Another ingenuously finds it needful to ask whether the word be pronounced Idylls or Edylls.
(1891)
Dear Sir—A simple child (who writes from Holland), would feel extremely happy, would be in the seventh heaven, when she would be favoured with a mere line of the greatest poet of renown, Alfred Tennyson. Allow her, to offer you before, her sincere thanks for your autograph, with which she would feel the happiest child in the world.
With kind regards, most honourable lord, yours respectfully.
(1882)
A (German) collector of autographs, who has an autograph of Mr. Kinkel and Victor Hugo, the greatest living poets of Germany and France, only misses in his collection the autograph of the greatest living English poet. Therefore he requests you to give him an autograph of yours. May it only be your signature, it will find in my album a place of honour.
(1882)
To the prince of poets.
Monsieur—Forgive me, I beseech you, the liberty I take in daring to write to you; but I wish to beg the greatest of favours.
This favour, Monsieur, it is your signature.