and have sate down in this chair, and never had the courage to
undergo the pull.

This tooth is an allegory (I mean _this_ one). It's your poem that you
sent me months ago, and who am I to refuse the poems of Elizabeth
Browning and set myself up as a judge over her? I can't tell you how
often I have been going to write and have failed. You see that our
Magazine is written not only for men and women but for boys, girls,
infants, sucklings almost; and one of the best wives, mothers, women in
the world writes some verses which I feel certain would be objected to
by many of our readers. Not that the writer is not pure, and the moral
most pure, chaste, and right, but there are things _my_ squeamish public
will not hear on Monday, though on Sundays they listen to them without
scruple. In your poem, you know, there is an account of unlawful
passion, felt by a man for a woman, and though you write pure doctrine,
and real modesty, and pure ethics, I am sure our readers would make an
outcry, and so I have not published this poem.

To have to say no to my betters is one of the hardest duties I have, but
I'm sure we must not publish your verses, and I go down on my knees
before cutting my victim's head off, and say, 'Madam, you know how I
respect and regard you, Browning's wife and Penini's mother; and for
what I am going to do I most humbly ask your pardon.'

My girls send their very best regards and remembrances, and I am, dear
Mrs. Browning,

Always yours,

W.M. THACKERAY.

* * * * *

Mrs. Browning's answer follows.

* * * * *

_To W.M. Thackeray_

Rome, 126 Via Felice: April 21, [1861].

Dear Mr. Thackeray,--Pray consider the famous 'tooth' (a wise tooth!) as
extracted under chloroform, and no pain suffered by anybody.

To prove that I am not sulky, I send another contribution, which may
prove too much, perhaps--and, if you think so, dispose of the
supererogatory virtue by burning the manuscript, as I am sure I may rely
on your having done with the last.

I confess it, dear Mr. Thackeray, never was anyone turned out of a room
for indecent behaviour in a more gracious and conciliatory manner! Also,
I confess that from your 'Cornhill' standpoint (paterfamilias looking
on) you are probably right ten times over. From mine, however, I may not
be wrong, and I appeal to you as the deep man you are, whether it is not
the higher mood, which on Sunday bea