Yours,
Will.
... The Progress of Art in the Century was a longer piece of work than the author anticipated. It was finished in the summer of 1900, and published in The Nineteenth Century Series in 1902 by The Linscott Publishing Co. in America, and by W. & R. Chambers in England. In the early winter the author wrote again to Mr. Gilchrist:
Chorleywood,
Nov., 1899.
My dear Robert,
The reason for another note so soon is to ask if you cannot arrange to come here for a few days about November-end, and for this reason. You know that the Omar Khayyàm Club is the “Blue Ribbon” so to speak of Literary Associations, and that its occasional meetings are more sought after than any other. As I think you know, I am one of the 49 members—and I much want you to be my guest at the forthcoming meeting on Friday Dec. 1st, the first of the new year.
The new President is Sir George Robertson (“Robertson of Chitral”)—and he has asked me to write (and recite) the poem which, annually or biennially, some one is honoured by the club request to write. The moment she heard of it, Elizabeth declared that it must be the occasion of your coming here—so don’t disappoint her as well as myself!...
Ever affectly, yours,
Will.