The Writings of Carl Schurz/To John T. Morse, Jr., April 30th, 1885
TO JOHN T. MORSE, JR.
| 110 West 34th St., New York, April 30, 1885. |
Your letter dated on the 22d. inst. reached me only this afternoon. Can there be a mistake in the date?
I hear the growl of the impatient editor, and I appreciate his feelings, too. The present situation of the matter is this: I am pretty well advanced in the biography and hard at work on it. Most of the material I have in hand. Barring accident, I hope to get the book [Henry Clay] done by October—that is to say, I deem it probable that I shall. I might rush it through, but that, I am sure, you do not want me to do. All I can say is that I shall do my utmost to finish it by that time. The book would have been finished long ago had I not been interrupted by calls upon my time of various kinds, which I could not possibly disregard. Even now I am working under some strain, but I do hope to accomplish it. To that end I am keeping clear of all engagements which are not forced upon me by actual necessity. I may add that I like the work.
This is a careful statement of the case, and now I refer the matter to your own judgment.
The information you say you will give me as to “the amount of probable compensation” will be welcome.