Ials

Ials Peoria. Nov. 12^th 1884.

My Dear Spooner,

I am contemplating publishing a book; and as I know you have had more or less experience in that line, I write you for information as to the modus operandi.

It will be a volume of Essays, containing such papers as there:

Is him to be the Last Inhabitant?

Lecture on Voltaire.

The “Unkowable” of Herbert Spencer

History as a Scienece.

Pope as a Philosopher

The poems of Bret Harte.

A legend of Pensacola.

And a few others– most of them rather radical. The volume with be of ordinary size, and contain , say, from 200 to 300 pages. Would you publish by subscription? Or get out the book yourself, trusting to Providence & purchases to get reimbursed the expenses of publication? Or would you try to get some House to publish, who would give me a certain share of the proceeds of sales? I should not expect much more than to get back the cost & expenses of the book. Among my friends I know I could dispose of a number of the volumes. Would you advise publishing in the East or the West?

Please give me your opinion on these points, and if you can recommend a publisher, or give me other aid in bringing out the book, you will confer a great favor.

I will ad, I have nearly enough material for two other volumes on widely different subjects– one, detailing hunting adventures & experience, of which I have always very fond. The other, what I intend to call: “Scenes from a Lawyer’s Divorce Diary,” or some such title.

We have not heard directly from you, this many a day, though Wm. Brackett & I frequently speak of you & recall pleasant hours spent with you in Boston.

You have probably heard, we came here to stay, not to reside, in order to be with our son & little grandson, after the death of the wife & mother. The child, a very interesting one, is just at the age to need the care of such a person as my wife– and I presume we will have to remain here, a year or two longer, on his & my son’s account.

Just at present, my wife is away with the little fellow, on a visit to Monmouth in this state. If the more here, she would wish to join me in kindest regards.

I do not know how you feel with regard to the result of the recent election. But nothing for many years, has done me more good than to see the Mine man shelved. Having examined his __ carefully, I could not help coming to the conclusion he was a political triclister of the worst type.