SEA-FOAM (Chefoo, N. China).—Many thanks for your modest and interesting letter. We regret the delay in offering criticism upon your poems, but can now say that they are very thoughtful, and are not marked by any of the blemishes in construction which we have often to point out to our correspondents. Blank verse, however, is a difficult medium for the novice, and we think “The Rainbow” is your most successful effort. The idea expressed in “Influence” is very good. On p. 2 you use “e’en yet” and “still” together. Only one of the expressions is necessary. You also use “lives” and “endeth” with the same nominative. You should either say “liveth” and “endeth,” or “lives” and “ends.” Never let your words be obviously shaped by the length of a line. “An unspoken thought” is striking. We should advise you to study the laws of versification, and to persevere, selecting some other metre, to begin with, than the ambitious blank verse. ONE BY ONE.—We repeat our apology to you. Your sketch of Teddie is pathetic, but shows, as you yourself observe, that you have not studied the laws of composition. On the first page there are far too many “ands,” and it is better not to write of “the joyous little birdies with their bright plumage and their sweet, sweet notes.” (We do not think that the English song-birds are remarkable for gay plumage.) You should procure Dr. Abbot’s little book _How to Write Clearly_, and read a good deal of good prose and poetry. LOUISA GREGORY.—You need to study writing and spelling before you attempt to compose stories. We advise you daily to copy some extract for the sake of learning to spell, and also to practise writing in a copy-book, to teach you to form your letters correctly. INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENCE. MARIQUITA, aged 14, wishes to correspond with a French girl about her own age, each writing in the other’s language; the letters would be corrected and returned. Address, 33, Hawthorn Bank, Marslands Road, Sale, near Manchester. A BUSH GIRL, Queensland, Australia, would like to correspond with “AN ANXIOUS ONE” and “ARMENIAN SWEET SEVENTEEN,” Smyrna. Will they forward us their addresses for “A BUSH GIRL” to see? MISS GERTRUDE DICKSON, King Street, Bangalore, Mysore, India, will be glad to correspond with Miss François. We published the latter’s address, so Miss Dickson might have written direct. She is a collector of stamps; and, if Miss François has found a correspondent—which is probable—would be glad to hear in English from any other reader of THE GIRL’S OWN PAPER. A PROPINQUER, who collects foreign view post-cards, would be very glad to exchange some with “O MIMOSA SAN,” if she will send her address. MISS QUEENIE CLARKE, Hillside House, Rawtenstall, Manchester, would like to correspond in French with MISS GIGIA RICCIARDI (March). LIZZIE VAN REES, aged 17, Hilversum, Holland, wishes to correspond with GRETE FROMBERG, Berlin, and with an English girl of her own age.