laces。　I　am　writing　with　perfect　frankness　because；　of　course；　I　want　it　to　be　A1　in　its　genre　—　a　dreadfully　difficult　genre　it　is。　As　far　as　I　have　read　I　have　made　a　few　verbal　notes　where　the　style　occasionally　is　not　consistent。　But　the　main　thing　is；　at　any　expense；　to　hurry　on　more　—　to　give　the　impression　of　solemnity；　but　at　more　speed；　and　with　much　fewer　strokes。　I　know　you　hate　altering；　so　it　is　a　prendre　ou　a　laisser；　this　long　screed　of　opinion。　Of　course　I　see　it　is　a　book　you　have　written　for　yourself。　But　the　B。P。　must　also　be　thought　of。

In　a　second　letter；　written　about　the　same　time；　he　says：

I　gave　all　my　morning　to　“Cleopatra”　and　return　her。　After　Chapter　8　she’ll　do！　I　have　marked　a　good　many　minutiae　of　style；　or　expression。　In　a　few　places；　a　judicious　shortening　of　moral　reflections　by　Harmachis　would　give　him　more　point　to　my　mind。　Unluckily　neither　Harmachis　nor　Cleopatra　is　sympathetic。　Can’t　be　helped。　I　think　even　more　than　before　that　you　should　lighten　the　ship　by　greatly　shortening　between　chapters　3　and　8。　I　can　estimate　this；　because　today　I　read　slick　on　rapidly　and　was　interested　all　the　way。　In　the　earlier　part　my　attention　flagged　over　all　the　preparation；　and　many　a　traveller　would　not　have　persevered。　I　like　Antony；　but　don’t　feel　that　that　inexplicable　person　has　had　full　justice　done　him。　The　inevitably　archaic　style　will　not　make　it　more　popular；　but　that　can’t　possibly　be　helped。　As　a　whole　I　think　the　manner　i