Transcribe Hornaday, W. T. Letter to Ward, Henry A. (1883-06-10)

    If </u everybody > could know that I do not enter in

competition, then my work would not be considered second class when others took the grand prize. But only a hundred people would know it and the thousands would ^know^ I did </u not > win the first prize. You see I have not Verreaux's reputation yet. I thought of not competing this year, but when I came here and saw how pleased all were that Mungo took the prize I saw I would have made a great mistake by not entering.

    Yes I have much to lose, but I also have something

to gain - a world-wide reputation. Until my work is like Shakespear's, </u known > to bo above criticism, I must keep in the arena.

    Next year I hope to show you an animal that in

</s point > ^ degree^ of difficulty shall surpass the elephant, and if I have no bad luck </u and make no mistakes > I will </s show you > be able to enter it without much fear for the result.

    I will take my vacation in July, at Battle

Creek, Camping out. Am </u glad > you found your lost box. J. T. Tennent implores me to ask you to take him on trial & pay his expenses for his work. He certainly is a </u hard working > fellow & has taxidermy on the brain, which leads me to think there is something good in him. He bore his disappointment </u bravely >, about our not exhibiting his specimens & selling none, which shows that he is not any of the faint hearted kind. I don't see why he would not make as good a stuffer as his brother. Yours forever the same, W. T. Hornaday.