第50部分(第1/8 頁)

To　return　to　“The　World’s　Desire。”　This　work　also　came　out　in　due　course；　and　was　violently　attacked：　so　I　gather　from　Lang’s　letters；　for　I　have　none　of　the　reviews。　All　that　I　remember　about　them　is　the　effort　of　its　assailants　to　discriminate　between　that　part　of　the　work　which　was　written　by　Lang　and　that　part　which　was　written　by　myself　—　an　effort；　I　may　add；　that　invariably　failed。　However；　all　these　things　have　long　gone　by；　and　the　book　remains　and　—　is　read；　by　some　with　enthusiasm。

Here　is　another　note　from　Lang　from　Scotland；　headed　Ravensheugh；　Selkirk；　Friday。

Stevenson　says　he　is　“thrilled　and　chilled”　by　Meriamun。　He　thinks　much　of　it　“too　steep；”　bars　Od（ysseus）　killing　so　many　enemies　—　exactly　what　Longinus　says　of　Homer　—　and　fears　Meriamun　is　likely　to　play　down　Helen。　He　is　kind　enough　to　say　“the　style　is　all　right；”　and　adds　a　poem　on　Odysseus。　I’ll　send　you　the　letter　presently。

I　suppose　that　Lang　did　send　this　letter；　and　that　I　returned　it　to　him。　I　believe　that　subsequently　he　lost　both　the　letter　and　the　poem。　Luckily；　however；　I　took　the　trouble　to　keep　a　copy　of　the　latter；　and　here　it　is。

1。

Awdawcious　Odyshes；

Your　conduc’　is　vicious；

Your　tale　is　suspicious

？？？An’　queer。

Ye　ancient　sea…roamer；

Ye　dour　auld　beach…ber；

Frae　Haggard　to　Homer

？？？Ye　veer。

2。

Sic　veerin’　and　steerin’！

What　port　are　ye　neerin’

As　frae　Egypt　to　Erin