'I must let off a little steam. I am wroth beyond expression about Mr Kirkham’s cheek in publishing our letters. I did not want that to become public property. If you had seen & loved Tennyson & his belongings you would know what I feel & how anything in the nature of a Newspaper’s Interview as our own pleasant reminiscence is now reduced to – would gall one. Please don’t let any more of my letters get out. Some time hence when I am hence & personalities have ceased to be so – I will put them into a book - & if they are printed now the freshness will have departed. It was stupid of me not to have issued a Caveat long ago – but I knew you knew I was going to print ‘em some day – and I did not dream of their being printed now. However – it can’t be undone now. Don’t worry about it – only please don’t let it happen again. You could not know how I would feel about it – but you know now.'