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THE SHElLING,
SILVERDALE,
CARNFORTH.

17th May 1935

Dear John Buchan,

I meant to add my Congratu-
lations From a Backwater to those of the
rest of the world when I first heard of
your new advancement; but at the
moment I was on a sandbank in the
Gulf of Corinth, and the emotions of
the hour and the absence of postal
despatches led me to procrastinate. It is
only now in the tranquility of my wooded
hill-top that I realise I have been too
long in saying what I meant to say; and
that now is the moment if I am not to
be too late.

Especially as it is pretty clear that I
should presently have to address you by an
unfamiliar name; and I want to use
the friendly accustomed one once more.

I feel that all men of our