[D8959ABW], Letter from George Edward Gouraud to Thomas Alva Edison, June 15th, 1889

https://edisondigital.rutgers.edu/document/D8959ABW

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Title

[D8959ABW], Letter from George Edward Gouraud to Thomas Alva Edison, June 15th, 1889

Editor's Notes

I hasten to thank you for your letter of [illeg] st inst. From which I was glad to observe my explanations [illeg] to have been received as I felt sure would be the case. While you do not give me any particular as to [ground?] for "the wave of adverse criticism on the part of the public abroad" which was the occasion of your apprehension, as I hoped you would, I am content to let the matter drop with the final observation that I am completely at a loss to understand it, as with the single exception of the Herald article referred to already & whose motive as obvious before it was explained by the [illeg] as it was after, there has not only been no exception to the praise of the Press, but an AMOUNT of praise by the press both of yourself and the phnograph and my method & skill in bringing it before the public and keeping it there for a whole year (with only ONE assistant most of the time & 4 at the most) [illeg phrasse]. That is the only "wave" whose ripples I have seen or whose sounds have reached my [illeg] Ear. And until I hear something specific to the contrary and am convinced myself that I have made a mistake I shall continue & be justified in continuing to be satisfied that I have acted wisely & for our mutual best interests. Why I am practically bored of hearing compliments upon the skill & judgment I everywhere hear that I am thought to have displayed & which I as invariably & [illeg] deny, always saying that it is all owing to the [unprecedented illeg] of yourself and your Phonograph. For one whole year I have done nothing but this day & night to the complete neglect of every other interest or pleasure & at all hours day & night & it has been no slight task to say nothing of the thousands of [illeg phrase] perfec the machine and your arrangements for supplying it. Now you say that happy epoch has arived and I am truly glad to hear it. Who indeed has greater reason for being so? The only one of the "Originals" who has get no "feathers in his nest"! ### A remark in your letter makes makes [illeg] that you are disappointed in the meagreness of my [communicatins?] to you heretofoe as to my "policy & motives"-- If this is so I have only to say that if you had read the multitude of press [illeg] I have sent you they would have told you all there was to say but had I supposed you would [illeg phrase] I may say daily & sometimes thrice daily lectues, exhibitions, both public & private I would gladly have furnished it though ( did not [illeg] that you had either the time or the desire for it. You shall in future have no cause for complaint on this score & now that we hae a better understanding on all these points I hope there will be no cause for doubt or complaint in future & I pass from the subject finally so far as I am convinced, & gladly, thanking you for your frank & [illeg] letter under reply.

Mentioned

Date

1889-06-15

Type

Folder/Volume ID

D8959-F

Microfilm ID

127:736

Document ID

D8959ABW

Publisher

Thomas A. Edison Papers, School of Arts and Sciences, Rutgers University
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