"Manuscript: something submitted in haste and returned at leisure"

This quote by Oliver Herford is a humorous way of explaining the procedure of submitting a manuscript for publication. It indicates that the author has to hurry to get the manuscript prepared for submission, however then the publisher takes their time to review it and decide. This is often the case, as publishers have to examine many manuscripts and can take weeks and even months to decide. The quote also implies that the author has to wait patiently for the publisher's reaction, which can be a tough and frustrating process. It is a pointer that the publishing procedure can be sluggish and unpredictable, and that authors ought to be gotten ready for a long wait before they hear back from the publisher.