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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
？？？Ye gang？
Ye ancient auld blackguard；
Just see whaur ye’re staggered
From Homer to Haggard
？？？And Lang！
3。
In stunt and in strife
To gang seeking a wife —
At your time o’ life
？？？It was wrang。
An’ see！ Fresh afflictions
Into Haggard’s descriptions
An’ the plagues o’ the Egyptians
？？？Ye sprang！
4。
The folk ye’re now in wi’
Are ill to begin wi’
Or to risk a hale skin wi’
？？？In breeks —
They’re blacker and hetter —
（Just ask your begetter）
And far frae bein’ better
？？？Than Greeks。
5。
Ther’s your Meriamun：
She’ll mebbe can gammon
That auld…furrand salmon
？？？Yoursel’；
An’ Moses and Aaron
Will gie ye your fairin’
Wi’ fire an’ het airn
？？？In Hell。
I refuse to continue longer。 I had an excellent half…verse there； but couldn’t get the necessary pendant； and anyway there’s no end to such truck。
Yours；
R。 L。 S。
Now I will turn to my modern novel； “Beatrice。” Oddly enough； Lang liked it； although he says somewhere that he “infinitely prefers” Umslopogaas and Skallagrim。
I have read your chapters of “Beatrice。” Sursum corda： it moves； it has go and plenty of it。 。 。 。 I fear it is a deal more popular line than “The World’s Desire。”
May 8th。
I have read “Beatrice；” and if she interests the public as much as she does me； she’ll do。 But I have marked it a good deal； and would be glad to go through it with you； looking over the scribbled suggestions。 It is too late； but what a good character some male Elizabeth would have been： nosing for dirt； scandal； spite and lies。 He might easily have been worked in； I think。 。 。 。 They ＇i。e。 the hero and heroine＇ are a good deal more in love than Odysseus； Laertes’ son； and Mrs。 Menelaus！ It is odd： usually you “reflect” too much； and yet in this tale； I think； a few extra reflections might have been in place。 I feel a Thackerayan desire to moralise。
Here is another allusion。
A letter I wrote anent B。 was never posted。 I said I did not quite think Geoffrey gave the sense of power； etc。； and that his rudeness to B。 was overdone and cubbish； which you notice yourself。 I think； in volume shape； that might yet be amended。
Miss Marie Corelli writes on June 12； 1890：
If you are still in town； and you would favour me with a call on Sunday afternoon next； about five o’clock； I should be so pleased to reneonths past； when your kindly words made me feel more happy and encouraged me in my uphill clamber！ I saw you from the gallery at the Literary Fund Dinner； and wished I had had the chance of speaking to you。 Your book “Beatrice” is beautiful — full of poetry and deep thought — but I don’t believe the public — that with obstinate pertinacity look to you for a continuation ad infinitum of “King Solomon’s Mines” and “She” — will appreciate it as they ought and as it deserves。 Whenever I see a World and Pall Mall Gazette vulgarly sneering at a work of literature； I conclude that it must be good — exceptionally so！ — and this is generally a correct estimate： it certainly was so concerning “Beatrice。”
Trusting you will e and see me （we are very quiet people and don’t give crushes！）；
Believe me；
Very sincerely yours；
Marie Corelli。
Here is a letter from the late Lady Florence Dixie； whom I first met years before in South Africa； which is interesting as showing that in the year 1890 she held views that since then have bee very mon。 In short； she was a proto…suffragette。
You will； I hope； excuse this letter； and not misunderstand me in what I say。 I have just finished reading your “Beatrice；” and have put it down with a feeling that it is only another book in the many which proclaims the rooted idea in men’s minds that women are born to suffer and work for men； to hide all their natural gifts that man may rule alone。
Does it not strike you that Beatrice — if she had been given equal chances with Geoffrey — would have made a name as great； aye； greater than his？ Yet because she is a woman you will give her no such chance。 You leave her to her useless； aimless； curtailed and wretched life which ends in suicide。 Think you not that Beatrice in Geoffrey’s shoes might have made a great name for good？ Forgive me — but as you can write； why not use your pen to upraise woman； to bid her bee a useful member of society — the true panion and co…mate of man； and they working together shall help to make impossible such miserable victims of a false and unnatural bringing up as Elizabeth and Lady Honoria？ You hold such women up to scorn。 Yet are they the fruit of unnatural laws which men have wrongfully imposed on womankind。 Greatly and in many ways does woman err in all paths of life — but is she entirely to blame？ You men have made her your plaything and slave： she is regarded more in the light of a brood mare than anything else； and if within her narrow sphere she errs； who is to blame？ Not her； believe me； but the false laws that made her what she is。
I have just published a new book； “Gloriana； or； The Revolution of 1900。”
Will you give me the pleasure of accepting a copy if I send you one？ If you read it； you will not misunderstand this letter I hope。
Believe me；
Sincerely yours；
Florence Dixie。
P。S。 — I hope you will excuse me for sending you some papers which will show you that there are some women； and men too； who feel that the cruel position of woman is unbearable。
Alas！ 1900 has e and gone years ago； and the Revolution is still to seek。 But perhaps it is at hand。 At any rate Lady Florence strove manfully for her cause in those early days； if in the circumstances “manfully” is the right word to use。
I find a letter dealing with “Beatrice” from Cordy Jeaffreson； from which I quote an extract：
。 。 。 It is a fine； stirring；