xxxH LIGHTENING HIS BURDENS 105 



condensed form. The translator, in a letter 

 accompanying the book, speaks appreciatively of 

 the inclusion of the great Indian epics in the 

 100 best books. Mr. Dutt, no doubt justly, says 

 that it is uphill work trying to interest the 

 ordinary English reader in translations of Indian 

 poetry, but that the scholars of India look for 

 help in this to the leaders of literary thought in 

 England, deeming that in an age when so much 

 interest is taken in the epics and sagas of all the 

 European countries some of it may be extended to 

 those of the East which are " among the earliest 

 and greatest epics in the world's literature." 



The same spring Sir John accepted the Presi- 

 dency of the Royal Historical Society, in succes- 

 sion to his friend Sir Mountstuart Grant Duff. 

 It was an appointment which did not heavily tax 

 his time. 



The following letter from Reisterstown, Mary- 

 land, is of this date, and may be quoted as very 

 typical of an immense number of the like pleasant 

 kind which he received from unknown corre- 

 spondents. 



Dear Sir — Several years ago one of our friends sent 

 me one of your works as a Christmas gift. We all 

 enjoyed it very much and have read and re-read it. 

 Since that time we have bought and studied everything 

 we could find from your pen. 



We have given ten or twelve copies of your Essays to 

 friends at Christmastide, remembering what a treat we 

 received on that anniversary one year. 



Now I wish very much to tell you what pleasure you 

 have afforded us, and to thank you very sincerely for all 

 the enjoyment received from your pen. 



You strike a chord within me, one that I feel, but 

 cannot express in words. I am a dear lover of Nature 



