Letter From McClure Magazine
A letter sent out to all subscribers of McClures Magazine in 1915 (officially unverified).
Dear Reader:- Last March I picked up a copy of the Saturday Evening Post, turned its pages and came upon an astounding story. It was anonymous and told about a sailor before the mast, without education, who, pushed by an inward force greater than he could control, wrote such wonderful stories that he became famous all over the world. How he never got any real reward for his work--so that today he was getting old--and poor.
A reference here and there told me that the man who wrote that anonymous autograph must be Morgan Robertson. I had admired him and wondered how a man who produced such pure literature could know so much of the sea. The stories had appeared for many years and had been scattered. I re-read them all, every one, because when I had started them I had to finish them. And I thought--here is the chance to give Morgan Robertson his long-deferred reward.
Morgan Robertson's stories will live after him, but he has been a poor business man. Famous he is, but fame is a poor substitute for beefsteak.
Will the American public allow the tragic end of O. Henry to be repeated? Will they allow another of their great writers of short stories to die in want, without reward or recognition? That is what Metropolitan and McClure's propose to find out. If this genius of the sea tale cannot get now--while he and his family are in need--the reward and recognition which are his right, it will not be from lack of proper aid. An edition of Robertson's Works (selected from what he has written by the author himself as his best stories) is being published. Upon every book sold we shall pay him a generous royalty. And this is our offer to you: we will send you a set of these books without charge--we will pay for them--we will pay the cost of getting them to you--and we will pay the royalty to Mr. Robertson--if you will pay for one year's subscription to Metropolitan and McClure's at the same price you would pay if you bought them from your newsdealer every month.
Send only 10 cents now. You will receive at once the set of books and the first copies of Metropolitan and McClure's. Send the blank and 10 cents today.
Sincerely yours,
Cameron Mackinzie Managing Editor
P.S. Mr. Robertson asks us to say for him that as long as he has the strength, he will autograph every set subscribed for.
Read more about this topic: Morgan Robertson
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