II. "The old midwife" is flabbergasting. The Doctor of Butterflies is such a dear and Ruth with a dim secret none too good to know until...

When you lay dead and were yoursely again."
This seems a remarkable thing — and all these portraits
very specially and unusually observed. There is an
Alcibiadian brain. And Tista and I sometimes say
that none of us know quite all about it. It draws
from other sources than ours and it has certain
mysterious reaches. It could know about mathematics
and the remoter sweeps of air. I am not saying this
of the poems just enjoyed (though it is there). But of
the mass of what you have done. And it is getting to be
quile a mass, my dear.

I can't speak of everything as I go, you know,
though one is inclined, I find that "Be warned, old Mother" coming out of those autumnal mists oddly thrilling.
I should not be surprised to learn that "Legend" is a thrilling and perfect thing. (Page 37) I am glad to find "Long and Lovely."

I like "Darkness gravely covers
Two laughing lovers."

"Like grappling planets in the void." (Doesn't

that sing oddly after the laughing lovers?)

"He set his passion toward the brow of the cliff."

In the beginning of the Headland I am much enthralled
by the "Iron frugality of the huts" — and the "rigor and
resistance in the eyes of the few peasants" and the
"Strong bitterness that might save his soul."
and after, the "powerful, benignant shoulders" —
and what follows (most unusual) about the breast,

"Questioning a lady" is very cunning in the true and
colloquial sense. So glad you got those "Immortals" out
of "Exile." (One is so apt to forget The Man from Porlock.)
Lovely — "We who have ever meant the best"
And have meant nothing long.

One of them, they say, did away with a lot of Blake
and Lady Burton (a Catholic) rendered the same service,
for another Oriental book of Sir Richard, because it
had lovely naughty Arabian words. But of course, these
were not so pure as your "snivelling servant-maid."

I love "Wild-goose." — and "Sea-song" P. 66

I never like poems about Bad Girls, whether kind or unkind.
I was just looking at Colorioges Lines to an unfortunate etc.
This is a purely world-weary
disaffection.

Some surprise in this one. P. 67.