Letter from William Archer, London, to W. E. Henley, 1886 July 31 : autograph manuscript signed.

Concerning the recent publication of Archer's book "About the Theatre;" saying "I have just seen your very pleasant note in the "N.Y. Critic", which I value not the least among many friendly things that have been said about my book. My own criticism of the said book is that it is a misfit - there is not enough in it to justify all that print and paper. When one remembers that Aristotle's 'About the Theatre' went into a dozen pages or so, and that Aristotle had not 'the motive & the cue' for concision that we moderns have....! I suppose you saw the ill-conditioned way in which i fell foul of you (I presume it was you) anent 'Mephisto' at the Royalty. My mind has been uneasy on that score ever since. If it were to do again I believe I should do it again; and yet I feel like a beast for not having held my tongue. I think I was right to speak as I did, and I feel I was wrong; an experience which in my case, does not often disturb what a sententious writer has called 'that even course of personal consciousness wherein consists the highest good'. Did you see Buchanan's description of me as 'a smart, subacid, rectangular critic'? It strikes me as very good, only I find in it a seasoning of compliment which Buchanan probably did not intend. Need I say that the P.M.G. notice of 'Kidnapped' is not by me? In sending me a copy of the book R.L.S. alluded in mystic terms to 'a little scheme' which w'd probably interest me. Are you de moitié in it? / Yours egoistically / William Archer."