States that the 'Shakespeare of [their] age' [Mrs Lewes/George Eliot] has sent the 'enclosed' [not included], and asks Myers to return it. Looks forward to seeing Myers 'on Saturday.' Regrets that Browning 'does not give satisfaction', and confesses to being partly responsible, as he 'approved in a general way Browning's plea'. Claims to be 'rather vague as to [his] notions of teaching history by letter.' Declares Myers' pupils' letter to be 'very interesting, but states that it would 'somewhat perplex' him to answer it straightforwardly. Remarks that Taine 'certainly does overdo his philopaganism', and that he [Sidgwick] 'should administer Renan (suppressing his name)'. With regard to Lady Amberley states that he once saw her and thought she showed off and expected him to do the same too much. Claims that he has to be 'in unusually high spirits to feel pleasantly stirred by this variety of the neo-feminine type.
Announces his return [from accompanying his sister Minnie to Wiesbaden], having read all of Myers' books. Claims to be very glad to have 'attained s[ ] views on Paul de Kock'. Asks Myers if he knows what other of his works are worth reading, and states that he quite understands Disraeli's praise of him, and sees his influence on 'D.' a little. Remarks that Taine is 'a clever man', but does not like his work. Reports that the Venns have just returned, but that he hasn't seen them.
Asks Myers if he thinks that [Mandell?] Creighton and Laing would correspond with women [as part of an educational correspondence programme] in English literature. Discusses the need for more money to subsidise 'impecunious governesses', and asks him if he thinks any wealthy person sympathetic to the project would subscribe. The plan is to 'make the poor girls pay for one course, and then give them two more if they like'; a 'certificate of poverty from a clergyman' is always obtained. Refers briefly to the troubles at Rugby [with Henry Hayman].