第50部分(第6/7 頁)

do　so　still；　it　has　not　been　with　the　same　zest。　Active　rather　than　imaginative　life　has　appealed　to　me　more；　and　resulted　in　the　production　of　such　works　as　“Rural　England；”　“A　Farmer’s　Year；”　and　others。　Moreover；　I　have　never　really　cared　for　novel…writing：　romance　has　always　made　a　greater　appeal　to　me。

Here　is　a　letter　from　Lang；　to　whom　I　had　evidently　shown　that　from　Mr。　Jeaffreson　which　is　quoted　above。

I　don’t　agree　much　with　Jeaffreson。　The　book　is　a　promise；　by　its　nature；　and　rather　contains　good　things　than　is　very　good；　to　my　taste；　but　it　is　only　taste；　not　reason。　Lord　knows　what　you　may　write；　or　anybody　read；　in　ten　years。　More　than　sufficient　to　the　day　is　the　evil　thereof。　The　character　of　Geoffrey　goes　against　my　grain；　but　what　he　should　have　been；　to　satisfy　me；　I　don’t　know。

I　imagine　you　missed　your　tip；　by　not　being　born　nine　hundred　years　ago。　I　might　have　been　a　monk　of　Ely；　and　you　might　have　flayed　me　and　posed　a　saga　at　first　hand。　It　would　have　been　a　good　saga；　but　I　could　not　stand　being　flayed；　I　know。　I　am　worried　and　sad　and　seedy；　and　far　from　a　successful　correspondent。　。　。　。　Jeaff。　is　very　kind；　however；　though　not　a　prophet　nor　a　critic；　I　think。　The　former　quality　is　much　better。

Some　years　after　“Beatrice”　was　published　I　was　horrified　to　receive　two　anonymous　or　semi…anonymous　letters　from　ladies　who　alleged　that　their　husbands；　or　the　husbands　of　someone　connected　with　them　—　one　of　them　a　middle…aged　clergyman　—　after　reading　“Beatrice；”　had　made　advances　to　young　ladies　of　that　name；　or　perhaps　the　young　ladies　had　made　advances　to　them　which　they　more　or　less　reciprocated　—　I　forget　the　exact　facts。　Also　I　heard　that　a　gentleman　and　a　lady　had　practised　the　sleep…walking　scene；　with　different　re