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Show P R I N C E T O N UNIVERSITY PRESS- Publishers PRINCETON • NEW JERSEY <*:•*/£• President WHITNEY DARROW Trustees GEORGE A. BRAKELEY J. DOUGLAS BROWN HAROLD W. DODDS HENRY A. LAUGHLIN DAVID H. MC ALPIN CURTIS W. MC GRAW CARROLL C. PRATT Trustees CHARLES SCRIBNER, JR. DONALD A. STAUFFER JOSEPH R. STRAYER HUGH S. TAYLOR IRA O. WADE Honorary Trustees CHRISTIAN GAUSS CLARENCE B. MITCHELL ROBERT K. ROOT DATUS c. SMITH, JR., Director • N O R V E L L B. SAMUELS, Sales Manager • P. J. C O N K W R I G H T , Tyfografher E L M E R ADLER, Consultant • IRVING M . UPDIKE, Business Manager EDITH A. C R A Y , Service Manager • H E R B E R T S. BAILEY, JR., Science Editor • M A R G O T CUTTER, Fine Arts Editor March 23, 1951 Mr. Aziz S. Atiya Library of Congress Washington 25, D.C. Dear Mr, Atiya: Since writing 37011 last I have had an opportunity of discussing with some of our Trustees and advisers the project for a little book about the History of the Crusades, and although there is, of course, the greatest respect for you and your scholarship, I find there is uncertainty as to the wisdom of "another book on the Crusades". Now you and I know that what we are talking about is not just "another book on the Crusades", but at the same time I cannot blame these other people who do not see the picture quite as clearly as we do. I therefore would like to suggest that, before the Press should make a moral commitment such as would be involved in asking you to write such a book for us, you work out the outline with some care and let us have a sample chapter. Please be assured that this letter does not indicate even the smallest decrease in my enthusiasm for the project, I think it has tremendous possibilities, and would promise far greater usefulness than another Crusade book of the traditional sort. But I am anxious to be frank with you, and I think that the best thing all around would be for you to provide the outline and sample suggested above. With my kindest regards -- Sincerely yours, DCS-B Datus C. |