
Yesterday your post-card & your very welcome books reached me. I spent a good part
of the day over Two Rivulets, the Preface, & the Memoranda of the War,
& was not far from you, I think, in feeling, however separated in place. I seem to see some gains from the
illness which has grieved us. Tones & tints have passed from it into your writings which add to their
comprehensiveness & their truth & tenderness. At the same time I hold to L. of G.
& accept it,—taking it as a whole,—with entire satisfaction. It seems to me more for the soul, &
for things beyond physiology than you, contrasting it with your projected songs more specially for the soul,
quite recognize. The non-moral parts of it, such parts as simply are the "tally" of nature are taken
up into other portions of L. of G. & are spiritualized; & each part belongs
to the other. In L. of G. I find a complete man, not body alone, or chiefly, but body
& soul. That its direct tendency (& not alone its indirect) is to invigorate
& reinforce the soul I feel assured. But in contrast to the pride & buoyancy, & resonant tones of
L. of G. the tenderer, more penetrating, more mystic & withdrawn tones of
Passage to India, & of the recent poems & prose seem to
me to be a gain, as serving the same, & not other, purposes but for other moments,
other moods & natures,—& I think many of your future readers may gain an entrance to your earlier
writings through your later & that for some persons this will be the fittest way—
At present I have little doubt you ought not to set yourself to any brain-work,
but at the same time you ought not to think of ceasing to write, for every now & again the mood will come,
& you will write something as admirable as anything you have written heretofore. Your friends here want to
think of you as free from all pressure to write, & anxieties about material well-being, with your spirit
open to all pleasant & good influences the Earth, & the Season, & your own thoughts bring to you.
The Newspaper paragraph you sent Rossetti & me has made us
fear it may not be so with you, & we remain in suspense as to whether we might not make some move which would
relieve us from some of this dissatisfied feeling on your behalf. Ought it not to be a duty, too, of—not the
American public to recognize your gift to America as a writer but—the American Government to recognize your
services, as of one who saved the lives, & lightened the sufferings of many American citizens—It would be
honourable to the Government & to you. I write knowing little of the actual probability of this, but I believe
in England we would be careful of such a voluntary public servant.
We are all well, my wife & children & I.
Always affectionately yours Edward Dowden