[W. Clark Russell; nautical novels] Autograph Letter Signed, W. Clark Russell to Dear Sir [George Meredith, novelist] on the latter's 80th Birthday. and status in English Literature. Fulsomely.

Three pages, 12mo, bifolium, very good condition. Russell has written his third page across the interior of the bifolium. Text: I do not think that I should be deemed worthy to hold even the obscure place I occupy in English Literature if I omitted to honour myself by doing a poor man's honour to a great Master on the approach of his 80th birthday. In an age in which literature is assessed on the merits of quantity - so many thousand words! - it is indeed a prodigious privilege to have the opportunity to expres abidiing gratitude & life-long admiration to & for one who has nobly & imperishably maintained the honour of a flag whose staff has been [?] by many great hands but by none greater dear sir, than yours. Once it might have been my happiness to meet you - when I used to walk from Redhill to Box Hill where my father's old friend [Dr?] Charles Mackay lived at Fern Dell cottage. You occasionally visited him - & I missed you by an hour or two! | That your star of life may continue through many a long evening to come to glow over that horizon of time behind which the fabric of the orb but not the memory of its glory vanishes, is the wish - the deep & heartfelt wish, of | Dear Sir | Your grateful & affectionate admirer & servant | W. Clark Russell. This letter has been extracted from an Album which mainly contained letters to George Meredith or his daughter from distinguished contemporary authors (Thomas Hardy, George Eliot, Henry James etc.).