26 Nicholson, Hemans — Nicholson Correspondence. 



" tribute to the genius of Felicia," anonymous, but written 



by Ward. Felicia was evidently interested. Her letter in 



reply is missing, but we get an idea of its contents from 



the draft of Mr. Nicholson's reply. 



" Liverpool, 23 I'ebruary, 181 r. 

 jMy Dear Felicia, — 



I do not know why it should exclusively be termed feminine 

 curiosity to desire to know to whom we feel obligation, however in the 

 case to which I allude I think yours very natural. You are too 

 generous to make terms, or you might have conditioned that the author 

 of the Lines addressed to you should be intitled to a copy of your 

 charming ' Call of emulation to genius ' on permitting his name to be 

 made known to you. You solicit this communication from me, and it 

 is painful to keep you in suspense ; but I have not that liberty yet ; 

 and I will tell you probably why. As you say that the ' Call ' is part 

 of an unfinished poem (though I cannot perceive it to be so) it occurs 

 to me to ask you pieviously whether that is not a reason why you 

 should withhold the copy of it at present. I have other reasons for 

 not having obeyed your commands. The author of the Lines has 

 resolved and re-resolved to drop his acquaintance with the muse ; now 

 I am not a little fearful that this ' Call ' would overpower his resolu- 

 tion ; and above all as he has enter'd into the Army I should be sorry 

 to aggravate your anxieties. If these are frivolous objections, let me 

 know, when your orders shall no longer be delayed to be executed, 

 and your curiosity may probably be gratified. I understand that this 

 young gentleman was first intended for trade, then for the Church, and 

 now he is in the Army. He appears qualified to make a figure in any 

 profession he adopts — he has shown his literary taste ! That taste, and 

 your ' Call ' ! how could they be resisted ? 



Your aunt has tantalised me by a sight of your three translations 

 from the Italian. She will tell you herself how highly she applauds 

 them and we all must admire them in their English elegance. Mr. 

 Koscoe also having translated the sonnet by Lorenzo I have annexed a 

 copy, which I don't believe you have seen. I suspect the Englisli 

 language is as musical as the Italian. Mr. Roscoe I see has arranged 

 the rhymes in the same order with Lorenzo's. I doubt, and I think 

 you do also, whether our language will bear such scattered tones. 

 Nay, my ear condemns that formal imitation. The sound of his 

 eleventh line was dead before the fourteenth was struck. I rejoice 

 with you on the return of Spring, yesterday was a delightful one here ; 

 but the times are dismal in the extreme and I lament they have 

 reached your neighbourhood. Harriett has made my curiosity very 

 anxious. Thank her for her well-filled slip of paper. Present my 

 kind regards to each of the ladies and reply immediately if in only 

 tliree lines to your friend and obliged humble servant." 



