Milan, 25 January 1888
Sig. Cesare Lisei
(private)
London
The Tessaro affair is not currently being conducted in the regular manner that I would wish by anyone representing the Company. While I can only express my sincere praise for how you have worked for London , I cannot approve how you went beyond your mandate in handling the Tessaro patent . With regard to England, I had given you a special assignment, which you performed perfectly; but you could not equally assume direct assignments from Sig. Tessaro . Forgive me, but I cannot help but point out that this is not proper; in any case, you would have had to ask me before accepting. It should be obvious that I delegate the power of legal proxy to persons I trust, and this trust is based on the conviction that their activity will be conducted solely in the interests of the Company. There is no legitimate excuse in the claim that office hours were not involved, for the reason I expressed above. Nor do I find proper the action of Sig. Tessaro , who has precise obligations with me, reinforced by a regular contract. More precisely, I have no difficulty telling you that for all business affairs concluded thanks to the influence of my recommendations and my name, the Company has a right to 10% = Signor Tessaro cannot dodge this obligation, and in any case it is our Company’s sole right to recognize, if and in what manner it finds opportune, the services of third parties, by those who have been charged by the Company to negotiate similar matters.
With these observations I have not the least intention of casting doubt upon your good faith and your loyalty; but certainly I could not refrain from telling you what I thought about the matter, and I am sure that when you have calmly thought it through you too will find it inopportune that our representative in London should accept assignments from third parties, unless I have given my special authorization.
Meanwhile Tessaro’s serious illness is no small setback, for which the installation of the new experimental workshop must be delayed.
Please accept my cordial greetings and the confirmation of my esteem.
G. Ricordi e C.