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Her letter to Mr Alf was as follows:

DEAR MR ALF,

Do tell erald Barker's last poe done so well I should think the poor wretch will hardly hold his head up again before the autumn But it was fully deserved I have no patience with the pretensions of would-be poets who contrive by toadying and underground influences to get their volu-rooood-natured in this way as to Fitzgerald Barker, but I have heard of no one who has extended the good nature to the length of reading his poetry

Is it not singular how some men continue to obtain the reputation of popular authorship without adding a word to the literature of their country worthy of note? It is acco To puff and to get one's self puffed have become different branches of a new profession Alas, ht find a class open in which lessons could be taken by such a poor tyro asfrom my very soul, and much as I admire the consistency hich the 'Pulpit' has opposed it, I myself am so much in want of support forso hard honestly to make for myself a remunerative career, that I think, were the opportunity offered towhich tells ht neither by s, in order that Ithat I had succeeded byfor the needs of my children

But I have not as yet commenced the descent doards; and therefore I ah to tell you that I shall look, not with concern but with a deep interest, to anything whichh I wrote it myself,--has an importance of its ohich will secure for it some notice That ed I do not in the least doubt, but I think your revieill be able to certify that the sketches are lifelike and the portraits well considered You will not hear me told, at any rate, that I had better sit at hos, as you said the other day of that poor unfortunate Mrs Effington Stubbs