ALS signed “G. Bernard Shaw,” one page, 9 x 7, Adelphi Terrace letterhead, August 5, 1907. Letter to Mr. Creighton, in full: “If I had time I would take you as an apprentice, and teach you—among other things—to sing. But you would be no use to me as a secretary. What I want is a slave who writes shorthand and can typewrite. A man who will condescend to that work, except to tide over a few lean years, is never a person of much ability or character, whereas many really clever and capable women have no other resource. On the whole therefore women have the economic advantage in these secretarial jobs, where either there is not a man’s work to be done, or else it is work that cannot be delegated. Wagner’s complaint when he was scoring Parsifal—that old as he was he could not even get his clarinet parts scored for him—is the complaint of all artists: no division of labor can relive them: you can’t hire a chorus man to sing your scales for you. I am almost crushed by business connected with my translations all over Europe & America, and with contracts for publication, performance, etc. But I have to dictate everything I don’t do with my own hand or else it goes wrong and makes more trouble in future. Shorthand & a slave alone can help me. You don’t write shorthand and are not a slave, but a Tristan or Wotan out of work. The play was not bad: literature may be your line. Your father was a good playwright wasted on the church. When I return to town I should like to meet you. Let me know sometime in October or later when you will be within reach of Adelphi Terrace or Ayot St. Lawrence.” In fine condition. Pre-certified PSA/DNA.
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