As for _The Songs of Scandinavia_, all the ballads would be ready before departure, and as I should take books, I would in a few months send you translations of the modern lyric poetry.

I hope this letter will not displease you.

I do not write it from _flightiness_, but from thoughtfulness.

I am uneasy to find myself at four and twenty drifting on the sea of the world, and likely to continue so .-- Yours most sincerely, G.BORROW.
This letter is printed in part by Dr.Knapp, and almost in its entirety by Mr.Herbert Jenkins.

Dr.Knapp has much sound worldly reflection upon its pathetic reference to 'drifting on the sea of the world.' If only, he suggests, Borrow had not received that unwise eulogy from Allan Cunningham about his 'exquisite Danish ballads,' if only he had listened to Richard Ford's advice--which came too late in any case--'Avoid poetry and translations of poets'-- how much better it would have been.