Books

Victor Gollancz's archived correspondence regarding the publication of George Orwell's first novel, A Clergyman's Daughter, including the original contract for the novel. Present are two typed letters, two autograph letters, and two autograph postcards, all signed by Orwell; all such material is uncommon in the market. Orwell began to write the novel in January 1934. It was not a book that gave him satisfaction, and his letters over the next few months show his disillusionment with his own writing. He later told Henry Miller "that book is bollocks, but I made some experiments in it that were useful to me" (cited in Fenwick, Orwell Bibliography, p. 31), and asked for it to not be reprinted after his death, apart from cheap editions to make a few pounds for his heirs. Though today the novel is probably the least-read of Orwell's major books, it is also his most experimental novel, influenced by modernist trends (Orwell read James Joyce's Ulysses while writing the novel, which he said gave him an inferiority complex), and a notable stage in his literary development. Orwell finished the novel in October 1934, and sent it to Gollancz via his literary agent Leonard Moore. The archive opens with a reader's report for Gollancz by Gerald Gould (fiction editor of the Observer, appointed by Gollancz as manuscript reader), dated 8 November 1934. Gould states that the book is of great merit and should be published, but also draws attention to what he sees as literary flaws, as well as to libel and obscenity concerns. Another reader's report, from Gollancz's solicitor Harold Rubenstein, also generally commends the novel, but criticizes certain scenes, especially the section about the protagonist's life as a schoolmistress, which he feels falls far outside the general realist approach of the novel. Gollancz wrote to Moore on 13 November 1934 requesting that he ask Orwell to make changes to the schoolmistress section. Moore replied to say that Orwell had insisted the school "is totally imaginary, though of course I have drawn on my general knowledge of what goes on in schools of that type". Gollancz responded that irrespective of whether it was imaginary, people will still find it unbelievable. Orwell responded with a typed letter signed (all the signatures here use his real name, Eric Blair) on 17 December 1934, enclosing two pages of his corrections, although he is resistant to extensive changes to the school section. Gollancz commissioned a further reader's report from Norman Collins, dated 1 January 1935. Collins, who has read Rubinstein's report, continues to raise concerns about the school scene, and says "the chaotic structure of the book would suggest some kind of mental instability", and that the manuscript is "in many ways one of the oddest that I have ever read". Gollancz sent the manuscript to Rubinstein again on 4 January 1935, asking him to review it for libel, even though Orwell hadn't made all the literary changes that he would like. Rubinstein responded to say that the book should be safe from libel, as long as Orwell can confirm that all the characters are not linked to, or resemble, any people that he knows. Gollancz sent Orwell a letter enquiring into this, and Orwell replied with a typed letter signed clarifying that none of the characters in the books could be linked to any persons living, and altering a few minor other business and street names. Gollancz checked with Rubinstein again, who reiterated a few libel issues, and asked for a detailed response from Orwell on the concerns. Gollancz sent a copy to Orwell, who replied in a lengthy autograph letter signed, answering Rubinstein's concerns point by point, with a sentence or paragraph of commentary for each. He asks Gollancz to "excuse bad handwriting". Orwell forgot a detail, and sent an additional autograph letter signed the same day. Gollancz checked with Rubinstein, who now approved it, other than suggesting one minor change. Orwell responded with an autograph postcard signed, 4 February 1935, confirming this change. Gollancz requested one more emendation, which Orwell again approved with another autograph postcard signed. The collection then includes the original contract for the novel, dated 5 February 1935, initialed by Orwell on each of the first four pages and signed by him on the last page, with one additional manuscript correction which he has also initialed. The contract gave Orwell slightly better terms than for his previous book (Burmese Days) and gave Gollancz first refusal for his next two novels. The archive then closes with a note dated 3 July 1950 saying that the rights to Clergyman's Daughter (and Wigan Pier and Inside the Whale) have reverted to Sonia Orwell following the death of George Orwell, and a list of copies of letters given to a scholar in 1983. The archive of Victor Gollancz was sold by the firm's parent company in recent years, from whom the correspondence was directly acquired.

A Clergyman's Daughter is a novel written by George Orwell, telling the story of Dorothy Hare, the clergyman’s daughter of the title, who undergoes various tribulations including losing her memory.