[Letter] April 23,1887 [to F.H. Giddings]

April 23, 1887, n. p.

Dear Mr. Giddings,
       I find myself
absorbingly interested in
the question of which I
have once or twice spoken
to you, viz. Capital,
Abstract and Concrete.
Is it your opinion that
if I cannot make the
whole theory public before
December or later I should
make myself safer by
publishing at once a
little abstract of the
theory? Would there be
any danger that some
one, from hints given in
the abstract, would
make haste and get out
something covering the grounds?
You see I am like a
miser with his toy, perhaps
irrationally impressed with
the value of what I have in
my pouch and occasionally
nervous lest someone should
grab it. I would like your
opinion on the point.

      Yours Very Truly,
              J. B. Clark

P.S. I have promised
the Columbia editors an
article on the question for
Dec. also Prof. Ely a
monograph at some time
not now decided on, covering
a part of the ground. Rights
of republication will be reserved
in both cases.

J. B. C.