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51 Epsom Road Leicester 11 - 3 - '32.
Dear Mr. Buchan: I have long cherished a desire to send you a note of appreciation for your works; and with the advent of your 'Sir Walter Scott' I take the plunge.
My esteem, Sir, is not only for your own entrancing productions, but also for your sister's Scottish romances and your wife's Jim and the Dragon, of which I have the pleasantest recollection; though the book was just a shade too dear.
With your Scott, though, I feel that you have outpassed yourself; it is a
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monumental work - the sort of book, as you said, that one day you must write. Long before I had read right through my library copy I rushed to my bookseller friend and purchased a copy for my library, which, although its master is only a few years old (20), is already of commendable proportions.
I think that Sir Walter Scott has the stuff in it which makes it of lasting worth, and I put it second to Lockhart's Life. Having formulated this opinion, I was agreeably surprised to find that Mr. Hugh Walpole endorsed my views in the Bookman for April (although, queerly enough,
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he did not seem to acknowledge any indebtedness to me!)
I hold your Witch Wood as one of your big books; but in this several of my friends disagree; they say that the book is too long. Blanket of the Dark I like well, too - so do go on writing historical novels; for though they command a limited public, that body holds you up in high, prized favour.
To hark back to Scott; the cheapness of the production as a book astounded me, and the "get-up" called forth my praise. Can you imagine your Scott first - readers going around with carving- knives near at hand? This I did.
I always hold you up as
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a shining example of a "literary gent", as Thomas Derrick would say, who honours his profession (as Scott did), and seeks not to bemire it under the cloak of the highly-high-brow, scientific sex novel - such as - (no names need occur).
Thank you then, Mr. Buchan, for the pleasure which you have given me, and if I ever do anything worthy of an introduction by you, let us hope that I may be sufficiently encouraged to send it along. An M.P. must be busy; but can you sacrifice your time and a note of encouragement for me? To the finest "literary gent" I know! This is a toast from the younger age, a unit of which is
Reginald Watts.
