Crockett 's first correspondence with T.Fisher Unwin, who was to publish the first five of his works, dates from December 31st 1892. It is a short note in regard to the MS that will become The Stickit Minister and reads: Dear Mr Unwin, I hope to send you the MS in about a week or ten days complete I shall try a few more titles ‘The Ministers of our Countryside’ did good serial service and is widely known but I think we might do better. Thanks for good wishes. There followed another 9 letters in January and February, with the two men first meeting in person on January 26th 1893. The back and forth is mostly about plans for publication of 'The Stickit Minister', but they are also discussing other possible projects. On February 28th Crockett introduces the possibility of a serial story he has already had published in magazine form 'The Galloway Herd'. Unwin never took up this option, and a couple of years later it was pirated and published in America - without Crockett's knowledge and against his wishes. The following letter reveals Crockett working hard to gain acceptance as a novelist, beyond the stories that would be 'The Stickit Minister'. In the event, The Raiders would be his first published novel (by TFU) - a work which had not been previously serialised. Feb 28th 1893 My Dear Mr Unwin, Your delightful note came in just now and set me to thinking. You are open for a Pseudonym. Well, I think I could advantageously cut ‘The Galloway Herd’ to the size of ‘A New England Cactus’ (1)or a little more. I see my way to straighten out the plot, leave out the Introductory Chapters (which make a story by themselves) leave out the French part and generally make more idyllic and less melodramatic. (2) I send ‘The Herd’ with an indication of what chapters could be left out. Wylie will tell you that it lifted the circulation of the Leader some thousands in a few weeks and that more than a thousand dropped the week it stopped. I need not tell you Dr Nicoll’s opinion of it. You are quite as able to judge as he. I could improve greatly as I went along, and if you say the word I would leave other work and deliver MS currently week by week. I would need to go over each chapter. If you think the idea would do, I am game to go ahead. I would start with chapter IV which is a London Chapter.(3) I have the main article in the Bookman this month ‘The Apprenticeship of Robert Louis Stevenson’ (4) It may interest you to see it. When you return the Herd (in any case whether you want it now or not) you might send the spare sketches.(5) Take a look at the ‘Sweetheart Travellers’ sketches. They will make a book some day, with some illustrations. (6) I am going to send Mrs Fisher Unwin a portrait of my sweetheart aged 4 ½ . We have great journeys together – and are planning more this summer.(7) Alas, there is almost a snow block outside, and our mails etc have to go by horse (mailbags across saddle) as in the Olden time when things were so jolly –uncomfortable. 8 With kind regards Ever truly yours SRC (Footnotes) 1 A New England Cactus and other stories by Frank Pope Humphreys, published 1892 by TFU. 2 Crockett still trying to turn A Galloway Herd into a suitable novel. The conflict between ‘realism’ and ‘melodrama’ is obviously being played out. 3 SRC tenaciously showing that others have faith in the basic story. 4 SRC wrote several articles about contemporaries for Bookman – as they did for him. 5 Giving TFU the choice – accept or reject 6 Sweetheart Travellers was indeed published as a book (by Wells, Gardner, Darton and Co) in 1896. 7 These are journeys in the Glenkens, undertaken during Crockett’s holiday there in July/August 1893. 8 Interesting personal detail regarding the post (which from the amount of letters that went back and forth and the speed with which they were answered shows that the late 19th century could teach the early 21st century a thing or two – but that weather always plays an impact on post.) The joke about the ‘Olden days’ is vintage SRC and once again shows he never takes himself too seriously. |
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