This is Trixie Kipling's association copy. The dedication 'For my dear friend Trixie (Alice MacDonald Fleming, sister to Rudyard Kipling, Hamilton was close friends with both) With
love, From Ian Hamilton'. The Kiplings appear quite often in the text. In the letter to Trixie, Hamilton makes reference ' In posting you this copy ... my heart tells me that I am returning to my dancing partner of long ago a bit of her precious little self ... the best bits , the bits that will be quoted, come from you and what you told me about Ruddy and his grand dividing line between verses and poetry.' He closes 'Ever dearest Trixie, Yours affectionately'. Hamilton posts a rather curious paragraph concerning 'The art of life' as way of a preface . He mentions being 'in constant touch with Rudyard Kipling. Every Sunday I lunched with him' . Hamilton mentions some verses which he had written, Kipling was aware of these 'and was keen that his sister Trix, a charming girl and favourite dancing partner of mine -nothing more - should take a look at them'.