nfinitely sorry
if it came to pass--I do not mean for us, that were otiose--but for the
poor, deluded schoolboys, who should hope to gain by such a step.

_Letter resumed, June 20th._--No diary this time. Why? you ask. I have
only sent out four Letters, and two chapters of _The Wrecker_. Yes, but
to get these I have written 132 pp., 66,000 words in thirty days; 2200
words a day; the labours of an elephant. God knows what it's like, and
don't ask me, but nobody shall say I have spared pains. I thought for
some time it wouldn't come at all. I was days and days over the first
letter of the lot--days and days writing and deleting and making no
headway whatever, till I thought I should have gone bust; but it came at
last after a fashion, and the rest went a thought more easily, though I
am not so fond as to fancy any better.

Your opinion as to the Letters as a whole is so damnatory that I put
them by. But there is a "hell of a want of" money this year. And these
Gilbert Island papers, being the most interesting in matter, and forming
a compact whole, and being well illustrated, I did think of as a
possible resource.

It would be called

_Six Months in Melanesia,
Two Island Kings,
---- Monarchies,
Gilbert Island Kings,
---- Monarchies_,

and I dare say I'll think of a better yet--and would divide thus:--

_Butaritari_

I. A Town Asleep.
II. The Three Brothers.
III. Around our House.
IV. A Tale of a Tapu.
V. The Five Days' Festival.
VI. Domestic Life--(which might be omitted, but not well, better be
recast).

_The King of Apemama_

VII. The Royal Traders.
VIII. Foundation of Equator Town.
IX. The Palace of Mary Warren.
X. Equator Town and the Palace.
XI. King and Commons.
XII. The Devil Work Box.
XIII. The Three Corslets.
XIV. Tail piece; the Court upon a Journey.

I wish you to watch these closely, judging them as a whole, and treating
them as I have asked you, and favour me with your damnatory advice. I
look up at your portrait, and it frowns upon me. You seem to view me
with reproach. The expression is excellent; Fanny wept when she saw it,
and you know she is not given to the melting mood. She seems really
better; I have a touch of fever again, I fancy overwork, and to-day,
when I have overtaken my letters, I shall blow on my pipe. Tell Mrs.
Sitwell I have been playing _Le Chant d'Amour_ lately, and have arranged
it, after awful trouble