To William Cullen Bryant, Esq.
SHEFFIELD, May 7, 1860.
WELL, did I address you as a poet, Magnus; for none but a poet or a
Welshman could write such a reply. Do you know I am Welsh? So was
Elizabeth, Tudor; so is Fanny Kemble, and other good fellows.
Well, I take your poetry as if it were just as good as prose. But
you don't consider, my dear fellow, that if we make our visit when I
go down to preach for Bellows, that I can't preach for your Orthodox
friend. . . .
Oh, ay, I quite agree with you about leaving the world-melee to others.
For my part, I feel as if I were dead and buried long ago. You said,
awhile ago, that you did n't so well like to work as you once did.
Sensible, [254] that. I feel the same, in my bones--or brains. There it
is, you always say, what I think; except sometimes, when you scathe the
opponents,--for I am tenderhearted. I don't like to have people made
to feel so "bad." Seriously, I wonder that some of you editors are not
beaten to death every month. Ours is a much-enduring society. I could
enlarge, but I have n't time; for I must go and set out some trees--for
posterity.
With our love to your wife and all,
Yours ever,