Correspondence with and relating to Andrew Mylett, who acted as Michael Schmidt's agent both for Schmidt's own non-Carcanet published books and for his radio broadcasts. In the early 1970s Mylett worked for AMS Press, and published a magazine called Summary; from around 1974 he worked for Hughes Massie Ltd, copyright agents; during 1979 he spent a period as a freelance agent; and in 1980 moved back into publishing with the company of Frederick Muller. Much of the correspondence relates to specific projects of Schmidt's which Mylett handled; these are as follows: An introduction to fifty modern British poets (Pan 1979), [which subsequently became A reader's guide to fifty modern British poets (Heinemann, 1979)], including references to Mylett's initial suggestion of the book in 1974, progress, contractual issues, and the completion of the first draft (see /4-8, /11, /13-14 and /17; also includes correspondence with Pan, and a contract); a novel Schmidt was working on during 1974-1975 under the pseudonym of Oliver Wayte, called 'Mother Vinegar' [which was not published], including references to its submission to Mylett, Val Warner's criticisms of the novel, and its rejection by one publisher before it was due to be submitted to Duckworth (/11, /14-16 and /21); poetry collection My brother Gloucester [ultimately published by Carcanet in 1976], including its submission to Faber, and an offer received from Peter Jay of Anvil (/21 and /25); novel The colonist, begun in 1976 and published by Muller in 1980, including reference to Mylett's attempts to place it, Charles Sisson's positive response to it, the contract with Muller, the cover, proofs, reviews, complimentary copies, the possibility of American publication, and Schmidt's concern that the blurb should not represent it as an autobiographical novel (23, /26, /36, /42-43,/46-47 and /49-59); another Pan anthology of pre-1900 poems [published in 1979 as An introduction to fifty British poets, 1300-1900] (/26 and /30-31); a Methuen anthology of post-1945 poetry intended for sixth formers and first year undergraduates [Eleven British poets (1980)] (/32-35, /39-43, /45 and /47-48); various radio broadcasts, and an account set up in which Mylett looked after payments from broadcasts and some of Schmidt's books, intended to be used to fund Carcanet when it hit financial difficulties, or to assist other writers in financial distress (/25-26, /28, /41-43, /45-48, /51 and /54); and another Pan anthology being discussed in 1979 (/44, /46-47, /49 and /54).
Other topics include: the closure of Carcanet magazine (/1-3); the possibility of Schmidt writing a book of introductory essays on twenty great English conservatives (/27), and of undertaking a biography of Matthew Arnold (/31 and /38); Peter Jones's An introduction to fifty American poets (Pan 1979), which was also handled by Mylett (/4-7 and /17); novels by Hugh Franks sent to Mylett by Schmidt; the problem of surplus copies of Franks's novel How to drive [published by Carcanet in 1975 under the name of Puckle Press] (/10-11, /13-14 and /20-21); plans for Mylett to publish two books with Carcanet in 1980 or 1981 (/43, /47-49 and /51); and Schmidt's work in 1980 on a new novel, called 'Belongings' (/62). /18-19 are photocopies of correspondence between Phillipa Wright, Mylett and other members of the Hughes Massie agency, relating to a dispute over Mylett's handling of a book by Wright. The file also includes two cards from Mylett's wife, Christine.
Dated at: London NW2, NW11, WC1 and W1.
Holograph and typescript.