have attracted the gaze of one who is able to traverse its
widest ranges with so much command. I shall be much pleased
if the plan of calling on me is carried out soon--at any
rate I trust it will be so eventually.... Have you got, or
do you know, my book of translations called _Dante and his
Circle?_ If not, I 'll send you one....

I have been reading again your article on _The Supernatural
in Poetry_. It is truly admirable--such work must soon make
you a place. The dramatic paper I thought suffered from some
immaturity.

It is hardly necessary to say that I was equally delighted with the
warmth of the reception accorded to my essay, and with the revelation
the letters appeared to contain of a sincere and unselfish nature. My
purpose, however, which was a modest one, had been served, and I made
no further attempt to continue the correspondence, least of all did I
expect or desire to originate anything of the nature of a friendship. In
my reply to his note, however, I had asked him to accept the dedication
of a little work of mine, and when, with abundant courtesy, he had
declined to do so on very sufficient grounds, I felt satisfied that
matters between us should rest where they were. It is a pleasing
recollection, nevertheless, that Rossetti himself had taken a different
view of the relation that had grown up between us, and by many generous
appeals induced me to put by all further thoughts of abandoning the
correspondence out of regard for him. There had ensued an interval in
which I did not write to him, whereupon he addressed to me a hurried
note, saying:

Let me have a line from you. I am haunted by the idea, that
in declining the dedication, I may have hurt you. I assure
you I should be proud to be associated in any way with your
work, but gave you my very reasons.

I shall be pleased if you do not think them sufficient, and
still carry out your original intention.... At least write
to me.

I replied to this letter (containing, as it did, the expression of so
much more than the necessary solicitude), by saying that I too had been
haunted, but it had been by the fear that I had been asking too much
of his attention. As to the dedication, so far from feeling hurt, by
Rossetti's declining it, I had grown to see that such was the only
course that remained to him to take. The terms in which he had replied
to my offer of it (so fa