Letter from J [James] Inglis Cochrane, Elderslie House, Largs, to [Sir John Frederick William Herschel] Cochrane received Book 2 [of 'The Iliad'] ten days ago and he read it again with much pleasure. He had 'a Grecian' staying with him a few days ago and in comparing the passages formerly referred to, he thinks that Herschel's translation is correct. Cochrane is printing his eighth book but is getting on slowly due to his want of sight. His main difficulty is in starting each line with an accented syllable. Homer possesses a great advantage in this and he wonders if English might be improved. The Greeks carried their refinement in language too far, he believes, but perhaps English has not gone not far enough. He gives examples of possible changes and writes that the Italians complain that English is too sibilant. He read Herschel's article in 'Good Words' with pleasure. 18 May 1863