to E. L. Burlingame

Union Club, Sydney [August 1890].

MY DEAR BURLINGAME,—

Ballads.

The deuce is in this volume.  It has cost me more botheration and dubiety than any other I ever took in hand.  On one thing my mind is made up: the verses at the end have no business there, and throw them down.  Many of them are bad, many of the rest want nine years’ keeping, and the remainder are not relevant—throw them down; some I never want to hear of more, others will grow in time towards decent items in a second Underwoods—and in the meanwhile, down with them!  At the same time, I have a sneaking idea the ballads are not altogether without merit—I don’t know if they’re poetry, but they’re good narrative, or I’m deceived.  (You’ve never said one word about them, from which I astutely gather you are dead set against: ‘he was a diplomatic man’—extract from epitaph of E. L. B.—‘and remained on good terms with Minor Poets.’)  You will have to judge: one of the Gladstonian trinity of paths must be chosen.  (1st) Either publish the five ballads, such as they are, in a volume called Ballads; in which case pray send sheets at once to Chatto and Windus.  Or (2nd) write and tell me you think the book too small, and I’ll try and get into the mood to do some more.  Or (3rd) write and tell me the whole thing is a blooming illusion; in which case draw off some twenty copies for my private entertainment, and charge me with the expense of the whole dream.

In the matter of rhyme no man can judge himself; I am at the world’s end, have no one to consult, and my publisher holds his tongue.  I call it unfair and almost unmanly.  I do indeed begin to be filled with animosity; Lord, wait till you see the continuation of The Wrecker, when I introduce some New York publishers. . . It’s a good scene; the quantities you drink and the really hideous language you are represented as employing may perhaps cause you one tithe of the pain you have inflicted by your silence on, sir, The Poetaster,

R. L. S.

Lloyd is off home; my wife and I dwell sundered: she in lodgings, preparing for the move; I here in the club, and at my old trade—bedridden.  Naturally, the visit home is given up; we only wait our opportunity to get to Samoa, where, please, address me.

Have I yet asked you to despatch the books and papers left in your care to me at Apia, Samoa?  I wish you would, quam primum.

R. L. S.