ok　with　you　before　we　skip　—　awfully。　I　think　you　were　a　bit　discouraged　about　the　“W。　Desire”　because　a　lot　of　ignorant　fools　slated　it；　but　in　my　opinion　you　were　wrong。　That　work　I　believe　will　last。　It　is　extraordinarily　liked　by　many　who　can　understand。　I　told　you　about　the　American　Egyptologist　I　met；　for　instance；　who　reads　it　every　night！

Well　now：　I　don’t　care　much　for　your　Covenanter　who　would　speak　Scotch；　etc。　（i。e。　at　first　sight）。　He　would　not　have　much　of　a　public　or　enlist　the　heart。　Can　you　not　think　of　something　“big　and　beautiful；”　something　that　has　an　idea　in　it？　Something　for　choice　that　has　to　do　with　old　Greece　（which　you　know）　and　with　old　Egypt　（which　I　know？）。　Something　with　room　in　it　for　a　few　of　your　beautiful　verses　（I　am　not　laying　it　on；　old　fellow；　only　saying　the　truth）。　In　short；　a　real　poetical　romance　such　as　we　might　both　be　proud　of。　Now　don’t　toss　this　aside；　but　think。　You　know　all　the　old　world　legends：　there　must　be　some　that　would　lend　themselves　to　this　general　scheme：　that　of　the　quest　for　the　divine　which　must　（for　the　purpose　of　story）　be　symbolised　by　woman。　You　see　the　thing　must　have　a　heart；　mere　adventures　are　not　enough：　I　can　turn　them　out　by　the　peck。　A　motive；　friend；　a　motive！　that’s　what　we　need；　and　one　that　the　world　knows　of。

How　about　a　variant　of　the　Faust　legend？　How　about　the　Sons　of　God　and　the　Daughters　of　Men？　Something　grand　and　pure　and　simple；　something　to　lift　up！　Now　don’t　be　discouraged；　for　though　we　are　both　antique；　I　know　that　we　can　do　it；　if　only　we　can　find　the　theme。

Where　is　our　Hypatia？　Let’s　do　a　big　thing　for　once　and　die　happy！　Please　answer。

Yours　ever；

H。　Rider　Haggard。

The　last　notes　I　ever　received　from　him　were　written　in　February　of　th