Hayley-XII-7

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Monday Morn
October 21 1781

My dear Sister

Last night brought me your growing Elegy in its fuller Bloom – do not even for a moment suppose that it is possible for me
To cast in like a loathsome weed away –

I scribble in extremest Haste to catch the returning post merely to assure you that so far from having any Idea of suppressing it I am persuaded it will do you great Honour — I am enchanted with many of your additional stanzas & the alterations I should wish to see in it are suggested more from the tender ground you have to pass than from any want of

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Grace or Firmness in your Step

it is rather dangerous to touch on her Ladyships Travels as they exposed her to much ridicule & yet your stanzas on France &c are so beautiful I wish to preserve them & think we may accomplish it & obviate some objections that occur to me on their present mode of Introduction – as I said to you in my scrawl of yesterday I could wish that we might settle all these critical minutiæ by conversation together on account of my Ocular Infirmity & well Knowing that Epistolary Criticism

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is a Source of infinite misapprehension & plague to the patient Author who is generally more embarrassed than Enlightened by it – tho I must confess this sentiment sounds very ungrateful from me after seeing some of my imperfect Hints to you so happily ripened into beautiful verse by the genial Warmth of yr Fancy – but I speak from my own woeful experience as an Author

Tell me then very frankly & by the return of the post whether you wish to dispatch the poem without any unnecessary delays to the Press, or whether you think it may wait, with any advantage, till I can devote myself to

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you & yr Muse at Lichfield which I am inclined to hope may be about the 1st week in december – If you think it may suffer by this delay of publication I will instantly throw on paper as well as I can every thing [sic] that my little judgement & great Affection for you can suggest to me on the present state of the Poem –

Having six miles to send in pursuit of the post who departs from Chichester in the morning I must bid you hastily adieu – excuse a sad Scrawl. Be very honest as well as quick in your reply to my Question & believe me

ever my dr Sister
most cordially yrs
WH.–