Manuscript in the Red Box
Publisher’s Note
The author may, perhaps, ask why the publisher did not wait longer for him to reveal himself. The reason was that it appeared that the interest aroused in this foundling romance, through the author’s modesty or carelessness, would be best maintained by publication while the incidents were still fresh in the minds of the public. The publisher holds that what is the author’s interest is also his.
With regard to the business side of this transaction, the publisher will try to meet the author’s demands in a spirit of fairness ; but, should there be any dispute arise, he, for his part, will be quite willing to leave the decision with the President of the Society of Authors, Mr. George Meredith, and the President of the Publishers’ Association, Mr. Charles James Longman, the prince of English publishers.
For the author’s protection, some slight changes have been made in the MS., in no way. however, affecting the story, but of sufficient importance to prevent any false claim from being successfully advanced. The author’s interests have been further safeguarded by ” The MS. in a Red Box ” being copyrighted and published in the United States of America. The work has been seen through the press by Mr. Richard Upton, of Jesus College, Cambridge.
Apart from the interest the publisher has had in reading the book, he has to thank the author for relieving the tedium of ordinary publishing,
and, in addition, for providing him with the unique experience of dedicating a book to its unknown author.
The Bodlev Head
July, 1903
Link to PDF Download to this book based in the area during Vermuyden’s drainage.
http://www.archive.org/details/msinaredbox00hamigoog
I am in possession of a 1st Ed. copy which has a letter from the author describing his influences. The letter is signed, addressed and dated. Considering the lack of information about the author, I am wondering if you would be interested in digital images of the same. The story of this book’s publishing and its mysterious author made it a bestseller in the early 1900’s and I believe an interesting article should be made. I can send photos of the book to anyone contacting me at me email.
Hi Roger, Apologies I have only just seen your comment. Yes it would be interesting to see the letter. Thank you.
Roger,
I was very interested to see your post on Crowle Community Forum re. John Hamilton and The MS in a Red Box.
We have two first edition copies ex-Lib. from Lincolnshire Libraries, one is a scruffy re-bound lending copy, but the other is a VG reference copy with some fascinating correspondence between Hamilton and A.R.Corns (Librarian, Lincoln City Library) in 1904. Corns seemingly gave Hamilton some advice for which Hamilton was most grateful and the association of the correspondence with the first edition implies that Corns knew that Hamilton was the author in 1904.
I’m writing a paper for the Society for Lincolnshire History & Archaeology (SLHA) quarterly magazine, Lincolnshire Past and Present and would be very grateful to see your First Edition copy and the letter ?
Regards
Richard Croft
SLHA
Fantastic read – couldnt put it down