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。 。 。 It is a fine； stirring； effective story； but with all its power and dexterity it is not the book which will determine your eventual place in the annals of literature。 You will write that book some ten years hence； when I shall be resting under the violets； and when you are enjoying the fullness of your triumph； you will perhaps give me a kindly thought and say； “The old man was right。” In a line； it is no small thing to have thrown off “Beatrice；” but you will do something much greater when “you’ve e to forty year。” The story strengthens my confidence in you； though it falls short of all I hoped for you。 This is not damning with faint praise。
Ever yours；
J。 C。 J。
Alas！ that wondrous work of fiction which Cordy Jeaffreson anticipated never was and never will be written by me。 Be it good or be it bad； the best that I can do in the lines of romance and novel…writing is to be found among the first dozen or so of the books that I wrote； say between “King Solomon’s Mines” and “Montezuma’s Daughter。” Also I would add this。 A man’s mind does not always remain the same。 People are apt to say of any individual writer that he has gone off； whereas the truth may be merely that he has changed； and that his abilities are showing themselves in another form。 Now； as it happens in my own case； in the year 1891 I received a great shock； also subsequently for a long period my health was bad。 Although from necessity I went on with the writing of stories； and 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 results from those recorded in the book。 These stories troubled me so much — since I had never dreamed of such an issue to a tale with a different moral — that I wished to suppress the book； and wrote to Charles Longman suggesting that this should be done； also I took counsel with Lang and other friends。 They thought me extremely foolish； and were rather indignant about the business。 Longman’s views are expressed in such of his letters as I can find dealing with the matter； only he added that； even if there had been any reason for it； it was not possible to suppress a book so widely known； especially after it had been pirated in America。 Lang’s letters I have not time to find at present； but I remember that they were to the same effect。 Here are those from Longman； or as much of them as is pertinent。
39 Paternoster Row：
November 28； 1894。
My dear Rider； — I will get hold of the Saturday Review and Spectator reviews of “Beatrice。” I have not heard anything from Liverpool yet about that person； but I will let you hear as soon as I can。 I will not write fully yet on the subject； but I may say that the idea that the character of Beatrice could lead someone into vice is preposterous。 Still less is the example of Bingham likely to throw an unnatural glamour over seduction： in the first place； he was man enough to resist temptation； in the next place； both he and Beatrice were most unmercifully punished。 Do not let this matter worry you。 I assure you there is nothing you need regret。
Longman also wrote：
Christmas Day； 1894。
I like the Preface to “Beatrice” much better as amended。 Lang is quite right： your feelings in the matter did infinite credit to your heart； but you disturbed yourself unnecessarily。 I am glad we inquired into that Liverpool story and pricked the bubble。 I will send you a review of the Preface。 I return Lang’s letter。
I have now found this letter of Lang’s to which Longman refers。 It is dated from St。 Andrews on December 20th； and begins：
You Confounded Ass。 The thing is Rot。 Don’t take it au serieux。 At least that is how it strikes me。 If you must say something； say what I leave in。 The novel seems to me perfectly devoid of moral harm。 There are sill hopes here that the Samoan story is a lie ＇this refers to the death of Stevenson＇。 It has caused me sincere grief； but； at fifty； one seems rather case…hardened。 However； don’t you go and leave the world before me。 R。 L。 S。 had as much pluck； and as kind a heart； as any man that ever lived； and extraordinary charm。
The “Liverpool story” to which Longman refers was； I believe； one of those detailed in the anonymous letters。 Evidently he caused it to be inquired into and found that it was baseless。
The end of the matter was that I went through the tale carefully； modified or removed certain passages that might be taken to suggest that holy matrimony is not always perfect in its working； etc。； and wrote a short preface which may now be read in all the copies printed since that date。
As I have said； the incident disturbed me a good deal； and more or less set me against the writing of novels of modern life。 It is very well to talk about art with a large A； but I have always felt that the author of books which go anywhere and everywhere has some responsibilities。 Therefore I have tried to avoid topics that might inflame even minds which are very ready to be set on fire。
The charge has been brought against me that my pages have breathed war。 I admit it； and on this point am quite unrepentant。 Personally I may say that I have a perfect horror of war； and hope that I may not live to see another in which my country is involved； for it seems to me terrible that human beings should destroy each other； often enough from motives that do not bear examination。 Yet there is such a thing as righteous war； and if my land were invaded I should think poorly of anyone； myself included； who did not fight like a wild…cat。 I am not even sure that I would not