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ht bring it back to me。 But it never did。 So I rewrote the missing sheets from memory； which has never been my strong point。 I wonder whether they are better or worse than those that departed！
So soon as “Jess；” of which I will speak more hereafter； was finished； or rather about a month later； I began another tale which the world knows as “She。” The exact date of its mencement is uncertain； for it has been obliterated by a clip that fastened the manuscript together； and all that remains is “Feb。86。” At the end； however； is inscribed “Finished 18 March 1886。” Therefore； even supposing that it was begun upon the 1st February； which would mean that I had allowed myself a month’s rest after finishing “Jess；” the whole romance was pleted in a little over six weeks。 Moreover； it was never rewritten； and the manuscript carries but few corrections。 The fact is that it was written at white heat； almost without rest； and that is the best way to pose。
I remember that when I sat down to the task my ideas as to its development were of the vaguest。 The only clear notion that I had in my head was that of an immortal woman inspired by an immortal love。 All the rest shaped itself round this figure。 And it came — it came faster than my poor aching hand could set it down。
Well do I recall taking the pleted manuscript to the office of my literary agent； Mr。 A。 P。 Watt； and throwing it on the table with the remark： “There is what I shall be remembered by。” Well do I recall also visiting Mr。 Watt at his office； which then was at 2 Paternoster Square； and finding him out。 As the business was urgent； and I did not wish to have to return； I sat down at his table； asked for some foolscap； and in the hour or two that I had to wait wrote the scene of the destruction of She in the Fire of Life。 This； however； was of course a little while — it may have been a few days — before I delivered the manuscript。
It would seem； therefore； that between January 1885 and March 18； 1886； with my own hand； and unassisted by any secretary； I wrote “King Solomon’s Mines；” “Allan Quatermain；” “Jess；” and “She。” Also I followed my profession； spending many hours of each day studying in chambers； or in Court； where I had some devilling practice； carried on my usual correspondence； and attended to the affairs of a man with a young family and a certain landed estate。
A little later on the work grew even harder； for to it was added the toil of an enormous correspondence hurled at me by every kind of person from all over the earth。 If I may judge by those which remain marked with a letter A for “answered；” I seem to have done my best to reply to all these scribes； hundreds of them； even down to the autograph…hunter； a task which must have taken up a good part of every day； and this in addition to all my other work。 No wonder that my health began to give out at last； goaded as I was at that period of my life by constant and venomous attacks。
When “She” was in proof for serial publication in the Graphic I showed it to Andrew Lang。 He writes to me on July 12； 1886：
I have pretty nearly finished “She。” I really must congratulate you； I think it is one of the most astonishing romances I ever read。 The more impossible it is； the better you do it； till it seems like a story from the literature of another pla。 I can’t give a better account of the extraordinary impression it makes upon me； as to the Public I never can speak。
Then he makes some criticisms of the style； the ic element and the horrors； and ends with a P。S。 “I know I shan’t sleep。”
On the 25th of the same month Lang writes again：
I have just finished “She；” previously I skipped a bit to get to the end。 I certainly still think it the most extraordinary romance I ever read； and that’s why I want you to be very careful with the proofs； before it goes out in a volume。 。 。 。 I nearly cried over Ayesha’s end。 But how did she e to Kor？ There is a difficulty about Leo。 He is not made a very interesting person。 Probably he was only a fine animal。 Anyhow that can’t be helped now and never could perhaps。 I dare say Kallikrates was no better。 But some of the chaff in awful situations lets one down too suddenly。 I’d take other fellows’ advice about it； in some of the marked places。 I hope they find She in Thibet； and all die together。 ＇They did； practically； twenty years later； see “Ayesha。” — H。 R。 H。＇ By George； I’d have gone into the fire and chucked in She too； perhaps it would have picked her up again。
In another letter he says：
It is awfully good of you to think of putting my name in “She” and I consider it a great distinction。 The only thing is that； if you do； I shan’t be able to review it； except with my name signed thereto and my honest confession。 Probably I could do that in the Academy。 It is rather curious （plagiarism on your side again） that I was going to ask you to let me dedicate my little volume of tales； “That Missionary；” etc。 to you。
I may say here that Lang did review “She” in the Academy over his own name； but； I am almost sure； nowhere else； although I believe he was accused of having written a dozen or more notices of this work； and that he did dedicate “In the Wrong Paradise” to me in very charming language。
Having run through the Graphic； where it attracted a good deal of attention； “She” appeared as a six…shilling volume； I think the first or one of the first novels that was published in that form； some time in December 1886。 It was brought out by Messrs。 Longmans and very well got up； the elaborate sherd pounded by my sister…inlaw； then Miss Barber； and myself being reproduced in two plates at the beginning of the volume。 The illustrations by Messrs。 Greiffenhagen and Kerr were； however； added afterwards。 By the way； the reproduction of this sherd was shown as being from a genuine antique to Mr。 （afterwards Sir John） Evans； who of course was a great expert on such matters。 For a long while he peered at it through his eyeglasses and at last put it down； remarking； “All I can say is that it might possibly have been forged” — which I consider great testimony to the excellency of the sherd； which now reposes in a cupboard upstairs。15
15 It is now in Norwich Museum with the original MSS。 of many of Sir Rider’s tales。 — Ed。
The title “She；” if I remember aright； was taken from a certain rag doll； so named； which a nurse at Bradenham used to bring out of some dark recess in order to terrify those of my brothers and sisters who were in her charge。
“She” proved a great and immediate success； and I received many letters； of Sir Walter Besant； and one from Mr。 （now Sir Edmund） Gosse。
12 Gayton Crescent； Hampstead：
January 2； 1887。
My dear Haggard； — While I am under the spell of “Ayesha；” which I have only just finished； I must write to congratulate you upon a work which most certainly puts you at the head — a long away ahead
— of all contemporary imaginative writers。 If fiction is best cultivated in the field of pure invention then you are certainly the first of modern novelists。 “Solomon’s Mines” is left far behind。 It is not only the central conception that is so splendid in its audacity； but it is your logical and pitiless working out of the whole thing in its inevitable details that strikes me with astonishment。
I do not know what the critics will say about it。 Probably they will not read more than they can help and then let you off with a few general expressions。 If the critic is a woman she will put down this book with the remark that it is impossible — almost all women have this feeling towards the marvellous。
Whatever else you do； you will have “She” always behind you for purposes of odious parison。 And whatever critics say the book is bound to be a magnificent success。 Also it will produce a crop of imitators。 And all the little conventional story…tellers will be jogged out of their grooves — until they find new ones 。 。 。 。
Yours very sincerely；
Walter Besant。
Certainly Besant was quite right when he said that I should always have “She” behind me “for purposes of odious parison。” I always have。 Quite a large proportion of my critics during many years have mentioned in the course of their reviews of various works from my pen that the one under consideration is not another “She；” or words to that effect。 As though a man’s brain could harbour a host of “Shes”！ Such literary polygamy is not possible。 Only one love of this kind is given to him。
The second letter that I a friend who I am glad to say still lives； Mr。 Edmund Gosse； the distinguished author and man of letters。16
16 Now Sir Edmund Gosse； C。B。
29 Delamere Terrace： January 8； 1887。
My dear Mr。 Rider Haggard； — I feel constrained to write again to you about “She” before the impression the book has made upon my mind in any degree wears off。 In construction I think you have been successful to a very marvellous degree。 The quality of the invention increases as you go on； and the latest chapters are the best。 Indeed it does not appear to me that I have ever been thrilled and terrified by any literature as I have by pp。 271…306 of “She。” It is simply unsurpassable。
All through the book there are points which I have noted for the highest praise； the three white fingers on Ustane’s hair； the dream about the skeletons； the meeting of the Living and the Dead； the Statue of Truth — these are only a few of the really marvellous things that the book contains。 I was a great admirer and； as you know； a warm weler of “King Solomon’s Mines；” but I confess that exceedingly picturesque and ingenious book did not prepare me for “She”； and I do not know what to say； of hope or fear； about any future book of adventure of yours。 I don’t know what is to be imagined beyond the death of Ayesha。
Accept again my thanks for the gift of your book； which I put among my treasures； and now the expression of my sincere and cordial admiration。
Yours most truly；
Edmund Gosse。
P。S。 — May I say； without impertinence； I think the style strikes me as a vast improvement upon that of “K。S。M。”？
To turn to something humorous — I find the following in the handwriting of the late Rev。 W。 J。 Loftie； headed “SHE” in large letters。
Are you acquainted with the story of the lady who wrote poetry？ She had begun an epic —
“Man was made innocent and good； but he” —
when a visitor called。 She left the paper on the table： the visitor came in； waited a little and departed。 When she returned she found the couplet pleted：
“Man was made innocent and good； but he —
Would doubtless have continued so — but SHE！”
Well； “She” came out and was a great success。 On March 15th Charles Longman wrote to me in Egypt：
I am glad to tell you that “She” keeps on selling capitally。 We have printed 25；000 already； and have ordered another 5000； and I do not think we shall have many left when the printers deliver them。 。 。 。 Last week we sold over 1000 copies！
This was a large number as books sold in those days； when people were not accustomed to buying novels in one volume； having been in the habit of borrowing them from the library in three。 Moreover； from that day to this the sale of “She” has never ceased； whilst in America it was pirated by the hundred thousand。
All the reviews of it were not good； indeed some of them attacked it strongly。 Others； were enthusiastic。 The Times （a review in The Times then； before the days of Literary Supplements； if good； was very valuable） spoke extremely well of it。 The Times reviewer； however； criticises the Greek upon the sherd。 Had he known that it was the work of Dr。 Holden； one of the best Greek scholars of the day； he might have preferred to leave it unquestioned。 Here is the doctor’s letter on the subject； written from the Athenaeum in March 1886。
Dear Haggard； — Your task is not quite so big as one of the labours of Hercules； but by no means easy without further data。 Do you want the Greek to be such as to deceive the learned world into thinking that it is no forgery； but a genuine bit of antiquity？ If so； the style will have to be taken into account： it won’t do to imitate Herodotus； though it is just the bit suitable for his style； because of the date B。C。 200。
Anyhow； I am just going down to Harrow to examine the Sixth Form for Scholarships； and shall be fully occupied there for a fortnight。 I hope therefore you are not in any particular hurry： if so； I must return you your MS。； which I cannot do justice to without some further consideration of the subject。
Yours sincerely；
H。 A。 Holden。
That my old master did consider it very thoroughly I know for a fact。 I remember his telling me that he would have liked to be able to give six months to study before he ventured on this particular piece of Greek。 I said that with all his great learning this was surely unnecessary。
“My dear boy；” he answered； “I have been soaking myself in the classics for over forty years； and I am just beginning to learn how little I know about them！”
In the same way the black…letter； mediaeval Latin inscription and the old English translation thereof； etc。； were the work of my late friend； Dr。 Raven； who was a very great authority on monkish Latin and mediaeval English。
Twenty years later； the time that I had always meant to elapse； I wrote a sequel under the ti