nsurpassable。
All through the book there are points which I have noted for the highest praise； the three white fingers on Ustane’s hair； the dream about the skeletons； the meeting of the Living and the Dead； the Statue of Truth — these are only a few of the really marvellous things that the book contains。 I was a great admirer and； as you know； a warm weler of “King Solomon’s Mines；” but I confess that exceedingly picturesque and ingenious book did not prepare me for “She”； and I do not know what to say； of hope or fear； about any future book of adventure of yours。 I don’t know what is to be imagined beyond the death of Ayesha。
Accept again my thanks for the gift of your book； which I put among my treasures； and now the expression of my sincere and cordial admiration。
Yours most truly；
Edmund Gosse。
P。S。 — May I say； without impertinence； I think the style strikes me as a vast improvement upon that of “K。S。M。”？
To turn to something humorous — I find the following in the handwriting of the late Rev。 W。 J。 Loftie； headed “SHE” in large letters。
Are you acquainted with the story of the lady who wrote poetry？ She had begun an epic —
“Man was made innocent and good； but he” —
when a visitor called。 She left the paper on the table： the visitor came in； waited a little and departed。 When she returned she found the couplet pleted：
“Man was made innocent and good； but he —
Would doubtless have continued so — but SHE！”
Well； “She” came out and was a great success。 On March 15th Charles Longman wrote to me in Egypt：
I am glad to tell you that “She” keeps on selling capitally。 We have printed 25；000 already； and have ordered another 5000； and I do not think we shall have many left when the printers deliver them。 。 。 。 Last week we sold over 1000 copies！
This was a large number as books sold in those days； when people were not accustomed to buying novels in one volume； having been in the habit of borrowing them from the library in three。 Moreover； from that day to this the sale of “She” has never ceased； whilst in America it was pirated by the hundred thousand。
All the reviews of it were not good； indeed some of them attacked it strongly。 Others； were enthusiastic。 The Times （a review in The Times then； before the days of Literary Supplements； if good； was very valuable） spoke extremely well of it。 The Times reviewer； however； criticises the Greek upon the sherd。 Had he known that it was the work of Dr。 Holden； one of the best Greek scholars of the day； he might have preferred to leave it unquestioned。 Here is the doctor’s letter on the subject； written from the Athenaeum in March 1886。
Dear Haggard； — Your task is not quite so big as one of the labours of Hercules； but by no means easy without further data。 Do you want the Greek to be such as to deceive the learned world into thinking that it is no forgery； but a genuine bit of antiquity？ If so； the style will have to be taken into account： it won’t do to imitate Herodotus； though it is just the bit suitable for his style； because of the date B。C。 200。
Anyhow； I am just going down to Harrow to examine the Sixth Form for Scholarships； and shall be fully occupied there for a fortnight。 I hope therefore you are not in any particular hurry： if so； I must return you your MS。； which I cannot do justice to without some further consideration of the subject。
Yours sincerely；
H。 A。 Holden。
That my old master did consider it very thoroughly I know for a fact。 I remember his telling me that he would have liked to be able to give six months to study before he ventured on this particular piece of Greek。 I said that with all his great learning this was surely unnecessary。
“My dear boy；” he answered； “I have been soaking myself in the classics for over forty years； and I am just beginning to learn how little I know about them！”
In the same way the black…letter； mediaeval Latin inscription and the old English translation thereof； etc。； were the work of my late friend； Dr。 Raven； who was a very great authority on monkish Latin and mediaeval English。
Twenty years later； the time that I had always meant to elapse； I wrote a sequel under the title of “Ayesha； or The Return of She。” Of course； although successful in a way； it was more or less pooh…poohed and neglected on the principle that sequels must always be of no worth。
Of the scores of letters which I received about “She” from correspondents personally unknown to me； the following is perhaps one of the most curious。 It is written from the Electric…Technical Factory of Messrs。 Ganz and Co。； Budapest。
Dear Sir； — In explanation of the following lines please to learn that during the course of the last few weeks； we； whose signatures you will find adjoined； have had the pleasure of reading your celebrated novel； “She。”
Despite our various tastes； characters and nationalities we have； one and all； taken a most lively interest in your story。
It appears that each of us found in it a something which appealed to his sympathies； to one the ethnographical and topographical descriptions may have given satisfaction； to another the frequently occurring remembrances of athletic sports； in a third； perhaps； sweet memories of bygone classical studies have been awakened。
The last time we dined in pany it was decided that we should proffer to you； in humble acknowledgment of our respect and thanks； our united most hearty good wishes for your happiness； contentment and general well…being； with the hope that you may be spared to enrich your fellow…creatures and ing generations with the fair products of your fertile mind。
We beg you； dear sir； to believe us；
Yours faithfully；
A。 Damek； Crawford； C。 Horstek；
German； Scotchman； Englishman；
S。 Jordan； E。 Poesetzlin； L。 Stark；
Frenchman； Swiss； Hungarian；
Electrical Engineers。
This； I think； was a very satisfactory letter for an author to receive。
Chapter 11 EGYPT
Leave for Egypt — Reincarnation — Boulak Museum — Excavations — Removal of mummies — Nofertari — Adventure in tomb — Mr。 Brownrigg’s danger on Pyramid — Cyprus — Article on “Fiction” — “Jess” — Home by long sea — “Cleopatra” — “Colonel Quaritch； V。C。” — Press attacks — Publishing arrangements — Lang’s advice — “Cleopatra” dedicated to H。 R。 H。‘s mother — Her death — Savile Club — Thomas Hardy — H。 R。 H。 weary of writing novels — Lang’s encouragement — Allan Quatermain and Umslopogaas — Winston Churchill’s approval — Letters from W。 E。 Henley — “Maiwa’s Revenge” — “Beatrice” — Collaboration with Lang in “The World’s Desire” — Letters from Lang — “The Song of the Bow。”
After “She” had been fairly launched； and the proofs of “Jess” passed for press； I started； in January 1887； on a journey to Egypt。 From a boy ancient Egypt had fascinated me； and I had read everything concerning it on which I could lay hands。 Now I was possessed by a great desire to see it for myself； and to write a romance on the subject of “Cleopatra；” a sufficiently ambitious project。
A friend of mine who is a mystic of the first water amused me very much not long ago by forwarding to me a list of my previous incarnations； or rather of three of them； which had been revealed to him in some mysterious way。 Two of these were Egyptian； one as a noble in the time of Pepi II who lived somewhere about 4000 B。C。； and the second as one of the minor Pharaohs。 In the third； according to him； I was a Norseman of the seventh century； who was one of the first to sail to the Nile； whence he returned but to die in sight of his old home。 After that； saith the prophet； I slumbered for twelve hundred years until my present life。
I cannot say that I have been converted to my friend’s perfectly sincere beliefs； since the reincarnation business seems to me to be quite insusceptible of proof。 If it could be proved； how much more interesting it would make our lives。 But that； I think； will never happen； even if it be true that we return again to these glimpses of the moon； which； like everything else； is possible。
Still it is a fact that some men have a strong affinity for certain lands and periods of history； which； of course； may be explained by the circumstance that their direct ancestors dwelt in those lands and at those periods。 Thus I love the Norse people of the saga and presaga times。 But then I have good reason to believe that my forefathers were Danes。 I am； however； unable to trace any Egyptian ancestor — if such existed at all it is too long ago。
However these things may be； with the old Norse and the old Egyptians I am at home。 I can enter into their thoughts and feelings； I can even understand their theologies。 I have a respect for Thor and Odin； I venerate Isis； and always feel inclined to bow to the moon！
Whatever the reason； I seem to myself to understand the Norse folk of anywhere about 800 A。D。 and the Egyptians from Menes down to the Ptolemaic period； much better than I understand the people of the age in which I live。 They are more familiar to me。 They interest me much more。 For instance； I positively loathe the Georgian period； about which I can never even bring myself to read。 On the other hand； I have the greatest sympathy with savages； Zulus for instance； with whom I always got on extremely well。 Perhaps my mystical friend has left a savage incarnation out of his list。
For these reasons I know well that I could never be a success as a modern novelist。 I can see the whole thing； it goes on under my eyes； and as a magistrate and in other ways I am continually in touch with it。 I could write of it also if I could bring myself to the task。 I would undertake to produce a naturalistic novel that would sell — why should I not do so with my experience？ But the subject bores me too much。 The naturalism I would not mind； but if it is to be truthful it is impossible and； to say the least； unedifying。 The petty social conditions are what bore me。 I know this is not right； but it is a failing in myself； since under all conditions human nature is the same and the true artist should be able to present it with equal power。 But we are as we are made。 Even the great Shakespeare； I observe； sought distant scenes and far…off events for his tragedies； seeking； I presume； to escape the trammels of his time。
To return from this dissertation。 I went to Egypt seeking knowledge and a holiday。 The knoe of it； for when the mind is open and desirous； it absorbs things as a dry sponge does water。 I had an introduction to Brugsch Bey； who was then； I think； the head of the Boulak Museum。 He took me round that heavenly place。 He showed me the mummies of Seti； Rameses； and the rest； and oh！ with what veneration did I look upon them。 He told me； trembling with emotion； of the discovery； then recent； of the great Deir…el…Behari cache of Pharaohs and their treasures。 He said when he got to the bottom of that well and entered the long passage where for tens of centuries had slept the mighty dead； huddled together there to save them from the wicked hands of robbers or enemies； and by the light of torches had read a few of the names upon the coffins； that he nearly fainted with joy； as well he might。 Also he described to me how； when the royal bodies were borne from this resting…place and shipped for conveyance