CONRAD JOSEPH: (1857-1924)

CONRAD JOSEPH: (1857-1924) Polish-British novelist. A.L.S., Jph. Conrad, one page, 8vo, Stanford-le-Hope, Essex, 3rd December 1897, to [Sydney] Pawling. Conrad writes, in full, ´Would you send me the last No. of the N. Review as soon as it is out. I forgot to ask for it in my last´. Some very light, extremely minor age wear, VG

Sydney S. Pawling (1862–1923) English publisher and partner in the firm of William Heinemann, which he joined in 1893. An early champion of Joseph Conrad's work, Pawling played an important role in securing The Nigger of the “Narcissus” for Heinemann and acted as an intermediary with W. E. Henley over its serialisation in The New Review. Conrad maintained a friendly correspondence with Pawling, who also introduced the novelist to the American writer Stephen Crane in 1897.

The New Review (1889–97), edited by W. E. Henley, was an influential literary periodical which published works by many of the leading writers of the day. Conrad's The Nigger of the “Narcissus” was serialised in its pages in five monthly instalments from August to December 1897, Henley's acceptance of the work representing an important milestone in Conrad's emerging literary career. The final December number, evidently the issue requested by Conrad in the present letter, contained the conclusion of the tale together with his celebrated Preface, subsequently also known as The Art of Fiction, an important statement of his artistic creed. The present letter, written on 3rd December 1897, therefore dates from the very moment that one of Conrad's defining early works completed its first appearance in print.