Autograph letter signed : Cheyne Walk [London], to Marie Belloc Lowndes, 1915 Apr. 27.

Expressing his sorrow on the death of Rupert Brooke; thanking her "for feeling with me about the deplorable, the infinitely detestable extinction of our splendid young Rupert Brooke. I knew him enough exceedingly to prize him and I find in his death an unmitigated pang. I confess that I have no philosophy, nor piety nor patience, no art of reflection nor theory of compensation, to meet things so hideous, so cruel and so bête; they are just unspeakably horrible and irremediable to me, and I stare at them with angry and with almost blighted eyes. He was of an exquisite poetic value and personal charm. It's purely black!;" expressing his pleasure that she had "written kindly and considerately to Hugh W.[alpole] - he will greatly value it. I don't see how one can not do one's friend the justice and pay him the respect of treating him as if he is neither a baby nor a beast, and that if he is reflectively taking a certain course or deciding in a certain way, there may be much more to be said for it than even our brilliant eyes discern. I gather it is exactly (Russian) Red Cross - "Sanitar" - work that H. is plotting to do at their front.;" asking "Don't you pine for brave Rhoda [Broughton]? I do, and am your affectionate old / Henry James." .