TWO WORLDS

A LITERARY QUARTERLY DEVOTED TO THE
INCREASE OF THE GAIETY OF NATIONS

EDITED BY SAMUEL ROTH

Mr. Ezra Pound
Rapallo, Italy

Dear Pound:

Dec.24, 1925

The whole difficulty, over which you read me such a
quaint sermon in conduct, seems to me to be metaphysi-
cal, a matter of time. If the first number of TWO
WORLDS had appeared in 1922 it would have been alright,
but three years having elapsed my act has become
scoundrelly. What, I ask, are three years? And why has
TWO WORLDS become out of date. I believe there is a
much greater need for it now than there was before.

If you don't like the way I am running it, I am open to
reason. At the risk of appearing to add more of the
'servile flattery' you complain of, I want to say that there
is no writer whose judgement on manuscript I have as
much respect for as I have for yours. I am willing to
turn over to you a certain number of pages - 50, 75, and
pay for them as well as it is possible for us to pay.

Meanwhile you have the right to resign from TWO WORLDS.
I am taking your name off our stationery and the magazine
itself. Also, from any future announcements I may make,
though some announcements, ordered weeks ago, cannot now,
unfortunately, be stopped.

The third number of TWO WORLDS does not go to press till
February 15th - should your reconsideration of the matter
lead you back to us. I ask one courtesy from you: write
me a simple note of resignation so that you may not mater-
ially assist a plan on foot to make it appear that in
using your name I have committed a fraud. I do not believe
that holding up Number One for three years has made its
appearance fraudulent. Nor is it too much fairness to ask
of one who has himself felt the malign tongue of the lit-
erary gossiper.

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