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Individual Series View, Merton's Correspondence with:

Fox, James, Dom, O.C.S.O., 1896-1987


Series 22, Publishers' Correspondence: New Directions


Descriptive Summary

Record Group: Section A - Correspondence
Dates of materials: 1948-1969
Volume: 949 item(s); 1432 pg(s)

Scope and Content

Herein is a large collection of letters spanning most of Merton's time at Gethsemani. Letters between Fox and Merton concern Merton's vocation to the monastery, his constant desires for greater solitude, thoughts about leaving Gethsemani and joining the

Biography

Dom James Fox came to Gethsemani in 1927. He was serving as guestmaster when Merton's younger brother, John Paul, visited the monastery, and Fox made arrangements for John Paul's baptism. In 1948, Fox was elected abbot after the death of Dom Frederic Du

Usage Guidelines and Restrictions

Please click here for general restrictions concerning Merton's correspondence.

Related Information and Links

See also published letters from Merton to Fox in The School of Charity and

Series List

Series NumberSeries NameTotal Records
1 Correspondence from original Merton papers (some later additions): Dom James Fox with Merton, Fr. Charles Dumont, Edward Glenn Hinson, Msgr. Alfred Frederick Horrigan, Fr. Giovanni Montini, James Morrissey, Naomi Burton Stone, etc. 93
2 Correspondence from Gethsemani Archives: Dom James Fox with the Abbot of Melleray, Dom Louis de Gonzague Le Pennuen. 21
3 Correspondence from Gethsemani Archives: Dom James Fox with the Abbot of Melleray, Dom Colomban Bissey. 6
4 Correspondence from Gethsemani Archives: Dom James Fox with Abbot General Dominique Noques. 4
5 Correspondence from Gethsemani Archives: Dom James Fox with Abbot General Gabriel Sortais. 202
6 Correspondence from Gethsemani Archives: Dom James Fox with Abbot General Ignace Gillet. 38
7 Correspondence between Dom James Fox and Merton: Special Binding (Archive - Stack 5). 101
8 Correspondence between Dom James Fox and Marie Tadié: (see "Tadié, Marie" file for all physical holdings). 153
9 Special Merton File: Correspondence between Dom James Fox and Abbot General Gabriel Sortais 30
10 Special Merton File: Notes concerning Merton's relationship with "M," from folder labeled "Clyde" 1
11 Special Merton File: Correspondence between Fox and Fr. John Eudes Bamberger concerning a biography of Merton, from folder labeled "Clyde" 2
12 Special Merton File: Correspondence concerning French translator Marie Tadié's grievance with Gethsemani after Merton's death, from folder labeled "Clyde" 6
13 Special Merton File: Correspondence between Dom James Fox and the Sacred Congregation for Religious at the Vatican, earlier with Arcadio Cardinal Larraona and then with Archbishop Paul (later Cardinal) Philippe 6
14 Special Merton File: Correspondence between Dom James Fox and Monsignor Loris Francesco Capovilla, Secretary to Pope John XXIII 5
15 Special Merton File: Correspondence with Fr. Heinrich Dumoulin, S.J., Sophia University in Japan, regarding Merton studying Zen and proposed trip to Japan 4
16 Special Merton File: Correspondence with Archbishop Giovanni Montini (later Pope Paul VI) 7
17 Special Merton File: Correspondence with Fr. Riccardo Lombardi, S.J. 18
18 Special Merton File: Correspondence between Dom James Fox and Abbot General Ignace Gillet, regarding Merton as novice master, studying Zen and proposed trip to Japan 4
19 Naomi Burton Stone, Doubleday, Inc. (earlier correspondence with Fox can be found in the "Curtis Brown, Ltd." file and in Series 1 of this file) 102
20 Publishers' Correspondence: Herder and Herder, Inc. 18
21 Publishers' Correspondence: Farrar, Straus and Cudahy, Inc.; and Farrar, Straus and Giroux, Inc. 34
22 Publishers' Correspondence: New Directions 38
23 Publishers' Correspondence: Foreign Rights 2
24 Merton Publicity File: Correspondence with film makers, book clubs, radio stations, etc. 21
25 Curtis Brown, Ltd. [See "Curtis Brown" file in Section A, correspondence from 1963 continues with Series 19 in this file] 1
26 Correspondence between Gregory Zilboorg and James Fox from Gethsemani Archives 22
27 Correspondence with Bishop Matthew A. Niedhammer, OFM Cap., Apostolic Vicar of Bluefields, Nicaragua, regarding Merton's character 3
28 Correspondence with Bishop James Peter Davis of San Juan, Puerto Rico, regarding Merton's character 3
29 Special File of Dom James on Thomas Merton, 70 Numbered Entries (click here) 1
30 Correspondence with Dom Baldwin Dworschak, O.S.B., Abbot of Saint John's Abbey, Collegeville, Minnesota 3

Container List

Series#DateFrom/ToFirst LinesPub ✓Notes
 y/m/dMerton Scan ✉ 
Series 22 #1.
«All Series«		 1962/07/19 TLS from MacGregor, Robert I don't believe I thanked you for returning the contracts for our publication of NEW SEEDS contracts in the United States and for Spanish language editions in Spain and Argentina for New Seeds of Contemplation - royalty statements «detailed view»
Series 22 #2.
«All Series«		 1962/08/01 TLS from MacGregor, Robert I am delighted to enclose your copy of the contract with Editorial Sudamericana S.A. for the Latin Latin American rights, Spanish language edition, for New Seeds of Contemplation - payment advance and difficulties of transferring money from Argentina «detailed view»
Series 22 #3.
«All Series«		 1962/08/03 TL[c]  from MacGregor, Robert / to A. López Llausás Thank you for returning the two copies of the contract between you and the Abbey of Gethsemani [from Robert MacGregor to A. López Llausás, Editorial Sudamericana, Buenos Aires, Argentina] New Seeds of Contemplation - Latin American rights, Spanish edition «detailed view»
Series 22 #4.
«All Series«		 1962/08/06 TALS[x] to MacGregor, Robert I guess I am as bad as you are in answering mail, so we can both shake on that. I received «detailed view»
Series 22 #5.
«All Series«		 1962/08/15 TLS from MacGregor, Robert I am delighted to enclose the copy of the contract for the Abbey of Abbey of [sic] Gethsemani contract for New Seeds of Contemplation in Spain - Editoray Distribuidora Hispano Americana «detailed view»
Series 22 #6.
«All Series«		 1962/09/12 TALS[x] to MacGregor, Robert Please pardon the long delay in writing you in regard to the "new clause" for NEW SEEDS OF returning new clause with Editorial Sudamericana for New Seeds of Contemplation - had been delayed until contracts arranged for Obras Completas (Collected Works) «detailed view»
Series 22 #7.
«All Series«		 1962/10/22 TLS from MacGregor, Robert I now have the signed amendment to the contract between the Abbey and Editorial Sudamericana S.A. Portuguese proposed contract for selected poems / new clause with Editorial Sudamericana for New Seeds of Contemplation / overseas shipping has arrived of Clement of Alexandria «detailed view»
Series 22 #8.
«All Series«		 1963/01/16 TLS from MacGregor, Robert We have received from Editora y Distribuidora Hispano Americano S.A., in Barcelona, a check, Clement of Alexandria as Christmas gifts «detailed view»
Series 22 #9.
«All Series«		 1963/01/24 TL[c] to MacGregor, Robert I received your gracious letter of January 16 with the enclosed check made out to us, which should Clement of Alexandria as Christmas gift «detailed view»
Series 22 #10.
«All Series«		 1963/02/19 TL[c]  from Rissin, Rhoda / to Donald O'Rourke Thank you for your letter of February 9th addressed to Mr. Laughlin, which he has asked me to answer [from Rhoda Rissin, Permissions Editor of New Directions, to Donald F. O'Rourke, Editor, The King's Men, Dehon Seminary of the Sacred Heart, Great Barringon, MA] permission to use Merton's poem, "The Biography" from Selected Poems in newspaper «detailed view»
Series 22 #11.
«All Series«		 1963/03/06 TALS from MacGregor, Robert I am enclosing our check for $180 representing 90% of the payment from Editora y Distribuidora advance payment for edition of New Seeds of Contemplation in Spain «detailed view»
Series 22 #12.
«All Series«		 1963/03/15 TLS from MacGregor, Robert Our agent in Italy made these contracts out to New Directions, and since there has been a delay Italian rights for New Seeds of Contemplation «detailed view»
Series 22 #13.
«All Series«		 1963/03/18 TALS[x] to MacGregor, Robert We received your gracious letter of March 15 with the contracts for the Italian rights of NEW SEEDS. Italian rights for New Seeds of Contemplation «detailed view»
Series 22 #14.
«All Series«		 1963/04/03 TLS from MacGregor, Robert I am enclosing in four copies the contract for the German language rights in NEW SEEDS OF German rights for New Seeds of Contemplation «detailed view»
Series 22 #15.
«All Series«		 1963/04/08 TL[c] to MacGregor, Robert Thank you for your gracious note of April 3 with the enclosed contract for the German language German rights for New Seeds of Contemplation «detailed view»
Series 22 #16.
«All Series«		 1963/08/26 TLS[x] to MacGregor, Robert You have not heard from us for quite some time. However, we have not forgotten your wonderful Emblems of a Season of Fury as Gethsemani Christmas gifts «detailed view»
Series 22 #17.
«All Series«		 1963/09/10 TLS from MacGregor, Robert Please excuse my delay in answer [sic] your August 26th letter asking about the possibility Emblems of a Season of Fury as Gethsemani Christmas gifts «detailed view»
Series 22 #18.
«All Series«		 1963/11/18 (#01) TLS  from Wemhoff, Ivan / to Merton The Editora Vozes Limitada has always quickly responded to any work that comes out in your name. [from Fr. Ivan Wemhoff, OFM, Editora Vozes Limitada, to Merton] Brazilian publisher asking publish a Portuguese translation of Breakthrough to Peace «detailed view»
Series 22 #19.
«All Series«		 1963/11/18 (#02) HNS from Merton This is OK as fas as I am concerned - told him to write Rome for censorship. In Jesu [-] f m Louis Brazilian edition of Breakthrough to Peace «detailed view»
Series 22 #20.
«All Series«		 1964/06/25 TLS from Laughlin, James I thought you might like to know that Bob MacGregor and I are planning to take out incorporation [contains a handwritten note to James Fox from Robert MacGregor approving the action by James Laughlin stated in the letter] explaining that New Directions is becoming a corporation instead of an individual proprietorship «detailed view»
Series 22 #21.
«All Series«		 1964/07/28 TALS from MacGregor, Robert I am delighted to report that our agent in Italy, Erich Linder, has negotiated a contract with Italian edition of Emblems of a Season of Fury - Garzanti «detailed view»
Series 22 #22.
«All Series«		 1964/08/13 TALS from MacGregor, Robert Thank you very much for returning the four copies of the proposed contracts for the Italian rights Gandhi on Non-Violence book not ready by Christmas, but by spring / asking if Fox would like to either remainder the extra 1,900 copies of Tears of the Blind Lions or send unbound editions to Gethsemani for monks to hand bind and sell [Fox notes in the margins, "Sorry, no."] «detailed view»
Series 22 #23.
«All Series«		 1964/08/20 TALS from MacGregor, Robert I have been meaning to write you about this for some time, but somehow the pressures proposed change in payment of royalties to pay once instead of twice per year to simplify accounting «detailed view»
Series 22 #24.
«All Series«		 1964/08/27 TALS[x] to MacGregor, Robert Thank you for your good letter of August 20 with enclosures, which we read over carefully agreement with change in payment of royalties to pay once instead of twice per year to simplify accounting / Way of Chuang Tzu - 100 copies as Christmas gifts «detailed view»
Series 22 #25.
«All Series«		 1965/09/10 TL[c]  from MacGregor, Robert / to Robert Gales I have a letter from the Abbot of the Abbey of Gethsemani asking if again this year we can make [to Robert Gales, Sales Manager, J.B. Lippincott Co., Philadelphia] Way of Chuang Tzu - 100 copies as Christmas gifts «detailed view»
Series 22 #26.
«All Series«		 1965/11/03 TLS from MacGregor, Robert It seems that we have not actually signed a contract with you for THE WAY OF CHUANG TZU by Thomas contract for The Way of Chuang Tzu «detailed view»
Series 22 #27.
«All Series«		 1965/11/16 TALS[x] to MacGregor, Robert Please pardon the delay in answering your gracious letter of November 3 with the three copies of amendment to contract for The Way of Chuang Tzu - strike language about media distribution rights - Gethsemani does not grant radio or TV rights to any publishers for monastic books «detailed view»
Series 22 #28.
«All Series«		 1965/11/17 TALS to MacGregor, Robert Of course we are not upset about having the dramatic, music, television and so-on rights to the WAY 100 Christmas copies of The Way of Chuang Tzu - amendment to contract for The Way of Chuang Tzu - strike language about media distribution rights - Gethsemani does not grant radio or TV rights to any publishers for monastic books «detailed view»
Series 22 #29.
«All Series«		 1965/11/24 TALS[x] from MacGregor, Robert Thanks for your of the 17th with the revised contracts for CHUANG TZU, which we have taken care 100 Christmas copies of The Way of Chuang Tzu «detailed view»
Series 22 #30.
«All Series«		 1965/12/03 TLS to MacGregor, Robert I am really very embarrassed about what has gone on at Lippincott in regard to your order of 100 100 Christmas copies of The Way of Chuang Tzu / contract for Raids on the Unspeakable to be drawn similarly to The Way of Chuang Tzu, i.e., with no radio or television distribution rights «detailed view»
Series 22 #31.
«All Series«		 1965/12/09 TALS[x] from MacGregor, Robert Thank you for you good letter of the 3rd with the explanation in regard to THE WAY OF CHUANG TZU, contract for Raids on the Unspeakable «detailed view»
Series 22 #32.
«All Series«		 1966/02/16 (#01) TNS from Lorch, Else B. This is an amended version of a contract for a recording of Father Merton's poems, which we sent you [from Else Lorch, Permissions Editor, New Directions] LP record sound recording, The Poems of Thomas Merton "Spirit LP 1004" / attached to amended contract «detailed view»
Series 22 #33.
«All Series«		 1966/02/16 (#02) other   John F. McKinney [-] Catholic Poetry Society of America [-] 232 Madison Avenue [-] New York, N.Y. amended contract for LP record sound recording, The Poems of Thomas Merton "Spirit LP 1004" «detailed view»
Series 22 #34.
«All Series«		 1967/03/02 (#01) TLS  from MacGregor, Robert / to Merton Enclosed is a copy for your files of the contract with Editorz Vozes Limitada for "The Way of Chuang contract for Portuguese edition in Latin America of Way of Chuang Tzu by Editora Vozes in Brazil «detailed view»
Series 22 #35.
«All Series«		 1967/03/02 (#02) TL[c]  from Armstrong, Bonnie / to Miguel Gomes M. de Castro Thank you for your letter of February 20, returning the contract for "The Way of Chuang Tzu" contracts for Portuguese edition in Latin America of Way of Chuang Tzu and Gandhi on Non-Violence by Editora Vozes in Brazil «detailed view»
Series 22 #36.
«All Series«		 1967/03/06? TNS  from MacGregor, Robert / to Merton Dear Tom - There is logic in what she says but I move not without instructions. Bob Mac G. [MacGregor's note to Merton is typed onto a copy of a letter from Tadié of 1967/03/03 (also appears under that date in Series 8 of this file, "The Correspondence between James Fox and Marie Tadié"] «detailed view»
Series 22 #37.
«All Series«		 1967/03/13 TALS[x] to MacGregor, Robert Father Louis turned over your letter to him of March 2-- to me, to reply to you. We appreciate agreeing to idea by Marie Tadié of combining some of Raids on the Unspeakable with The Behavior of Titans for release in France «detailed view»
Series 22 #38.
«All Series«		 1967/03/29 TL[c] to MacGregor, Robert Please pardon delay in not answering sooner your charming letter of March 20. We appreciate the fact response to Marie Tadié - Merton may have a moratorium on publishing in France until publishing affairs are settled there «detailed view»

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