Clive Lewis - Collected Letters Volume Three - Narnia, Cambridge and Joy 1950–1963

Good. I shall, D.V., breakfast in Woodside Hotel on the 9th and expect you there at about 10. 168

South Donegal is a terrifying country: I have much to tell, but you see what the pen is like. Have read Virgin of the Sun 169 & think it one of the 3 or 4 best books Haggard ever wrote. My duty to June.

Yours

Jack

TO JUNE LANCELYN GREEN (BOD):

Magdalen College,

Oxford.

Sept 11th 1952

Dear June

‘Roofers’ 170 traditionally begin, I think, with the assurance that the writer arrived safely home—though it is not very easy to see why one’s hostess should be supposed to doubt this once she has got the letter. At any rate, I am not now writing from the other world. (Perhaps the idea is to assure the hostess that the guest has really gone: arrival at one place being the strongest evidence of departure from another.)

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 171 (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 Michael 174 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 Anthros 177 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 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.’ 179 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. 180 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.