to F D Bedford - 1911

Description

[re P Pan illustrations] It struck me after I saw you that you were putting the Napoleon cap on Peter. I am not bringing the Napoleon episode into the book at all. The idea is more something like a leaf of a lime, the apex turned up over forehead to give a cocky appearance from which you can judge my drawing capacity. (It can be any size you find advisable — almost the effect of a hood.) In the Neverland (Dürer) scene it would be nice to have a romantic river twisting about. The Indians' wigwams w[oul]d also be a good touch, also fairies flying. I think the pirates might be marching along where they are in the picture book without Hook and that he should be on the ship as in the curtain at the theatre. This sort of idea. The wigwams might be on distant hill next to [where] the boys are glissading down and the river rise between them so as to try to have all the island full of incident. It is better to have the mermaids in rays of sun or in reflection of rainbow? Either suits the letterpress. Excuse my troubling you