12 Pembroke Gardens, Kensington, W. - Trevelyan's corrected copy [of his poem The Lady's Bat, for Sickert's anthology The Bird In Song, see 6/47] arrived in good time, and the book is to go to the printers next Thursday. Is annoyed about the 'shabby' nature of the printing, and that they have had to include 'a wearisome effusion of Watts-Dunton's' in order to be allowed Swinburne's Itylus; would like to 'stick' it in the preface and claim there was not time to put it in properly, with the added advantage of putting people off reading the preface. Is also unhappy about the frontispiece. Thinks the book will be out about Easter, not much before due to the addition of American classics such as Whitman - 'no moderns thank goodness'. Recommends Jean Christophe by Romain Rolland, brother-in-law of [Michel] Bréal. He and his 'collaborator' [Stanley Makower] will be pleased to present Trevelyan with a copy of the anthology.
12 Pembroke Gardens, Kensington. - He and Stanley [Makower] agree that Trevelyan's 'little beast' [his poem"The Lady's Bat] should appear in their anthology ["The Bird In Song", see 6/47]; they have nothing else giving 'just that note of playfulness'. They will send him a proof to correct. Expects the book will be out before Easter. Will write to Brimley Johnson, whom he does not know personally. Thinks they have fixed on an engraving [for the frontispiece?]: "A Concert of Birds, after Mario di Fiori' which Sickert found in the Print Room [of the British Museum] and includes a bat. They hope to include Swinburne's "Itylus", but [Theodore Watts-] Dunton wants to know what else will appear, so has had to send a list. Still wondering what to call the series. Stanley has a daughter; 'girls have the best time nowadays'.
Reproduces two letters from Swinburne to Edmund Clarence Stedman, now in the possession of Stedman's granddaughter Laura, dated 20-21 Feb 1875 and 8 Sept 1875; these appear under the heading of 'American Poets: Parentage: Autobiography' and '"American Poets: Greek and Hebrew' respectively. Permission of Theodore Watts-Dunton, Swinburne's literary executor, required for the publication of any of Swinburne's letters.