135.
1930:
Ottawa, Ont. March 29,
1930
My dear A.L.P.,
Thanks ever so much for the report on "HERE CAME A MORTAL".
As usual, you are hitting the nail on the head; it is just
what I felt about the thing and why I recommended its acceptance
to other publishers but declined it myself, knowing as I
did by that time that Mrs. W. was writing on another book
which seemed more promising to me. But, of course, I couldn't
have expressed it half as well as you do, not being of an
analytical mind myself, if fact, being rather a muddle-head
and, as you express it, again so correctly, a damphool.
Please tell Kirk that I was delighted to get his letter
re THE BACILLUS but am in such a devil of a rush, and have
been for three weeks, that I can't write long letters. I
hope to start printing his book shortly. I do wish I could
print something of yours; I shall when I have enough of your
reports to make a pamphlet.
Incidentally I take the most particular pleasure in enclosing
cheque for $ 10.00 as the fee for the report. You have no
objection to my communicating it to her in toto? Did you
see PUNCH of Feb. 26? "This book (A Search for America )..is
a giant". I am, in the split seconds which business leaves
me, planning another such book which may serve as volume
2. A damphool of an American publisher wants me to rewrite
ADOLESCENCE for him, leaving out the "much too long" and
tedious fourth part which you, with your misguided analytical
mind called "one of the great things in all literature, while
Alexander calls it "a most remarkable thing". And there you
are. Did you read the April Can. Forum, page 248, last but
one paragraph? It rather amused me.
And lo, I have written a letter which is more than you can
say for yours is only a report; and it is also more than
you deserve, though you won't acknowledge it.
So long,
F.P.G.
