MY DEAR COLVIN,--Thanks for your letter, I too am in such a state of business that I know not when to find the time to write. Look here--Seeley does not seem to me to have put that paper of mine in this month; so I remain unable to pay you; which is a sad pity and must be forgiven me. What am I doing? Well I wrote my second _John Knox_, which is not a bad piece of work for me; begun and finished ready for press in nine days. Then I have since written a story called _King Matthias's Hunting Horn_, and I am engaged in finishing another called _The Two Falconers of Cairnstane_. I find my stories affect me rather more perhaps than is wholesome. I have only been two hours at work to-day, and yet I have been crying and am shaking badly, as you can see in my handwriting, and my back is a bit bad. They give me pleasure though, quite worth all results. However I shall work no more to-day. I am to get £1000 when I pass Advocate, it seems; which is good. O I say, will you kindly tell me all about the bust of Clytie. * * * * * Then I had the wisdom to stop and look over Japanese picture books until lunch time. Well, tell me all about Clytie, how old is it, who did it, what's it about, etc. Send it on a sheet that I can forward without indiscretion to another, as I desire the information for a friend whom I wish to please. Now, look here. When I have twelve stories ready--these twelve-- A / I. The Devil on Cramond Sands l | (needs copying about half). l | | II. The Curate of Anstruther's Bottle S | (needs copying altogether). c < o | III. The Two Falconers of Cairnstane t | (wants a few pages). c | h | IV. Strange Adventures of Mr. Nehemiah Solny . \ (wants reorganisation). V. King Matthias's Hunting Horn (all ready). VI. Autolycus at Court (in gremio). VII. The Family of Love (in gremio). VIII. The Barrel Organ (all ready). IX. The Last Sinner (wants copying). X. Margery Bonthron (wants a few pages). XI. Martin's Madonna (in gremio). XII. Life and Death (all ready). --when I have these twelve ready, should I not do better to try to get a publisher for them, call them _A Book of Stories_ and put a good dedicatory letter at the fore end of them. I should get less coin than by going into magazines perhaps; but I should also get more notice, should I not? and so, do better for myself in the long run. Now, should I not? Besides a book with boards is a book with boards, even if it bain't a very fat one and has no references to Ammianus Marcellinus and German critics at the foot of the pages. On all this, I shall want your serious advice. I am sure I shall stand or fall by the stories; and you'll think so too, when you see those poor excrescences the two John Knox and Women games. However, judge for yourself and be prudent on my behalf, like a good soul.