Written from the "The Grange, / Hampstead Health" on stationery engraved with the address.
This letter is one of seven letters from Tree to Henley related to Tree's production of "Beau Austin, a play co-authored by Henley and Robert Louis Stevenson. The letters were written from June 26 through November 14, 1890 (MA 1617.438-MA 1617.444). These seven letters are housed with an undated letter from Henley to Tree which appears to be written in November 1890 soon after the production of "Beau Austin" at the Haymarket Theatre on November 3, 1890 (MA 1617.445) and a letter from Henry Dana to Henley, dated May 3, 1901, concerning a production by Tree of Henley's play "Macaire" (MA 1617.446). This small collection also includes three telegrams from Tree to Henley (November 3, 4 and 8, 1890) relating the success of the production.
Saying "I wrote to you some time ago in reference to "Beau Austin" and I believe you told me that Stevenson was away & in the meantime the piece could not be played at a Matinee - I am extremely anxious to exploit new plays, and shall be glad to know if you will come to some arrangement with me in regard to "Beau Austin", which I am sure would prove a great success with a select audience. I should, of course, mount the piece with every care, and would produce it during the autumn at an evening representation, but I could not guarantee a run beforehand. Will you be so kind as to let me have your views? - I shall be going on a provincial tour in the autumn & would like to do Macaire;" adding, in a postscript, "You are, I believe, the Editor of the Scots Observer - I see your contributor - who of course as a critic - has the right to attribute mean & corrupt motives to me as an artist - misquotes the words I wrote in the "Fortnightly review" in order to prove his case." / You should tell him that this is the mere pedantry of Literature!"