er particularly. I fear that, to be of
any use for your magazine, these papers should begin with the beginning
of a volume. Even supposing my hands were free, this would be now
impossible for next year. You have to consider whether, supposing you
have no other objection, it would be worth while to begin the series in
the middle of a volume, or desirable to delay the whole matter until
the beginning of another year.

Now supposing that the _cons_ have it, and you refuse my offer, let me
make another proposal, which you will be very inclined to refuse at the
first off-go, but which I really believe might in time come to
something. You know how the penny papers have their answers to
correspondents. Why not do something of the same kind for the
"culchawed"? Why not get men like Stimson, Brownell, Professor James,
Goldwin Smith, and others who will occur to you more readily than to me,
to put and to answer a series of questions of intellectual and general
interest, until at last you should have established a certain standard
of matter to be discussed in this part of the Magazine?

I want you to get me bound volumes of the Magazine from its start. The
Lord knows I have had enough copies; where they are I know not. A
wandering author gathers no magazines.

_The Wrecker_ is in no forrader state than in last reports. I have
indeed got to a period when I cannot well go on until I can refresh
myself on the proofs of the beginning. My respected collaborator, who
handles the machine which is now addressing you, has indeed carried his
labours farther, but not, I am led to understand, with what we used to
call a blessing; at least, I have been refused a sight of his latest
labours. However, there is plenty of time ahead, and I feel no anxiety
about the tale, except that it may meet with your approval.

All this voyage I have been busy over my _Travels_, which, given a very
high temperature and the saloon of a steamer usually going before the
wind, and with the cabins in front of the engines, has come very near to
prostrating me altogether. You will therefore understand that there are
no more poems. I wonder whether there are already enough, and whether
you think that such a volume would be worth the publishing? I shall hope
to find in Sydney some expression of your opinion on this point. Living
as I do among--not the most cultured of mankind ("splendidly educated
and perfect gentlemen when sober")--I attach a growing importance to