My dear Spencer I received the enclosed letter the other day and have carried it about since thinking over what kind of reply to make. I think that Mr Crawley is thinking of some things in your work rather than in any of mine. Can you say anything? If you can and like to say it I will with pleasure send it in my reply – and of course as coming from you. I have received a copy of the work he refers to sent to me by Mr Lang and have looked it over, but as yet have not had time to do more. What I have seen shows me that I must without avoidable
delay get my book out. I hope to have this “blessed” Federal sites report done so far as I am concerned in a fortnight and I further hope shall have appended my valuable signature to it (in Melbourne) by the end of the month. I shall then go home and set to work with the intentions of having my book finished by Xmas. This brings me to the next thing I [. . .] to mention, that I have received an offer from McMillan & Co to publish my book in the “half-profit system” which is very satisfactory. I hope that yours is now quite off your mind and satisfactorily on its way to be published. Yours faithfully A W Howitt
