Letter from Leslie Stephen, London, to W. E. Henley, 1878 October 15 : autograph manuscript signed.

Saying "I shall say no more of the article, but I may as well make a remark or two about other points suggested by your note. I am rather surprised that you found Dicey - He has been under considerable anxieties of late - his mother is, I fear, dying here & at the same time, his wife is detained in France by the illness of their only child. The result has been that he has been going backwards & forwards & doubtless has been more than usually distracted & worried. If you don't get his books, I should wait for a bit & then call again & remind him. His boy is now pretty well recovered, I understand, & I suppose that he will be settling into this normal state. As for Greenwood, I always found him dilatory in most matters & all the better for being judiciously stirred up at home. So I should try him too again after a time, if you hear nothing. The press according to my inference resembles the Kingdom of heaven & many other Kingdoms in that the violent take it by storm - Squeeze enough & you will squeeze in - but of course a certain amount of tact is desirable. I happen to have recently made acquaintance with Asshton Dilke the brother of Sir Charles - as I dare say you know. He is the proprietor of the Dispatch & told me also that he was in treaty for the Examiner. I said a little to him about you; but not much, as I did not want to be importunate & in fact have no right - Moreover you had best give a trial to other people first. But, if you thought it worth while I could easily take up my tale again & ask him to give you a trial. I never see the Dispatch myself & know nothing of it; but I am told that it is a solvent & rising concern & Dilke appears to all at present as his own editor. So in case you wish it, I might get you a hearing. I know very little, however, of Dilke."