January 1st, 1923  

Dear Friends:  

Returning yesterday from my holiday (which, incidentally, did not bring the  
hoped-for relief to my health, for I spent part of the time in bed with a perforative  
otitis) I find Professor’s interesting letter here, to which I should like to add a  
couple of comments. The holidays and Hiller’s absence at his home prevent their being  
further news about the Press. As Professor indicates, we must recognise that  
the Rank-Hiller-Jones undertaking has so far proved a failure, and one cannot deny the  
truth of his philosophic remark that “fate accepts no excuses”; as our proverb says,  
“nothing succeeds like success”. But, while recognising this objective and important  
truth, I do not find it necessary that friends should judge one another by the same  
unsparing standards as does fate. It is certain that the three of us have all given  
of our best to the undertaking, in work and other ways, and we have no reason whatever  
to feel ashamed of the effort we have made or to regret the sacrifices it has cost.  
So much for the past! Coming to the future, I have the impression that Professor  
over-identifies all English together and that Mrs Rivière plays too large a part in  
his total impression in this respect. I will mention only one point, but a crucial one  
– his statement that we believe English books cannot be set up by a German (“jedenfalls  
sind die Engländer nicht davon zu überzeugen”). I don’t think this is true of anyone  
else but her and even she is willing to make the experiment. I have surely made my own  
standpoint clear. In my letter of Dec. 8 I fully accept Rank’s view that the Verlag  
is able to undertake this task, and begged for a specially urgent reply on the further  
point whether Rank felt he was able to undertake the difficult task of mastering the
 

technique of exporting English books from Germany in a business-like way (which I am as-
sured is very complicated indeed). Unfortunately Rank appears to be not yet able to  
attend to the business, and Professor does not mention the subject in his letter. We  
have been waiting daily for three weeks for an answer to this critical question, for  
without it we can come to no conclusion. The result is that Hiller will have largely  
wasted his journey to London. The situation is quite simple, at least in this respect.  
If Rank answers yes, I shall vote for the Verlag continuing the Press work, Cape  
(Rickman’s friend) being engaged to attend solely to the sales. If he says no, then  
the choice lies between engaging Cape to perform also the Herstellung in Germany or  
disposing of the Press entirely to some other publisher. Both of these plans have the  
drawbacks already discussed in my letter and in R’s memorandum. I beg, therefore, once  
more for an urgent reply.  

Two pieces of American news. Tridon’s death is confirmed. Unwin, in agreement with  
me, wrote to Boni and Liveright asking if they would come to some financial arr-
angement to allow the sale in America of the English translation of the “Vorlesungen”, so  
that Americans might at least have the opportunity of reading a real translation. By  
way of reply he received an indignant and impudent letter from Bernays refusing.  

The New Year opens darkly for our literary undertakings, but I am confident that  
we shall overcome the difficulties with mutual goodwill and cooperation. The Old Year  
finished with a temporary personal unpleasantness, which should not be taken tragically.  
May the New Year bring us fresh inspiration!  

With the most cordial good wishes to all,  

Ernest Jones