Collected Letters Volume Three: Narnia, Cambridge and Joy 1950–1963. Walter Hooper

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СКАЧАТЬ 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 Carol¹⁷¹ (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.’¹⁷²

      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):¹⁷³

      Magdalen College,

      Oxford. Sept 12/52

      Dear Michal

What day are you coming? Wd. you and Michael¹⁷⁴ 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.¹⁷⁵ Prod her to say when she is coming to us.¹⁷⁶

      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 Anthros¹⁷⁷ 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)¹⁷⁸ 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 СКАЧАТЬ