GUjr (intartn 
Rlaelntuitmt. S. fit. 
February 35,1919. 
Dea Will: 
T am glad that we are in agreement as to the impropriety of soliciting funds 
from my friends with which to publish my autobiography.fhat would be in poor tas 
but it seems to me it would be the preferable course to paying the bill myself.- 
I am sure that a moment's reflection will convince you that I am wight.Were the 
paper anything else but a an autobiography it would be very different,and I 
should not hesitate to pay the bill in partner in whole according to circumstan¬ 
ces.But it is an autobiography, and I cannot see for a moment how a man oan pay 
for the publication of his own autobiography without loss of dignity and self 
respect.Allen is quite right when he says that such matters are best left to be 
published posthumously.He,however,yielded to pressure of friendsfand I am mighty 
glad he did) and wrote the notes which were duly published. I too disliked the job, 
A / / 
but all my friends consulted on the subjectjwere a unit in arguing the matter. 
Havingrariben tham^it is up to some one to publish them^aleays assuming they are 
worthy of publication.I cannot take them away from Grinnell now,as I should very 
much like to 
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promised them to him ancl^ furthermore^ gave him full permission to cut them down 
to suit the space at command.! wrote him a second letter in which I suggested iS 
their return to me as the best solution of the problem.This I trust he will do. 
I have no doubt that I can get the Smithsonian to publish them.In that case I 
can amplify them in certain places.Or ,as I think better, T will lay them aside 
till I cross the divide. ^hen who oares what is done with them. 
The good Doctor's letter is very interesting one,and I was very glad of 
the chanoe to read it.He is in a very interesting and beautiful locality,Santa 
