But good-night and take all my blessing--all but a scrap for William. Yours, dearest Howard, so very fondly,
/# The "young man from Texas" was Mr. Stark Young, who had appealed to Mrs. Prothero for guidance in the study of H. J.'s books. H. J. was amused by the request, of which Mrs. Prothero told him, and immediately wrote the following. #/
This, please, for the delightful young man from Texas, who shews such excellent dispositions. I only want to meet him half way, and I hope very much he won't think I don't when I tell him that the following indications as to five of my productions (splendid number--I glory in the tribute of his appetite!) are all on the basis of the Scribner's (or Macmillan's) collective and revised and prefaced edition of my things, and that if he is not minded somehow to obtain access to _that_ form of them, ignoring any others, he forfeits half, or much more than half, my confidence. So I thus amicably beseech him--! I suggest to give him as alternatives these two slightly different lists:
/* 1. Roderick Hudson. 2. The Portrait of a Lady. 3. The Princess Casamassima. 4. The Wings of the Dove. 5. The Golden Bowl. */
/* 1. The American. 2. The Tragic Muse. 3. The Wings of the Dove. 4. The Ambassadors. 5. The Golden Bowl. */
The second list is, as it were, the more "advanced." And when it comes to the shorter Tales the question is more difficult (for characteristic selection) and demands separate treatment. Come to me about that, dear young man from Texas, later on--you shall have your little tarts when you have eaten your beef and potatoes. Meanwhile receive this from your admirable friend Mrs. Prothero.
/# The following refers to Mr. Wells's novel, _The Passionate Friends_. #/