23, DORSET STREET, PORTMAN SQUARE, November 3rd, 1886.
"Sir,
"I have the honour to remind you that, on October 13, I communicated with you officially requesting a temporary transfer of the Wortley Montague manuscript (Arabian Nights) from the Bodleian Library to the personal care of the Librarian, India Office.
"To this letter I received no reply. But on November 1, I was informed by Mr. Librarian Nicholson that the Curators had considered my application on Saturday, October 30, and that the majority of them were unwilling to lend the manuscript.
"The same Curators at the same meeting allowed sundry manuscripts for the use of an Indian subject to be sent to the India Office.
"I cannot but protest against this invidious proceeding, and I would willingly learn what cause underlies it.
"1. It cannot be the importance of the manuscript, which is one of the meanest known to me?written in a schoolmaster character, a most erroneous, uncorrected text, and valuable only for a few new tales.
"2. It cannot be any consideration of public morals, for I undertook (if the loan were granted) not to translate tales which might be considered offensive to strict propriety.
"3. It cannot be its requirement for local use. The manuscript stands on an upper shelf in the manuscript room, and not one man in the whole so-called 'University' can read it.
I have the honour to be, sir,