The Clarendon Press, Oxford. - [Kenneth] Sisam was 'making great efforts' to assemble the material enabling a decision on Trevelyan's translation of Montaigne before he left on holiday; he did not succeed and asked Davin to write begging Trevelyan's 'further patience'. Assures him that there is no 'question of quality'; the trouble is that the Press already publishes Trechmann's translation in the 'O.S.A.' [Oxford Standard Authors series], and Florio's in the [Oxford] World's Classics.; it is therefore necessary to weigh up the effect of a new translation on existing editions. Has 'dipped into' Bob's translation and much enjoyed it. Sisam will return at the end of August and will doubtless take up the matter then, while Davin gets 'on with the essential enquiries' and hopes to have 'the matter clarified' by the time he returns.
The Clarendon Press, Oxford. - Trevelyan will think he has treated the question about Montaigne with 'scandalous negligence'; hopes he can forgive him, as he has had 'very heavy pressure of administrative work for some time'. The Press liked Trevelyan's translation and 'personal selection', but such a book would be more in the line of the London and New York houses who 'know about the market for books'. They have already published Trechmann's complete translation; Sisam thinks Trevelyan has 'the advantage of him at many points', but still his version is in print, set up when printing was at 'half its present price'. The London and New York houses did not think they could sell Trevelyan's selection at a price rather more than the complete Trechmann. Sisam waited for a while, hoping that 'conditions might improve', but unfortunately in the publishing world everything is 'getting always scarcer and dearer'. Hopes that Trevelyan will not think the delay in giving this 'disappointing answer' is due to a lack of interest or appreciation for his translation.
The Clarendon Press, Oxford. - Thanks Trevelyan for his letter of 27 May: sorry to have kept him waiting so long regarding [his translation of] Montaigne. The 'stoppage of coal and fuel... reversed the tendency to increase book production', and there was 'no prospect' of improvement. Was therefore unfair to a project like Trevelyan's to 'try and decide about it in these bleak months'. Montaigne falls more within the remit of Oxford University Press's than that of the Delegates [of the Clarendon Press] which is these days largely restricted to academic work, and the London and American houses have 'rather tied themselves' to [the translation by Emil Trechmann]. But if Trevelyan sends the rest of the manuscript so they can get the 'effect of the selection', promises to give it consideration and a 'reasonably quick answer'; wishes they could judge manuscripts 'on their merits and not under the rule of necessity'.