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Correspondence from The Mandrake Press to Fernando Pessoa
October 7th. 1930.
Fernando Pessoa, Esq. Lisbon, Portugal.
Dear Mr. Pessoa:
I am obliged for your letter of Oct 2nd. As far as Mr. Crowley is concerned, kindly send a few copies of the "Notícias Illustrado". I was not aware of any plan of Mr. Crowley's regarding his disappearance. In fact, the first I heard of it was in the British Press. No doubt you know that Mr. Crowley is a remarkable jester and is always attempting some startling joke. I have not yet received all the details but as far as the Mandrake Press itself is concerned, it cannot participate in any stunt that is likely to reflect upon its reputation for serious business. You will quite understand this, I am sure. I am looking forward to the set of your poems which I have not as yet arrived. Directly they do I shall write you again fully about the prospects of issue over here.
In the meantime, would you be so good as to let me know whether any of the suggestions I made in my letter to you of the 28th. September interested you? Since that letter, I learn that we have the world rights, except Germany, for Dr. Adler's [Alfred Adler] great book. The profits on this alone will probably total somewhere in the neighbourhood of £6,000 at least to the Mandrake Press. It may be very much more.
The demand for our shares is very keen, and I am holding 1,500 £1 Preference Shares until I hear from you. In my letter of the 18th. September, I think I suggested £2,000, but I am afraid that in view of the developments recently, it will be impossible to hold more than 1,500 £1 Shares. If you are likely to be interested in these, I shall be very grateful if you would send a cable as soon as you can after receiving this letter.
Before Mr. Crowley left, did he write a Preface to your poems? If he did not, and it happens that we may not be able to get him to do it in time for publication, would you be satisfied if we got some eminent English critic to write a Preface? Needless to say, as Chairman of the Mandrake Press I am in touch with a great number of authors and all the critics, and can arrange to have a preface written by one whose name would ensure a wide interest in your work quite apart from the merits, which I am sure it has of its own.
My compliments.
Yours sincerely
MANDRAKE PRESS LTD.
Per R. Thynne [Major Robert Thynne] Chairman.
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