From an exercise on the use of the subjunctive. Beyond this point my Spanish will not carry me. Compulsory Greek, acting on a fine natural stupidity, deprived me early of all power of learning languages. I envy my children who chatter to the servants in what is good enough Canario, though I doubt it being Castilian. My voyage was abominable. I am driven into the second class. I like second class _men_ (not women): they are often very interesting people who have seen odd things and been in strange places--but a cabin close to the screw is bad and sleep was out of the question. Two lines of F. Myers (have I got them rightly) got into my head and set themselves to the accompanying noises:--"doubting if any recompense hereafter waits to atone the intolerable wrong?" But this was faithlessness--it is all atoned by a few hours of this glorious sunshine. Already I am regenerate and a new man.... Do you know Paul Bourget's _L'Étape_? It is not great but it served to kill some bad hours. And do you know Huysman? He looks to me like a debauchee who has turned himself into a ritualistic curate and is very sweet upon his highly artificial style. I am now tackling _Gil Blas_ in the classical Spanish translation which some say is better than the original. My house of call is Quiney's but I am up country at a place called Tafira. TO FREDERICK POLLOCK. CASA VERDA, TAFIRA. _17 Jan. 1903._ Your letter about Paris is to hand. Well I envy you. Yours are the joys that I should have liked if I had my choice--but I must not complain, for I am having a superlatively good time. I don't exactly know why it is but the sun makes all the difference to me--I live here and don't live in England. I am even beginning to boast of my powers as a hill rider: but if ever I come here again I shall bring a machine with a very low gear and a free wheel: that is what you want if you live half way up a road that rises pretty steadily for 21 kilometres to 2600 feet. My friend Bennett who has vast experience recommends a gear of 50 for such work.