63.
1925:
Rapid City, Man. November 10,
1925
Dear Phelps,
Clipping bureaus are not so bad when they
get your name for the first time: they send you at least
one clipping in order to get your custom. Unfortunately they
also send you their terms; and it is always cash in advance.
Well, a Montreal one sends me this one:
S.
Morgan Powell, in Montreal Star:
"It is a welcome sign...the we find a determination to say
what he set out to say."
follows a summary.
"It is a big theme at time, it seems a tremendous
theme. M. Grove has handled it with fearlessness and candor.
Some will feel he has been too frank, but there is about this
frankness a stark directness and a grim sincerity that robs
it of all offensiveness. Hand in hand with the man's fight
goes on the increasing struggle between man and nature, between
the pioneers and the land. With masterly simplicity Mr. Grove
sets this forth and indicates the reaction between the two.
His understanding of the influence of the primitive pioneer
life upon human nature is deep, and he has utilized it to
enable his readers to grasp the full force of the tragedy
he depicts. His style is easy . He handles dramatic situations
with a firm hand, and he has a keen sense of proportion and
of emotional values. This is no book for children to read.
But adults will find in it a conscientious and powerful study
of the fight between the two extremes of human nature in
the same man. Its strength is unchallengeable. Its sincerity
is obvious. Its truth will be evident to those who read it
without prejudice and with the desire to understand. It is
essentially a big thing to have done, and I regard it as
an important contribution to contemporary fiction in the
English-speaking world."
That sounds somewhat more cheering than
the F.P., does it not? It is too bad. The F.P. review did
not upset me at all in the sense you feared: but I had, through
it, become quite pessimistic as to sale. A dozen times a
day I said to Mrs. Grove, "It is too bad!..." Anything else
coming? How about the Tribune?
Yours,
F.P.G.
