ou will give us
some others of those surprising masterpieces where there is more
sustained eloquence and harmony of English numbers than in all that has
been written since; there is a machine about a poetical young lady,[33]
and another about either Charles or James, I know not which; and they
are both indescribably fine. (Is Marvell's Horatian Ode good enough? I
half think so.) But my great point is a fear that you are one of those
who are unjust to our old Tennyson's Duke of Wellington. I have just
been talking it over with Symonds; and we agreed that whether for its
metrical effects, for its brief, plain, stirring words of portraiture,
as--he "that never lost an English gun," or--the soldier salute; or for
the heroic apostrophe to Nelson; that ode has never been surpassed in
any tongue or time. Grant me the Duke, O Weg! I suppose you must not put
in yours about the warship; you will have to admit worse ones,
however.--Ever yours,

R. L. S.

TO EDMUND GOSSE

_Hotel Belvedere, Davos, Dec. 19, 1880._

This letter is a report of a long sederunt, also steterunt, in small
committee at Davos Platz, Dec. 15, 1880. Its results are
unhesitatingly shot at your head.

MY DEAR WEG,--We both insist on the Duke of Wellington. Really it cannot
be left out. Symonds said you would cover yourself with shame, and I
add, your friends with confusion, if you leave it out. Really, you know
it is the only thing you have, since Dryden, where that irregular odic,
odal, odous (?) verse is used with mastery and sense. And it's one of
our few English blood-boilers.

(2) Byron: if anything: _Prometheus_.

(3) Shelley (1) _The World's Great Age_ from Hellas; we are both dead
on. After that you have, of course, _The West Wind_ thing. But we think
(1) would maybe be enough; no more than two any way.

(4) Herrick. _Meddowes_ and _Come, my Corinna_. After that _Mr. Wickes_:
two any way.

(5) Leave out stanza 3rd of Congreve's thing, like a dear; we can't
stand the "sigh" nor the "peruke."

(6) Milton. _Time_ and the _Solemn Music_. We both agree we would rather
go without L'Allegro and Il Penseroso than these; for the reason that
these are not so well known to the brutish herd.

(7) Is the _Royal George_ an ode, or only an elegy? It's so good.

(8) We leave Campbell to you.

(9) If you take anything from Clough, but we don't either of us fancy
you will, let it be _Come back_.

(10) Quite right about Dry