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copy of “Jess” and the collection of stories just published； which she is looking forward to reading when she has a little leisure。
With this letter are two copies of the dedication； annotated in the hand of the Empress； for it seems that it was sent to her twice before it was finally settled as it appears in the book。 A few years later； when I was at Homburg for my health； the Empress Frederick asked me to lunch； and I had a long and interesting conversation with her。 As I kept no notes； however； I forget its details。 She impressed me as a singularly charming and able lady。
“Eric” mended itself very much to Lang。 Here is the first thing I can find about it in his letters。
“Eric” begins A1。 I don’t know what about the public； but I love a saga but even too well； especially if it be a bloody one delicately narrated； or a very affectionate thing indeed but brutally set down； as Shakespeare says。 I have only read Chapter I； but it’s the jockey for me。
P。S。 — I have read four chapters； including Golden Falls。 I think it is the best thing you have done； but of course I am saga…fain！ I didn’t think anyone could do it。
Next letter； dated Saturday。
I have got Eric into Swanhild’s toils； and I don’t think I have e to a dull page yet。 I don’t want to flatter； but it literally surprises me that anyone should write such a story nowadays。 Charles Kingsley would have spoiled it by maundering and philosophising。 I have hardly seen a line which is not in keeping yet。 Also the plot is a good natural plot and the characters； except Gudruda； sympathetic。 I think she might be a little less feminine and ill…willy。 As literature I really think it is a masterpiece so far as I have gone。 I’d almost as soon have expected more Homer as more saga。 I don’t think much of the boy who can lay it down till it is finished； women of course can’t be expected to care for it。 Surely it should e out before the “Bow；” which is such a flukey thing； whereas； whatever reviews and people may say； “Eric” is full of the best qualities of poetic ＇？ word doubtful＇ fiction。
Next letter； undated。
The more I consider “Eric；” the more I think that except “Cleopatra；” which you can’t keep back； I’d publish no novel before “Eric。” It is so very much the best of the lot in all ways。 Probably you don’t agree； and the public probably won’t stop to consider； but it is。 I’d like to suggest one or two remarks for a preface — if any。 The discovery of the dead mother and the dialogue with the Carline struck me very much。 Clearly Swanhild needed no witchcraft； and as certainly her natural magic would have been interpreted so — at the time and much later。 Perhaps the final bust…up might be less heavy in the supernatural； but more distinctly represented as the vision of fay men — subjective。 Oddly enough； I found a Zulu parallel today： “I have made me a mat of men to lie on；” says the Zulu berserk when he had killed twenty and the assegais in his body were “like reeds in a marsh。” He is in Callaway。 。 。 。 It is worth an infinite number of Cleopatras； partly because you are at home in the North。 I wouldn’t let anyone peddle it about； or show people； but stick to someone like Longman； if it were mine。
And again：
I suppose Ingram must see it；17； but I wish it could appear tomorrow in a book。 parisons are odious； and I understand your preferring “Cleopatra。” People inevitably prefer what gives them most serious labour。 But it’s a natural gift that really does the trick。 I bet a pound George Eliot preferred “Romola” and “Daniel Deronda” to “Scenes of Clerical Life。” I have a hideous conscience which knows that a ballad or a leading article are the best things I’ve done； though I’d prefer to prefer “Helen of Troy。” But she’s a bandbox。
17 From the Illustrated London News。 — Ed。
The last letter that I can find of Lang’s which has to do with “Eric Brighteyes” was evidently written in answer to one from myself in which I must have shown depression at certain criticisms that he made verbally or otherwise upon the book。
Bosh！ It is a rattling good story！ But I am trying to read it as critically as I can； and I am rather fresh from saga…reading。 This makes me see more clearly than other people the immense difficulty in bining a saga with a story of love； which； except in the “Volsunga；” where the man was one of the foremost geniuses in the world； they never attempted。 Other people won’t read it like that； and it is not right that it should be read in that way。 Done in my way it would be rather pedantry than literature； but I am a born pedant。 It is chock full of things nobody else could have done： indeed nobody else could have done any of it。 The Saevuna part is excellent： I only doubted whether； for effect； her cursing speech should not be terser。 I never read the very end； as it had affected me quite enough before I came to that。 The scene on shipboard is not too like the Wanderer bit ＇in “The World’s Desire” — H。 R。 H。＇； because it is worked out and credible。 The cloak； however； would suffice and be all right； without the replacing of the bonds； which； under the cloak； would be needless。 The other bit； the seduction； is all right in itself： but it is one of the passages which the sages would have slurred； as not interesting to their bloodthirsty public。 I think it may be none the worse for what you have done to it。 Don’t “time heart” about it because of my pedantries。 It is because it is good that I want it to be best。 Skallagrim is always worth his weight in wadmal； whatever wadmal may be。 The death of Groa fetches me less； I don’t know why。 However； if you once don’t think well of it； in the nature of man it is certain to be more excellent； just as one always did well in examinations where one despaired。 It is a queer fact； but it is so。 The style is capital； but I rather think that of “Nada” is still better。 I hope I shall live to review it； or rather that I shall review it if I live。 For heaven’s sake； don’t be disgusted with it； or me because I look at it through a microscope。 If I didn’t my looking at it would be of little use。 None of my things are worth the lens； and the trouble； so I don’t。
Yours ever；
A。 Lang。
“Eric” came out in due course； and did well enough。 Indeed as a book it found； and still continues to find； a considerable body of readers。 My recollection is； however； that it was reviewed simply as a rather spirited and sanguinary tale。 Lang was quite right。 The gentlemen who dispense praise and blame to us poor authors have not； for the most part； made a study of the sagas or investigated the lands where these were enacted。 I wonder if it has ever occurred to the average reader how much the writer of a book which he looks at for an hour or two and throws aside must sometimes need to know； and what long months or years of preparation that knowledge has cost him？ Probably not。 My extended experience of the average reader is that he thinks the author produces these little things in his leisure moments； say when he； the reader； would be smoking his cigarettes； and this without the slightest effort。
To return to “The World’s Desire。” This work also came out in due course； and was violently att