Letter to George Watt, Esq., M.D.
1887-03-04

[Page 1 of 6]
Private
March 4/87
10, South Street,
Park Lane. W.
My dear Sir
With insular unwillingness
to delay, - in which we differ
so widely from our Eastern
fellow subjects - I have tried
while you were yet in England
to get something started as
to your finding a London
publisher for your "Elementary
Botany", or as I persist in
calling it, your invaluable
plant & flower life.
I hear this very morning
from my emissary & cousin,
Mr. A. H. Clough, son of the
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poet, that his friend, Mr.
Arnold Forster, (nephew of
the Forster who carried
the Elementary Education in
1870,) acting for Cassell's,
"has very little doubt that
"Cassell's would be glad to
"undertake the publishing of
"the book"
"Would Dr. Watt be able
"& willing to call on him,
(Mr. Arnold Forster) at
"Cassell's offices, close to
"Blackfriars between 2
"and 4 to-day; or on
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"Saturday morning by
"appointment"
Mr. Arnold Forster's address
(to make the appointment)
is
2 Onslow Houses
Onslow Square
S. W.
Cassell's is as you know, the
enterprising great publisher
of the day - especially for
elementary books.
Mr. Clough was not able fully
to explain whether the books
for India would be in
Hindustani, (if so Cassell's
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would scarcely be able to
undertake them) - & whether,
if in English, there are enough
readers to make a large
sale for them.
If you see Cassell's, you
will kindly explain to them.
Mr. Arnold Forster said,
however, as you anticipated,
that he must see the book, "Lessons
on Elementary Botany" - (which
you kindly left with me).
Can you show him one?
If I lend him mine, I shall
most likely never see it again.
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2
I most earnestly hope that you
will be able to spare time
to see Mr. Arnold Forster
at Cassell's, as probably
one quarter of an hour
from you would advance
negotiations further than
months of correspondence,
especially between you in
India & Cassell's here.
This is the reason why
I have been so anxious to
make a start while you
were still here.
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Pray believe me
yours sincerely
& hopefully as to "plant life"
if you undertake it
Florence Nightingale
George Watt Esq. M. D.