When I am dead, do not let people say of me that I suffered from
misrepresentation and neglect. I was neglected and misrepresented; very
likely not half as much as I supposed but, nevertheless, to some extent
neglected and misrepresented. I growl at this sometimes but, if the
question were seriously put to me whether I would go on as I am or become
famous in my own lifetime, I have no hesitation about which I should
prefer. I will willingly pay the few hundreds of pounds which the
neglect of my works costs me in order to be let alone and not plagued by
the people who would come round me if I were known. The probability is
that I shall remain after my death as obscure as I am now; if this be so,
the obscurity will, no doubt, be merited, and if not, my books will work
not only as well without my having been known in my lifetime but a great
deal better; my follies and blunders will the better escape notice to the
enhancing of the value of anything that may be found in my books. The
only two things I should greatly care about if I had more money are a few
more country outings and a little more varied and better cooked food.
[1882.]
P.S.—I have long since obtained everything that a reasonable man can wish
for. [1895.]