Page:Tex; a chapter in the life of Alexander Teixeira de Mattos (IA texchapterinlife00mcke).pdf/125



''Grackanthorpe or your over advertised American friend Peters. Your annotations to Muddiman's book go some very little distance towards filling this gap, but I think you should undertake something more substantial. For heaven's sake do not call it The History of the Nineties, but is there any reason why you should not—from your memory and without consulting a single work of reference—compile a little book of Notes on the 'Nineties? Make it an informal dictionary of biography, put down all the names of the men associated with that movement at leisure, record about each everything that has not yet appeared in print and correct the occasionally incorrect accounts of other writers. Such a book would be a valuable addition to literary history, it would be amusing and not difficult for you to write, it could be turned to the profit of your reputation and pocket''

For this criticism Teixeira took me to task in his letter of 14. 7. 20.

''And now, Stephen, tremble. How often have I not called you "the wise youth!" How constantly have I not believed you to be filled with knowledge, either acquired or instinctive and intuitive, of most things! And now your letter has disappointed me almost to tears.''