Rossetti’s “own share” in this work consisted of the writing of the supplementary chapter (left by Gilchrist, with one or two unimportant passages merely, at the beginning), and the editing of the poems. When there arose, subsequently, some idea of my reviewing the book, Rossetti wrote me the following letter, full of disinterested solicitude: You will be quite delighted with an essay on Blake by Jas. Smetham, which occurs in vol ii.; it is a noble thing; and at the stupendous design called _Plague_ (vol. i.). I have extracted a passage properly belonging to the same essay, which is as fine as English _can_ be, and which I am sorry to perceive (I think) that Mrs. G. has omitted from the body of the essay because quoted in another place. This essay is no less than a masterpiece. I wrote the supplementary chapter (vol. i.), except a few opening paragraphs by Gilchrist,--and in it have now made some mention of Smetham, an old and dear friend of mine. You will admire Shields’s paper on the wonderful series of Young’s _Night Thoughts_. My brother and I both helped in this new edition, but I added little to what I had done before. I brought forward a portentous series of passages about one “Scofield” in Blake’s _Jerusalem_, but did not otherwise write that chapter, except as regards the illustrations. However, don’t mention what I have done (in case you write on the subject) except so far as the indices show it, and of course I don’t wish to be put forward at all. What I do wish is, that you should say everything that can be gratifying to Mrs. G. as to her husband’s work. There is a plate of Blake’s Cottage by young Gilchrist which is truly excellent. As I have already said, Rossetti traversed the bypaths of English literature (particularly of English poetry) as few can ever have traversed them. A favourite work with him was Gilfillan’s _Less-Read British Poets_, a copy of which had been presented by Miss Boyd. He says: Did you ever read Christopher Smart’s _Song to David_, the only great _accomplished_ poem of the last century? The accomplished ones are Chatterton’s,--of course I mean earlier than Blake or Coleridge, and without reckoning so exceptional a genius as Burns.... You will find Smart’s poem a masterpiece of rich imagery, exhaustive resources, and reverberant sound. It is to be met with in Gilfillan’s _Specimens of the Less-Read British Poets_ (3 vols. Nichol, Edin., 1860)....