I meant to thank you before for your letter, which is the first letter I have ever had about my literary productions, and therefore very delightful! You can't think what vain beasts writers are—but Nessa will tell you. I don't think the artist is so much tempted that way, because all her or his, work is done in the open, and is therefore always criticized, whereas a poor wretch of an author keeps all his thoughts in a dark attic in his own brain, and when they come out in print they look so shivering and naked. So for other people to like them is a great encouragement. Not that a review deserves praise, it is necessarily rather dull work reviewin