Dato: 17. september 1872
Fra: Edmund W. Gosse   Til: H.C. Andersen
Sprog: engelsk.

British Museum, London. Sept. 17th, 1872.

Dear Mr. Andersen,

When I returned to England I found awaiting me a letter from the editor of the "Spectator", one of our most influential weekly journals, asking me to review for him the new translation of your lite. No work could be more pleasant to me, coming, as I did, fresh from the memory of my delightful visit to yourself. What I have written* I send you enclosed in this letter; I can only tell you how sincere all I have said of you is, and how much, too, I hope it may please you. My words will be read this week by hundreds of the best-educated among my countrymen, and they will all, I know, join in the welcome which I have expressed in the last words.

In Norway I saw Bjørnson and we spoke together of you. His heart seems to be, for the time being at least, alienated from Denmark, but he spoke of his attachment to you as being beyond all this. I was pained to see how thoroughly he has immersed himself in political affairs. What has a poet to do with these? In Kristiania people talked of hoping soon to have another visit from you, but I replied that you were coming to London first! Tell me that I was not wrong to say so.

If you find time, and if my article do es not. displease you, I shall esteem it a great honour to receive a short letter from you. Do not trouble to write in English, I understand Danish very nearly as well.

Accept the assurance of my deep admiration and homage, and believe me to be very truly yours,

Edmund W. Gosse.

P.S. May I ask you to present my compliments to Herr Melchior and his family?

*Vedlagt dette brev var en anmeldelse af »The Story of My Life« (London: Sampson Low, 1871), som Edmund Gosse anonymt havde skrevet i »The Spectator« den 14. september 1872.

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