H. H. Champion's letters reflect a close friendship with Morley Roberts. The earlier part of the correspondence, until 1899, is often written in a style reminiscent of a journal, with personal content regarding Champion's depressed moods and general outlook on life; his financial struggles; and his longstanding affair with a married woman (identified only as A.), which he breaks off in July 1897. His last reflections over the latter relationship in July 1898 are accompanied by news of his engagement to Elsie Goldstein (they marry that December). There are also mentions of his weekly paper The Champion, especially financial aspects, until the winding down of its liabilities with his merging it into The Sun, a society paper, in summer to fall 1897. Occasional mentions of Champion's forays into Australian politics include his decision in October 1897 not to stand for parliament again after having lost badly the previous year; and an ambivalent announcement in September 1900 that he is likely stand and could even win in the upcoming election. In March 1899 Champion reports on his deepening involvement as a writer at the periodical The Age; this and several later letters bear the handwritten heading: Age office, and there are mentions in this period of his relationship with the owner David Syme. At the end of August 1899, Champion tells of the success of his literary review The Book Lover, which served to promote The Book Lovers' Library, a circulating library that had been started by Elsie's family and was mainly run by her. In the course of 1899, both H. H. and Elsie Champion comment on Roberts's novel The Son of Empire, and work to promote it, as well as his subsequent book The Colossus (later The Plunderers is also mentioned). Champion's letters lapse after September 1900; in his next letter, in January 1903, he reports on his illness (a stroke), in March 1901, and his subsequent recovery. There are only 3 further letters, in 1909 (on letterhead of Australasian Authors' Agency, with Champion as manager), 1910 (on letterhead of The Book Lover, with Champion as editor); and 1923. In the latter he closes with mention of having become a Christian Scientist.
