Now follows the Grande Armée of natural, amiable, but remorseless autograph hunters. A miscellaneous group comes first.
(1890)
Honoured Lord—May I (an Australian maiden born 1870) hope to be pardoned for taking the liberty of writing to you—so distinguished a gentleman—to express my great admiration for your poems? It is my admiration that has emboldened me to venture so far ... etc. etc.
Let me conclude with one request: namely to ask you to do me the very great honour to acknowledge this letter; so that I may be able to boast of, and dearly treasure, even a line from the Great Poet.
(1890)
An obvious fisher for good things follows:
Sir—I hope that you will kindly excuse the liberty I take in requesting you to be so good as to inform me how the word “humble” should be pronounced: i.e. whether or not it is proper to aspirate the “h”?
A reply at your kind convenience will inexpressibly oblige....
(1890)