Oh, it’s a fine language, and must have fine lils in it!

* * * * *

TO MRS. JELF.

Ecclesfield. Oct. 10, 1882.

MY DEAREST MARNY,

Your dear, kind letter was very pleasant sweetmeat and encouragement.  I am deeply pleased you like the end of “Laetus”—­and feel it to the point—­and that my polishings were not in vain!  I polished that last scene to distraction in “the oak room” at Offcote!

I should very much like to hear how it hits the General.  I think “Pavilions” (as my Yorkshire Jane used to call civilians!) may get a little mixed, and not care so much for the points.  Some who have been rather extra kind about it are—­Lady W——­ (but yesterday she amusingly insisted that she had lived in camp ——­ at Wimbledon!!)—­the Fursdons and “Stella Austin,” author of Stumps, etc.—­(literary “civilians” who think it the best thing I have ever done), and two young barristers who have been reading it aloud to each other in the Temple—­with tears.  And yet I fancy many non-military readers may get mixed.  P. vouchsafes no word of it to me, but I hear from D. (under the veil of secrecy!) that he and Mr. Anstruther read it together in Egypt with much approval.  I am more pleased by military than non-military approval.  Old Aldershottians would so easily spot blunders and bad taste!!!  Mrs. Murray wrote to me this morning about it—­and of course wished they were back in dear old Aldershot!

You make me very egotistical, but I DO wish you to tell me what you, and Aunty, and Madre think of “Sunflowers and a Rushlight,” when you read it.  I fear it has rather scandalized my Aunt, who is staying with us.  She is obviously shocked at the plain-speaking about drains and doctors, and thinks that part ought to have been in an essay—­not in a child’s tale.  I am a little troubled, and should really like (what is seldom soothing!) a candid opinion from each of you.  You know how I think the riding some hobbies takes the fine edge off the mind, and if you think I am growing coarse in the cause of sanitation—­I beseech you to tell me!  As to putting the teaching into an essay—­the crux there is that the people one wants to stir up about sanitation are just good family folk with no special literary bias; and they will read a tale when they won’t read an essay!  But do tell me if any one of you feel that the subject grates, or my way of putting it.