Robert Louis Stevenson.
The Editor was much gratified by an appreciative letter from John Addington Symonds concerning the Edition de Luxe of his Anthology:
Davos Platz, Nov. 28, 1886.
My dear Sharp,
I have just received my copy of the magnificent edition of your Sonnets of this Century to which I subscribed. It is indeed a noble book. Let me say at once how much I think you have improved the Preface. There are one or two things affecting my own share in the Collection to which I should like to call your attention.
I notice that in pp. xxvii-xxix of your Introduction you have adopted the ideas I put forth (Academy, Feb. 13, 1886) about the origin of the Sonnet. But you somewhat confuse the argument by using the word Stornello. If you look at Ancora’s Poesia Popolare Italiana (Livano, Vigo), pp. 175, 313, you will see that Italians regard the stornello (320) as a totally different species from the rispetto. I have explained the matter in my Renaissance in Italy, Vol. A. p. 264. I admit that there may be differences of opinion about these popular species of verse. Yet I have no doubt that every one in Italy, a Stornello being mentioned, would think at once of a single couplet prefaced with Fiore di granata or something of that sort. However, it would be pedantic to insist upon this point. I only do so because I believe I was the first to indicate the probable evolution of the sonnet from the same germ as the Rispetto Sesta Rima, and Ottava Rima; and I am distinctly myself of opinion that the Stornello is quite a separate offshoot.
I doubt whether Sonnets in Dialogue be so rare as you imply on p. 43. I know that I composed one for Lady Kitty Clive in 1875. It is printed on p. 117 of my Vagabunduli Libellus. I do not esteem it, however, and only published it because it was in dialogue....
Believe me very truly yours,
J. A. Symonds.
P. S.—Pater is an old acquaintance of mine. Watts I never met, and I should greatly value the opportunity of knowing him in the flesh—in the spirit, I need hardly say, he has long been known to me.