Pierre (1852) - The author as swindler

[Melville, Herman. Pierre, or the Ambiguities. Ed. Harison Hayford. Northwestern UP, 1995.]

He tore open the left-hand letter:---

"SIR:---You are a swindler. Upon the pretense of writing a popular novel for us, you have been receiving cash advances from us, while passing through our press the sheets of a blasphemous rhapsody, filched from the vile Atheists, Lucian and Voltaire. Our great press of publications has hitherto prevented our slightest inspection of our reader's proofs of your book. Send not another sheet to us. Our bill for printing thus far, and also for our cash advances, swindled out of us by you, is now in the hands of our lawyer, who is instructed to proceed with instant rigor.
       (Signed)                                               STEEL, FLINT & ASBESTOS." (356)