Letter from John S. Farmer, Headley, to W. E. Henley, 1901 October 20 : autograph manuscript signed with initial.

Concerning words and sources for the Slang Dictionary; saying "Thanks for Century vol : and hope to return it at end of week - I well know the miss of such works. I put in for a set, but as my deposit was returned I suppose my credit was not good enough. I use it mainly to see that I miss no 'Keywords.' In going thro this section I am surprised (& yet not so seeing a lot of Common sources are used by both) to find lots of our quots similar. Yet besides such Common sources - dictionaries, glossaries & the like the circle of Eng. Literature from which we draw material has a well defined circumference, and such words as we go for being the milestones of language we naturally spot them equally surely. Three fourths of the Century quots are supplied by Johnson, Latham, [illegible], Halliwell & Davies - and for old words the definitions also. By the bye I have never done Skelton half well enough (1460-1529). Setting aside Harman (1567) largely borrowed from the Gypsies, Skelton is as marked as by Gosse, Dickens & Thackeray for colloquialisms. Smollett's 'Gil Blas' I also want to do, but can't hear of a copy - that also is a perfect mine. In re 'Pantagruelian' I agree. I have no quots & can't say how the obvious blunder crept in...I have not Bee - but will look it up when in town. I know where I can get (for 15/ when money is more plentiful) Bee's own interleaved & marked copy."