第49部分(第5/7 頁)

laway。　。　。　。　It　is　worth　an　infinite　number　of　Cleopatras；　partly　because　you　are　at　home　in　the　North。　I　wouldn’t　let　anyone　peddle　it　about；　or　show　people；　but　stick　to　someone　like　Longman；　if　it　were　mine。

And　again：

I　suppose　Ingram　must　see　it；17；　but　I　wish　it　could　appear　tomorrow　in　a　book。　parisons　are　odious；　and　I　understand　your　preferring　“Cleopatra。”　People　inevitably　prefer　what　gives　them　most　serious　labour。　But　it’s　a　natural　gift　that　really　does　the　trick。　I　bet　a　pound　George　Eliot　preferred　“Romola”　and　“Daniel　Deronda”　to　“Scenes　of　Clerical　Life。”　I　have　a　hideous　conscience　which　knows　that　a　ballad　or　a　leading　article　are　the　best　things　I’ve　done；　though　I’d　prefer　to　prefer　“Helen　of　Troy。”　But　she’s　a　bandbox。

17　From　the　Illustrated　London　News。　—　Ed。

The　last　letter　that　I　can　find　of　Lang’s　which　has　to　do　with　“Eric　Brighteyes”　was　evidently　written　in　answer　to　one　from　myself　in　which　I　must　have　shown　depression　at　certain　criticisms　that　he　made　verbally　or　otherwise　upon　the　book。

Bosh！　It　is　a　rattling　good　story！　But　I　am　trying　to　read　it　as　critically　as　I　can；　and　I　am　rather　fresh　from　saga…reading。　This　makes　me　see　more　clearly　than　other　people　the　immense　difficulty　in　bining　a　saga　with　a　story　of　love；　which；　except　in　the　“Volsunga；”　where　the　man　was　one　of　the　foremost　geniuses　in　the　world；　they　never　attempted。　Other　people　won’t　read　it　like　that；　and　it　is　not　right　that　it　should　be　read　in　that　way。　Done　in　my　way　it　would　be　rather　pedantry　than　literature；　but　I　am　a　born　pedant。　It　is　chock　full　of　things　nobody　else　could　have　done：　indeed　nobody　else　could　have　done　any　of　it。　The　Saevuna　part　is　excellent：　I　only　doubted　whether；　for　effect；　her　cursing　speech　should　n