Home Rule, if you like. Cause of decency, the idea that
populations should not be taught to gain public ends by private
crime, the idea that for all men to bow before a threat of crime is
to loosen and degrade beyond redemption the whole fabric of man's
decency.



Letter: TO MRS. FLEEMING JENKIN



[SKERRYVORE, BOURNEMOUTH, APRIL 1886.]

MY DEAR MRS. JENKIN, - The Book - It is all drafted: I hope soon
to send you for comments Chapters III., IV., and V. Chapter VII.
is roughly but satisfactorily drafted: a very little work should
put that to rights. But Chapter VI. is no joke; it is a MARE
MAGNUM: I swim and drown and come up again; and it is all broken
ends and mystification: moreover, I perceive I am in want of more
matter. I must have, first of all, a little letter from Mr. Ewing
about the phonograph work: IF you think he would understand it is
quite a matter of chance whether I use a word or a fact out of it.
If you think he would not: I will go without. Also, could I have
a look at Ewing's PRECIS? And lastly, I perceive I must interview
you again about a few points; they are very few, and might come to
little; and I propose to go on getting things as well together as I
can in the meanwhile, and rather have a final time when all is
ready and only to be criticised. I do still think it will be good.
I wonder if Trelat would let me cut? But no, I think I wouldn't