he idea here discussed of a further series of essays to be
contributed to Scribner's Magazine was never carried out.

_S.S. Janet Nicoll, off Peru Island, Kingsmills
Group, July 13th, '90._

MY DEAR BURLINGAME,--I am moved to write to you in the matter of the end
papers. I am somewhat tempted to begin them again. Follow the reasons
_pro_ and _con_:--

1st. I must say I feel as if something in the nature of the end paper
were a desirable finish to the number, and that the substitutes of
occasional essays by occasional contributors somehow fail to fill the
bill. Should you differ with me on this point, no more is to be said.
And what follows must be regarded as lost words.

2nd. I am rather taken with the idea of continuing the work. For
instance, should you have no distaste for papers of the class called
_Random Memories_, I should enjoy continuing them (of course at
intervals), and when they were done I have an idea they might make a
readable book. On the other hand, I believe a greater freedom of choice
might be taken, the subjects more varied and more briefly treated, in
somewhat approaching the manner of Andrew Lang in the _Sign of the
Ship_; it being well understood that the broken sticks[34] method is one
not very suitable (as Colonel Burke would say) to my genius, and not
very likely to be pushed far in my practice. Upon this point I wish you
to condense your massive brain. In the last lot I was promised, and I
fondly expected to receive, a vast amount of assistance from intelligent
and genial correspondents. I assure you, I never had a scratch of a pen
from any one above the level of a village idiot, except once, when a
lady sowed my head full of grey hairs by announcing that she was going
to direct her life in future by my counsels. Will the correspondents be
more copious and less irrelevant in the future? Suppose that to be the
case, will they be of any use to me in my place of exile? Is it possible
for a man in Samoa to be in touch with the great heart of the People?
And is it not perhaps a mere folly to attempt, from so hopeless a
distance, anything so delicate as a series of papers? Upon these points,
perpend, and give me the results of your perpensions.

3rd. The emolument would be agreeable to your humble servant.

I have now stated all the _pros_, and the most of the _cons_ are come in
by the way. There follows, however, one immense Con (with a capital
"C"), which I beg you to consid