Following our conversation yesterday, I find that one can delete[1] -- without any kind of regret and even clearly improving the impression made by the whole -- the reproductions of the following fourteen covers:
Jules Celma (which archaically "doubles" as the cover of the book by the FHAR, and also unfortunately doubles the exception of an out-of-date aesthetic presentation), Groucho Marx, the sold-out [book by] Raspaud-Voyer (for which the [book by] Martos will subsequently substitute), Joseph Dietzgen, Manach (a particularly shameful cover!), Gustav Landauer, the boring Henryk Grossman, Galante-Garrone, Lucio Colletti, the overwhelming P. Mattick, J.-L. Moinet, A. Lehring on Buonarotti, the lugubrious R. Pallais, and Souvarine's opus on the Congress of Tours.
This will opportunely free up seven pages, one of which will be taken up by the Declaration of 1979.[2]
Subsequently, but with less assurance and surely less urgency, one can also envision other deletions concerning Boulgakov, Bazin on Renoir, Roumieux, Lwinter on Bosch, M. Duval on asbestos, and, if need be, the letter from Dakar.
The case of Napier is special, but I believe that it would be better to leave it and await a better solution to the problem: especially because doing the opposite could appear to be a maladroit attempt to dissimulate a kind of mistake,[3] which is not dishonorable, surrounded by so many triumphs (non-commercial, after all).
Considering more and more that it would be almost unbelievable that some apparent, unfortunate oversight will blemish the rare corrections that the translation of Clausewitz necessitates, I think -- as you do -- that a verification will be very quickly made and that it will provide complete security. I will bring the useful photocopies to the rue Saint-Sulpice.[4] All the same, I have seen that the excellent translator[5] is greatly carried to malevolence and, what is sadder, that he only dares to express it through petty gestures.
I was so happy to see you; and, as before, at the helm of this strange and dangerous ship! I embrace you affectionately.
Guy[1] From the annual catalogue of Editions Gerard Lebovici.
[2] Dated March 1979, it eliminated complementary copies of books for the press.
[3] Only the first volume had been published.
[4] Translator's note: the location in Paris of Editions Gerard Lebovici.
[5] Translator's note: Jean-Pierre Baudet.
(Published in Guy Debord Correspondance, Vol 7: Janvier 1988-Novembre 1994 by Librairie Artheme Fayard, 2008. Translated from the French by NOT BORED! October 2008. Footnotes by the publisher, except where noted.)