Letter from James Fitzmaurice-Kelly, London, to W. E. Henley, 1903 May 15 : autograph manuscript signed with initials.

Thanking him for "Song of Speed; saying "I had read it in "The World's Work", but am particularly glad to have it in this form (By the way, what a series of hard nuts you are preparing for the grinders of unborn bibliographers!). The "Song" is one of your very best : as rapid as the machine without any of its terrors. Nothing but dire necessity would induce me to mount a motor : but the "Song" gives me the proper sensations, and leaves me in a state of happy, courageous bliss. Decidedly I get more joy from the poet than from a hundred thousand chauffeurs. I'm very sorry to gather from your note (just in) that you are in a despondent mood. This won't do at all. You must leave that to me, and not disguise yourself in such an antic way. Nobody will even recognize you in that mask. And I should never dare to say you had worn it : for everybody would set me down as a gross liar of the clumsiest sort;" discussing a book he would like to publish with Henley's help and setting forth how he would format it; concluding "And - put me clean out of consideration : I don't say this as a flourish a l'espagnole. You know me by this time, and I mean it. You'll do the best a man can do. I know you. And if, in thinking it over, you decide to drop the scheme, be quite sure that I shall feel certain nothing else was possible. We still live to fight another day. And, for Heaven's sake, never let me suspect you of despondency [illegible] as long as you live."