1900-07-05 to Virginia Crawford

Autograph letter signed, National Library of Ireland, 359 words

[Edited for paragraph breaks, capitalization, spelling and punctuation.]

Queen’s Hotel, Llanfairfechan

[Thursday] July 5th 1900

Dear Nia

One never knows the impression that one’s words convey. I trust that mine conveyed the fact that I like your book exceedingly. I found some faults or to be more exact I raised some objections but by this time you must know that that is how I admire. I cannot admire without question. Your book is a beautiful little book and it would have delighted the friar.

I return tomorrow and shall be in town sometime after five. I wish you would come to dinner. You can have fish, I will write to Jane to order a nice sole .

I want to discuss the book with you. I have rewritten the second chapter and have got it to bulk up solid. A moment comes when one's mind closes like a casket with a snap and I feel that the second chapter is as good as I can get it. It seems to me to be like the first. There it is, good or bad — I see no further.

But the third is still in solution. I cannot pile it into a shape and it is no use trying to write it until I see it as a pile, until I see it massive. The most wonderful part of En Route is the massing of the chapters which lead up to his visit to the monastery. Mine are flimsy.

Now I have a good idea for the scene between Evelyn and Owen after they meet in the slum. They have not seen each other for a year and are quite different. Evelyn is different. Her mind is quite made up to enter the convent as a postulant and to sing the nuns out of their difficulties. She tells Owen this and it is he who says her duty is by her father. This is very natural and it is whimsical like nature. Moreover it will make the scene solid.

Do come to dinner if you can.

Always yours

George Moore