Your favor of Dec. 31 has overtaken me.

I assuredly have no quarrel against you for selling at any price you please any book of mine which you have “bought & paid for.” My quarrel is that you advertise for sale at a low price, a book of mine which you have not bought, & do not possess.

Such an advertisement necessarily works me injury. It puts a prohibitory obstruction in the path of my canvassers.

You reproach me with giving you no notice of this suit. With more fairness I might reproach you for offering at public sale, at reduced rates, a book of mine which you did not possess, without first giving me notice that you had it in mind to do me this serious damage.

Of course what an agent or canvasser told you as to my date of publication was of no value, as evidence, & you were quite well aware of that, at the time. You could have applied at headquarters & got the truth, without difficulty or delay.

I am far away, & this matter is in the hands of my legal advisers, Messrs. Alexander & Green, of New York, & so I am obliged to refer you to them.

Messrs. Estes & Lauriat,

Boston