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Well, thank you both very much. Last night was among the great nights (‘devilish’ or ‘famously snug’ as the last century said) and led through a flawless tunnel of sleep to a typically beautiful morning. I see one can’t blame Roger for always writing about his own house. By the way, tell him I finished his Lewis Carol
(#ulink_ffe95a7d-89f0-576b-a362-686ab3d83be4) (a word I don’t know how to spell) all but two pages in the train. It cd. hardly be better. If he ever has a chance he shd. take out 9 of every 10 exclamation marks, though. I feel about them as the Red Queen felt when she said ‘You needn’t say exactually, I can believe you without that.’
(#ulink_772c7eb3-572f-542d-a465-0a070c82cb43)
If this letter contains anything insane, take it all for the best and remember I have been writing for hours: mostly dull ones. But I really did love my sojourn, and am v. grateful. Blessings on you all.
Yours ever
Jack Lewis
TO FLORENCE (MICHAL) WILLIAMS (W):
(#ulink_74693b01-61e5-5ef7-808d-8719a26b53d8)
Magdalen College,
Oxford.
Sept 12/52
Dear Michal
What day are you coming? Wd. you and Michael
(#ulink_2ef59d18-d3c0-5784-844a-2c6595c48839) care to lunch? or (if you want more tête-à-tête, as well you may) can you meet me for a drink anywhere? Joy Gresham is an old & valued pen-friend of mine: I’m so glad you like her.
(#ulink_6d22f0d9-d5b6-5991-99ff-6807baa77b8e) Prod her to say when she is coming to us.
(#ulink_ab1ebce3-e3d9-51b4-a5e8-44070d4ab58a)
Yours ever
Jack
TO MARG-RIETTE MONTGOMERY (W):
Magdalen College,
Oxford
Sept 12th 1952
Dear Miss Montgomery
Thanks for your letter of July 24th. That’s right: keep on holding the life-line, like someone going down broken stairs into a dark cellar, anxious not to miss any treasure it may contain but even more determined not to make any step wh. can’t be retraced.
I think the Anthros
(#ulink_7c950a53-f284-55ce-bea0-af666e022e5e) suffer not so much from heresies about the Son as from heresies—or total vagueness—about the Father. God keep you.
Yours sincerely
C. S. Lewis
TO MARY VAN DEUSEN (W):
Magdalen etc.
Sept 12/52
Dear Mrs. Van Deusen
I’ve just got back from Ireland & found your 2 letters among the mountain of mail. I’ve written to Genia. No time for a proper letter to you—I’ve had 9 hours’ letter-writing already! Blessings.
Yours
C. S. Lewis
The Voyage of the ‘Dawn Treader’ was published by Geoffrey Bles of London on 15 September 1952.
TO GEOFFREY BLES (BOD):
Magdalen
15/9/52
My dear Bles
Achtung! Here’s an imperfect copy omitting the Preface but (comble de malheurl)
(#ulink_4bdea192-cf5a-5fa0-af64-771d63419d2a) wearing the jacket wh. advertises the Preface. This is the only imperfect copy among those you sent me: but how many more are there? What on earth can be done?
Yours
C. S. Lewis
TO FLORENCE (MICFLAL) WILLIAMS (W): PC
Magdalen College
Oxford
15/9/52
Good. Mitre Hotel. 12. noon. Wed. Sept 24th. Shall assume this unless I hear to the contrary.
C.S.L.
TO WILLIAM BORST (P):
Magdalen College,
Oxford
15/9/52
Dear Borst
I enclose
Introduction (2 copies)
Footnotes (2 copies)
Text of Selections (1 copy)
If the Introduction is too long I cd. excise some bits. As I shall be working from the MS. (where the pagination is of course different) if you want to refer to a particular paragraph in writing to me, I am afraid you must quote the opening words—as if it were a Papal Bull!
If the Selections are too long, my first choice wd. be to omit in toto No. XXI (Britomart in the House of Isis): my second, much more reluctant, to omit in toto No XIX (Scudamour in the House of Care). I have also noted some individual stanzas for possible omission, but they matter only if I’ve been very slightly too long.
I’ve only just come back from the West of Ireland. I hope you get on well with Horace. There are easier authors!
All the best.
Yours
C. S. Lewis
TO GEOFFREY BLES (BOD):
Coll. Magd.
17/9/52
My dear Bles
The fact that I happened to get an imperfect copy didn’t matter two hoots. What worried me (for I never knew that a percentage of such things was normal) was the fear that half the edition might be like that! You have set my mind at ease.
I often smile when I compare my ignorance with the knowingness of some people who, on the strength of having published one book, seem to have the whole mystery of publishing, printing, & binding by heart. I’ll write to Miss Baynes.
Yours
C. S. Lewis
P. S. I suppose there’ll be no difficulty about changing the title of the new one in galley. I want to call it Night Under Narnia
TO VERA GEBBERT (W):
Magdalen College,
Oxford.
20/9/52
Dear Mrs. Gebbert,
This is indeed most joyous news and as unexpected as if a favourite character out of history or fiction came to England in the flesh! Now look. Shall we book for you at a hotel or will you come and stay with us? It is only fair to tell you that (tho’ we have an excellent hot water system) we have so little coal that there are no hot baths in our house, only hot water in jugs (This doesn’t mean that we never have baths: but then we bath in College, where ladies can’t). Otherwise, we hope the hardships wd. not be too great.
Now don’t start asking yourselves the Question which (I confess) this letter invites: viz ‘Does this mean that they’ll be hurt if we go to a hotel or that they’ll be bothered if we go to them? Which do they want?’. Because in fact it doesn’t mean either. We do really want you to do whichever you’ll like but: and we have enough imagination to understand either point of view–(A.) Oh, for the Lord’s sake, let’s be free and on our own in a hotel, or (B.) We shall have enough of hotels before we’re done, do let’s get a chance of an ordinary house.
The usual oriental formula ‘Everything in our house is yours’ acquires a new sense: so many things in our house in these last (how many years?) have been literally yours! It is outrageous generosity about the liquor and the mufflers. What can I say, except murmur ‘whiskey’! If we fight about the mufflers you shall look on and be the ‘store of ladies whose bright eyes rain influence and (once more literally) award the prize.’
(#ulink_4ba31cb8-a874-5694-8835-42fac90ab859) Send us a wire with your decision. We are so excited.
TO ARTHUR G REEVE S (W):
Magdalen
20/9/52
My dear Arthur
No, please don’t send H.J.’s Letters.
(#ulink_f7bf91f8-eee5-5c1c-a216-732a854fff63) The idea of your returning a present was applicable only on the assumption that it was useless to you. And anyway, if they’re not much about the books, they wd. be useless to me.
A retired naval captain whom you may have sometimes heard of in the papers (Bernard Acworth) tells me he was at Derryherk
(#ulink_ff273af9-ed46-5d2e-bef8-47b106288d0b) shortly before us and says the fishing was just as bad as the food. I wonder what the Magic Major is really up to.
I’ve got a 100 Horsepower cold but feel mentally & spiritually much the better from our holiday. It—and you—have done me lots of good. All blessings.
Yours
Jack
TO JONATHAN FRANCIS ‘FRANK GOODRIDGE (P):
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Coll. Magd.
22/9/52
My dear Goodridge
I’m going to give those lectures next term and cd. hardly separate myself from the notes at the moment.
