Letter to R.K. Greville, LL.D. in reply to Professor Balfour / by John Joseph Griffin.

Date:
1851
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Letter to R.K. Greville, LL.D. in reply to Professor Balfour / by John Joseph Griffin. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh. The original may be consulted at the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh.

    11/14 (page 13)
    unless the book, Avhicli avus to be the exponent ol' my own views, and the guide to my class in their botanical studies, was entirely in my power, witli full liberty to revise and re-edit it wdienever I might think proper to do so. And as I had most unexpectedly found a difficulty in retaining that liberty in regard to my Manual ol’ Botany, I determined to have nothing more to do with it, or its publisher, but to prepare a new text-book for myself.” The pith of this excuse lies in the last clause, that the publishers of the Manual unexpectedly made it difficult for the author to revise and re-edit it whenever he thought proper to do so. This statement is not true. I defy the Professor to prove it. On the contrary, I repeatedly offered to him the fullest power over his work. PROPOSALS MADE TO PROFESSOR BALFOUR. 1849, March Qth.—“ You shall retain the right to make corrections on the work every time it is reprinted. You agree to bring up every edition of the Text-Book to the state of science at the time of its publication, and to Avrite, or use in teaching, no other Text-Book.” 1849, April 23f?.—“ I am ready to enter into any fair and reasonable arrangements which shall secure to you a proper control over the contents of future editions of the work, and I am willing to pay you a fair sum for your labour in revising such editions. If you desire any thing else that I can agree to in reason, I shall be glad to meet your wishes. Whatever you may have to propose, I shall consider, in, I trust, a fair and liberal spirit, but I will not sacrifice the property as you propose.” 1849, June 21th.—[In a letter of proposals, respecting future editions, I offered to guarantee to him the power to con'ect all future editions; with the conditions, that he should undertake to keep the Avork in accordance with the progress of the science, and that I should pi-int no copies Avithout subjection to these regulations.] 1850, June 21th.—“ I have already offered you the complete control. Literary and Scientific, of your Manual. You can, Avhenever it is reprinted, make it Avhat you Avish it to be. What more do you desire? Is it money? I offered you a sum for the correcting. I said £50. Y’oix demurred. I ask what sum you seek ? ” 1850, November loth.—“ I beg to offer you one hundred pounds to correct a second edition for us, and promise moreover to pay you handsomely for future editions, and in every way to attend to your suggestions respecting the getting up, cuts, <fc.'' Letter from Mr. Charles Griffin, to Professor Balfour. These facts sIioav that the excuse he gives for breaking his promise does not accord Avith the facts. As to the Second Edition, he admits that I made him the offers specified in my printed letter, page 7, and that he refused them. He informs you, page 9, that the offer of April 6th, 1850, Avas “ Trammelled Avith the condition, that Mr. Griffin should be entitled to bring out the Avork in the Encyclopaedia Metropolitana, with no restriction upon the number oj copies to he so published. To such an aiTangement it Avas of course impossible that I should consent, as the publication of a second edition of such unlimited extent., Avould have destroyed all likelihood of a third edition being ever called for, and would haA-e effectuallj’- debarred me from preparing a third edition, if the interests of science, or the puqAoses of my class, required it, without taking off the piAblishers’ hands Avhat- ever copies of the second edition, and of the Encyclopaedia, might remain unsold.” I must check Professor Balfour’s statement on this subject, by producing the original offer. Mr. Griffin to Mr. Bayley. “ London, April (Sth, 1850.—Sir, I beg to acknoAvledge the receipt of your favom* of 26th March. “ In replying to your proposals, I must set out with the intimation, that what I say is to be considered without prejudice to the existing rights of Griffin & Co., and that if my suggestions lead to no agreement, no use is to be made of this letter in other proceedings. I cannot agree to j^our propositions as they stand; but I Avill propose others that I think more reasonable, and Avhich Avill grant, perhaps, all you Avant. “ 1. Tliat Dr. Balfour shall correct the Manual of Botany for a Second Edition when required.