Ladywood
Sept 5 1902
Friday

Dear Miss Franklin

I have had a telegram from Mr Robertson saying that he cannot come on Saturday, having to get to his home at Blackheath. No good could be done with him on Saturday morning, and on serious thought, it is best after all - you have waited so long that I think it would be madness not to hold out a month or so longer. There is a lot hanging on it. It would, from a business mans point of view be bad policy and a sign of weakness to change publishers (Pinker told me that in my case) and it would be a big come-down from a leading Lond British publisher to an Australian one - no matter how big the latter. Then again, A & R have had losses on other books, and we don't want to suffer for these (my books have had to pay in a way for the failure of Dysons & others) The English houses have the money to risk. Best send book off at once to Pinker. I remember he asked me several times if I thought you'd right another book. Read his letters again and judge whether they are discouraging or simply the business letters of an Englishman who knows little of the impulsive Australian. (He burst out once and said to me : "You people think I am made of stone! - you don't know") Anyway, if he does doubt, the Australian returns of the sale of your book - which will be home before your new book can reach him - will fix his mind. Did you fancy, for a minute that, in any case, he would not send the book out and do his best to place it?

You don't know, in the business part of our trade, how easy it is to take a step down in the ladder and how hard it is to regain the rung.

You may have a hard time for a little