|
T. E. Lawrence to C. M. Doughty
C. 0. [Colonial
Office]
18. 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 Mecca!
However, he is strong, and if I go up to Taif it will probably be in one
of his cars: 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 I've withdrawn my note because it's in bad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
excellently, 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 really
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
monument, and it wouldn't be manners to call yourself that), and I don't
see why the public should want to know at all.
If I were you I'd
change the photograph for the reproduction of the French sketch of you
in Damascus, and let it go out without new work at all!
Though of course if
you feel inclined to say anything it's worth saying: only don't say it
just because Cape wants it!
There'll be a fourth
edition in 1922, I expect. Please get an increased royalty every time.
A.D. should be a little gold mine, eventually.
Yours sincerely
T E Lawrence
|
