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Downside Abbey, Stratton-on-the-Fosse, near Bath.—Thanks him for his article on The Merchant of Venice. Is sorry that the British Council have disappointed him. Suggests that he might get supervision work in Cambridge. Is excited that [Godfrey] Lienhardt is interested in the Church. Term is nearly over. Urges Smith to finish his article on Twelfth Night. Was interested by C. S. Lewis’s British Academy lecture on Hamlet and enjoyed the revised preface to his Pilgrim’s Regress. Recommends Does God Exist? by A. L. Taylor.

Downside Abbey, Stratton-on-the-Fosse, near Bath.—Hopes that Smith gets the Fribourg chair. Has had a bad cold, which has affected his sinuses and jaw. Is delighted that [Godfrey] Lienhardt is under instruction. Asks whether the other young man, who has written some impressive letters to Dom Sebastian, is called Ernst. ‘Downing must fairly swarm with Papists now. I wish that meant that Leavis was nearer the Church.’ Refers to Leavis’s reception of the article in La Vie intellectuelle and to Smith’s own evaluation of it. Has arranged for Smith to receive the [Downing] Review. Discusses J. C. Maxwell’s career and character. Dom Illtyd is thinking of sending Maxwell’s article to Leavis. ‘I hope the result won’t be a violent outburst from Queenie on the ineptitude of “Christian Discriminators”!’. Suggests Smith should contribute something on the ‘misdirection of research in medieval things’ he mentioned in his letter. Has found a number of Latin tags used by Skelton in Dom Aelred [Watkin]’s 1537 Sarum Prymer. Appreciates his remarks on the recusants. Invites him to stay.

[St Paul Seminary, St Paul, Minnesota.]—Responds to Smith’s comments on D. H. Lawrence. Has heard from Wilfrid, Dennis, Morley, and Preston about the latest number of 'Scrutiny', which seems to be characterised by bickering. Preston wishes Smith were at Cambridge ‘to keep Leavis’s – and "Scrutiny"’s – aberrations under control’. Leavis’s undergraduates, including [Eric] Baker and [Godfrey] Lienhardt, are turning away from him. The cause seems to be Leavis’s sudden turn against Eliot, whose critical writing he declared, during an address by Willey to the Doughty Society, to be ‘largely specious’. Traversi is back from Italy and Harding’s prestige is growing. Queenie is much better, but Leavis is depressed by the change at Cambridge caused by the call-up of the nineteen-year-olds. Dennis, who has almost given up English in favour of gardening, says that Stephen Spender is now ‘our top poet’ and that ‘no one loves Auden anymore’, while everyone is disclaiming their communism and Churchill is popular with nearly every plane of opinion. Reflects on his reading of Jonson, Plautus, and Terence. Is becoming reconciled to the seminary. Compares favourably the readings appointed for Holy Saturday with modernist poems.

Excelsior Springs, Missouri.—Is relieved to hear from him. He intends to return to the seminary, but with reluctance. Now that Russia has entered the war it is difficult to anticipate the Church’s actions. ‘The Pope is quite capable, I think, of blessing a banner for Hitler to carry in front of his army in the new Holy War.’ Is sorry Smith was upset by the news of Leavis and his undergraduates. [Godfrey] Lienhardt is making a name for himself by his views on 'Lear'. In helping Henri [Dulac] with a essay on Leavis he was struck by how useful the narrow critical range of the early reviews in 'Scrutiny' is in giving young men [sic] ‘control over a critical equipment, not too difficult to master, without which they would probably be left inextricably tangled in bibliographies like Henn used to present his students’. Discusses the June number. Apologises for his manner of presenting his views on Lawrence and dissents from Leavis’s estimation of him as a literary critic. Asks Smith to recommend criticism of Shakespeare’s comedies and discusses Bradley’s 'Shakespearean Tragedy' and [Wilson Knight’s] 'The Wheel of Fire'. Asks his opinion of George Eliot, referring to Mrs Craik’s 'John Halifax, Gentleman'. Is finding it difficult to read and is depressed by a sense of deteriorating value in literature and the Church. Sends a photo of himself and Dulac.

Excelsior Springs, Missouri.—Is sorry that Smith’s ‘old distress’ has returned, and criticises Father Reeves’s response. Has felt lethargic since returning to America, but Mac [McLuhan] is ‘even worse off’ and Corinne [McLuhan] has suffered a nervous collapse after a series of parties. Deplores the current patriotic mood in America and the attitude of the Church, as exemplified by Jim Farley and Father Coughlin. Is anxious for the arrival of his books. Would appreciate some guidance from Leavis about his career. Sends greetings to the Singletons, Father Gilbey, and the Leavises. Has received «Scrutiny» and is reading «Gil Blas». Dennis [Enright] is ‘going to Evesham to pick plums with students from Birmingham’ and Remi Preston is thinking of moving to Leamington. Asks how Godfrey [Lienhardt] and ‘the young man who was psychoanalyzed’ fared in their exams; Birch Moody did well, but Illingworth is in a panicky state. Looks forward to the publication of Smith’s book on Shakespeare. Will return to England when he can. ‘Christopher Dawson’s last piece in Scrutiny was really quite true, & Leavis’s constant talk about standards & intelligent living seems more important to me the more hopeless it becomes.’