158 THE EULOGY OF RICHARD JEFFERIES. 



novelette is generally pictured as virtuous. 

 Why and how this change of view has been 

 brought about it is impossible in this place to 

 inquire ; but Jefferies belonged to the genera- 

 tion of wicked dukes and vicious earls. 



The terms upon which " Restless Human 

 Hearts " was published do not appear from 

 the letters extant. Jefferies writes, however, 

 a most sensible letter on the subject. He 

 refuses absolutely to pay any more for publish- 

 ing his own books. He says : 



" This is about the worst speculation into 

 which I could possibly put the money. There- 

 fore I am resolved to spend no more upon the 

 matter, whether the novel gets published or 

 not. The magazines pay well, and immediately 

 after publication the cheque is forwarded. It 

 seems the height of absurdity, after receiving 

 a cheque for a magazine article, to go and pay 

 a sum of money just to get your tale in print. 

 I was content to do so the first time, because 

 it is in accordance with the common rule of 

 all trades to pay your footing." The resem- 

 blance is not complete, let me say, because the 

 new author, on this theory, would not pay 



