November 20 Friday – In London, Sam had received the Bliss-Harper contracts from H.H. Rogers and considered them for three hours before responding to Rogers.

The contracts clear my head.

I had the impression that the Harpers could use all of my Bliss books; & that my ‘Round the World [FE] would fall into their list, too, after a reasonable time. I had the notion that all the books would be sold by both parties, but that Bliss would sell them in uniform sets only.

      However, I see it isn’t so. I don’t know why. I suppose Bliss was the objector.

      And he objects to the additional clause proposed by Harper. I don’t know why. He ought not to object, I should think.

Sam felt “it would be dangerous to try to alter these contracts,” and felt they should be signed and sent. He added that he’d designed FE as a subscription book from the beginning, a book for those who never go to bookstores, and if it didn’t pay him $30,000 in the first six months, then Frank Bliss and his brother lacked “their old father’s push and efficiency” [MTHHR 249-50]. Note: MTP lists this as ? date; Sam’s Nov. 24 to Rogers states he had been considering the contracts for four days, so this date is assigned here.