Christopher Anderson, Edinburgh, to William Pickering, London, [postmarked 19 April 1844].

My dear Sir

         You must excuse me yet 1 or two days. I have been, and am, absorpt, nor have I time to explain how. But on Saturday I will send you sheets with which to begin the week.

         What a man you are to board up what you have got – there will be 60 pages to come before – partly the introduction, not yet in type, and I have only one great fear in regard to it, and that is that it will make you far too rare of the dolphin on your title page, for since the day you adopted it, you have never published anything which, you will tell us, renders the mark of the beast more appropriate –

         Well, you have seen most of the first Vol. but let me add that till you have seen the second, you nor Mr W. can form no conception of the worth as a whole. The first Vol. is the foundation, the second the superstructure in which rises upon it, and then when I see you in June, there is a title, which as I now can [?] your taste, will please you as much as the Work itself. We shall all three cordially write in saying it is the thing itself.

         But do let me know the first moment as to the Sussex Library. I intend seeing you in the first days of June, but if they are to be sold soon I might sketch a point.

         I have written to the Senior fellow of Trinity Coll. Dublin & know not as yet whether I do not run home that way.

         If you are so far on ^with^ the portrait, I should be as well pleased if the back ground were left till I see you.

         Excuse this, written under a feeling of compunction for apparent delay & believe me

                                 Yours most sincerely,

                                             Christr Anderson

Thursday

The introduction I bring with me only in proof – having the fear of Aldees before my eyes.

Address: Wm Pickering Esq. | 177 Piccadilly | London

Postmark: 19 April 1844.

Text: University of Edinburgh, Special Collections, Gen 1981/10.