[Lord Weidenfeld (George Weidenfeld), publisher.] Typed Letter Signed to Philip Dosse, publisher of ‘Books and Bookmen’, discussing his partner Nigel Nicolson, and a review by Diana Mosley of a biography he has published of her sister Unity Mitford.

An interesting letter, containing an assessment by a leading publisher of what he sees as the unusual position he considers his profession occupies within the business world. See his entry, and that of his partner Nigel Nicolson, in the Oxford DNB. The recipient Philip Dosse was proprietor of Hansom Books, publisher of a stable of seven arts magazines including Books and Bookmen and Plays and Players. See ‘Death of a Bookman’ by the novelist Sally Emerson (editor of ‘Books and Bookmen’ at the time of Dosse’s suicide), in Standpoint magazine, October 2018. The present item is 2pp, 12mo. On two leaves attached by a slightly rusty staple; otherwise in fair condition, lightly aged, and folded for postage. Signed ‘G Weidenfeld’. Dosse has published a review in ‘Books and Bookmen’ by Diana Mosley of David Pryce-Jones’s biography of her sister Unity Mitford, and as the publisher of the book Weidenfeld responds to two notes from Dosse he begins: ‘No, we are still Weidenfeld & Nicolson. Nigel is a life director, though he is no longer active as a shareholder. He is a tremendously close friend and I would never of my own free will drop his name from that of the firm.’ He fails to understand Dosse’s ‘reference to Douglas Cooper. Was he against your review by Diana Mosley only or did he also disapprove of David Pryce-Jones’s writing the book on Unity Mitford?’ He has not heard from Cooper, but since he feels ‘nothing but frendliness and appreciation of the good services your paper has rendered to our publishing house, helped by your reviews, and to quite a few deserving causes, I feel I owe you my frank views about Diana Mosley’s review. It is true that a publisher is a businessman but, unlike many other businessmen, he does not invariably allow himself to be guided by considerations of sales and profits. There is such a thing as a parameter within which he should confine his publishing programme. Now I am referring only to myself, I have no right to give you advice, nor worse still sit in judgment. I, frankly, was appalled by Diana Mosley’s review and was from the very first a little puzzled as to why you chose her, as she is such a close relative and such a passionately interested party, to review the book.’ He is only mentioning this because Dosse has raised the point himself, and he does not feel that he can join Dosse ‘in putting up the argument you suggest to someone like Douglas Cooper. I stand behind David Pryce-Jones because I have faith in his integrity and because I believe his is an important book to have published.’