[George Henry Lewes, editor of the Fortnightly Review, 'husband' of the novelist 'George Eliot' (Mary Ann Evans).] Autograph Letter Signed ('G H Lewes'), to Reginald Stuart Poole, regarding his article on 'Pagan and Muslim Arabs'.

2pp, 12mo. Twenty-seven lines of text. In good condition, lightly aged. Folded twice. A nice item, giving an indication of Lewes's editorial principles at the Fortnightly Review (he held the position from 1865 to the following year). Addressed to 'R. S. Poole'. He begins by explaining that he only returned to England the previous night, '& found your notes & m.s awaiting me'. He finds Poole's article 'as full of matter as an egg is of meat & I have settled the question of Blank Verse by omitting altogether the pages relating to the Literature which are too scant for so large a subject, & which needlessly lengthen a paper already long'. He is returning the omitted pages, 'because you may work them into some other article'. 'The title of Lane's Arabian Lexicon', Lewes believes, 'would frighten away all but your Shemitic readers', and he has 'altered it to Pagan & Muslim Arabs', but he asks Poole to suggest any other title if he can, as 'for a popular periodical titles of papers are of no little importance. Men at the club are easily scared away from a subject which wd interest them, if they could be seduced to read'. The piece was published, under the title suggested by Lewes, in the Fortnightly Review. 15 October 1865.