Giuseppe Tartini - Lettere e documenti / Pisma in dokumenti / Letters and Documents - Volume / Knjiga / Volume II

302 as the book has already been printed, I cannot get involved in the case, also because I am afraid that the Italian print is not as beautiful as ours. I harbour great admiration for this famous author, and my predecessor had many concerto and solo manuscripts of his, which are printed and are sufficient to praise him. There is a man here who had some printed under his name, but the public was not fooled and indeed recognised the difference existing between these works and the previous ones. If Monsieur Tartini wishes to send me three dozen copies, as an order, and allows me six months after the delivery to pay for them at the price of 23 Venetian lira each or to return the copies to him if I have not sold them, I would gladly accept this proposal, and it shall be the master himself in this case who shall ship the case to a merchant of his choice, to whom I shall deliver my receipt when I receive the copies, and I shall undertake to deliver within six months or one year, according to whatever Monsieur Tartini decides, the money or in its stead the copies if they are not sold, but it is clear that I should have no trouble disposing of them. As regards the price, it is high, because the Opus 1 of Monsieur Tartini which I have in my store, in which there are 13 sonatas, costs just 6 Dutch florins. His Opus 1a, 2 and 3a of concertos are only sold for 7, and it is certain that our prints in leather are greatly superior to the Italian ones. The surplus will be Monsieur Tartini’s problem, given that his work is valued at 33 Venetian lira, which correspond to 9 Dutch florins, I shall publish it for him at this price in the gazettes, and seeing that he is only charged by commission, the composer will be the one who bears the brunt if the public should find it too expensive. With regard to what you ask me, Sir, about speaking of it here to somebody, I am honoured to tell you that I am the only one to have such a catalogue; and that others would make less effort than me and would not have the same possibility that I do to set the matter in motion. I hope, Sir, to find some other opportunity to prove the respect with which I have the honour of being, Sir, your most humble and obedient servant De La Coste [at the bottom, P.S.] The heirs of Monsieur Le Cene have not delivered the letter to me, so I have received just the one that reached me through the post.