is very well but plainly printed: very little decoration: plainly bound. The translation is better than some, but worse (definitely) than Samuel Butler's. The thing does not greatly appeal to me, I'm afraid: and as an investment it is not good, the bottom having fallen out of the fine- edition market. I saw Maurice Baring, who rolled into Plymouth on his Tiger months ago. He spoke of you. A strange, joyful creature, all falling to bits, as for the last 20 years. Hownty is closing his Press, after the Thucydides, I fear. He has done such lovely work. His Quixote, his ...rnaser, his Dante, his Monte d'Andrea, his Virg.. .... dozens of them. The Italian "Revolt" was licensed, I believe. The ownership of "Revolt" passed out of my hands in 1897, and I do not follow its fortunes.