Part of Autograph Letter Signed by the novelist Charles Reade [to Manton Marble, proprietor of the New York World?], asking that a 'gentleman' should not be 'my public critic in the World', and that the recipient should himself review his play.

2pp., on both sides of the lower half of a 4to leaf. The recto is numbered by Reade '2', indicating that the two pages constitute the second leaf of a letter. The text reads: '[...] therefore you will consent to do me a bare act of justice viz not to let that gentleman be my public critic in "the World." Of course I should be still more pleased if you would do me the honor to see the play yourself and pronounce upon it. However half a loaf is better than no bread. - If you will secure me the silence of that unfair detractor of mine in your columns I will be content: because in that case I shall have a chance of fair play. | Yrs vy trly | Charles Reade'.