BRITISH PSYCHO‑ANALYTICAL SOCIETY

                              21 February 1927  London W1

Dear Professor:

I was not able to telegraph because a simultaneous letter from Storfer showed me that the situation is even more complicated than you had depicted it.  I have had a talk with Strachey and will try to make our points as clear as possible.  1.  Strachey is willing to sell his translation of the "Selbstdarstellung" to Brentano with the only condition that he correct the actual proofs (so as to make sure that it is not distorted).  2.  He is also willing to undertake a translation of the "Lay Analysis" for Brentano on the same conditions.  3.  We suggest that Meiner be asked to buy a copy of Strachey's translation from Brentano whenever he wishes to issue a publication in England.  Something about this eventuality should be said to Brentano in the preliminary programme with him.

Now I come to the main difficulty.  Storfer tells us that Brentano's intention is to publish the two books in one volume.  As Meiner refuses to release the English rights over the first book that means that neither can ever be sold in England without his consent.  This would be a calamity to us and can only be avoided by some sort of preliminary arrangement with Meiner.

Before we consider the solution of this difficulty let me clear up another point.  You will remember my expressing the opinion that Woolf (the Hogarth Press) would not be likely to undertake the rapid publication of both these books, since he is already straining his resources to publish three others this winter for us.  It was, of course, solely on this ground that I felt I could not press you to withdraw from the American negotiations about the "Lay Analysis".  Now, however, that, according to the latest news, the "Selbstdarstellung" is not available to us, it reopens the question of our publishing the "Lay Analysis".  It is naturally a matter on which I should have to consult Woolf before saying anything definite, but you will see that the situation has altered in this sense.  It is true that not having the American rights would make Woolf even less inclined to publish the book, and further that if he did it would constitute a double bar against the admission of Brentano's book into England.

The matter would be greatly simplified if Brentano would consent to publish the two books separately and I would suggest that he be pressed to do so.  If, for commercial reasons, he does not agree to this, then the question arises whether he should be given the rights of the English sale of the "Lay Analysis".  It would be useless to him in any case because his book could not enter England, but a clause might be inserted into the agreement with him to the effect that the Hogarth Press could buy at a fixed rate from him the loose sheets of the book ("Lay Analysis" only) with the idea of their publishing it in England.  Obviously Woolf would only agree to this, for the limited English sale, if the rate to be agreed on is extremely cheap; inasmuch as, for the reason given above, the rights of sale in England are worth exactly nothing to Brentano, he might very well agree to a rate that would make the plan possible.

As regards the "Selbstdarstellung" the only hope is that your influence might induce Meiner to consent to our issuing an English translation on condition that it be available to him if the time ever comes for him to publish his collected work.

You may imagine how loath we are here to see one after another of your books slipping through our fingers.  To change the metaphor, it seems to be always a question of salvaging something out of the wreckage.  Our beautiful plan of a worthy English translation of your collected works recedes further and further away in the light of one complication after another.

Yours always,  [Ernest Jones.]^[1]

^[1]           Jones's name is typed out, there is no signature; initialed by secretary.