My dear Robert Lytton,
"John Acland" is most willingly accepted, and shall come in to the next monthly part. I shall make bold to condense him here and there (according to my best idea of story-telling), and particularly where he makes the speech:—And with the usual fault of being too long, here and there, I think you let the story out too much—prematurely—and this I hope to prevent artfully. I think your title open to the same objection, and therefore propose to substitute:
The Disappearance
of John Acland.
This will leave the reader in doubt whether he really was murdered, until the end.
I am sorry you do not pursue the other prose series. You can do a great deal more than you think for, with whatever you touch; and you know where to find a firmly attached and admiring friend always ready to take the field with you, and always proud to see your plume among the feathers in the Staff.
Your account of my dear Boffin[105] is highly charming:—I had been troubled with a misgiving that he was good. May his shadow never be more correct!
I wish I could have you at the murder from "Oliver Twist."
I am always, my dear Robert Lytton,
Affectionately your friend.
* * * * * *
Pray give my kindest regards to Fascination Fledgeby, who (I have no doubt) has by this time half-a-dozen new names, feebly expressive of his great merits.