Downside Abbey, near Bath.—Is glad things have improved at Caracas and is impressed by the news that Smith has founded an institute. Despite getting a first in Part II [of the English Tripos] and the Stoll studentship [at Christ’s College] he is dissatisfied with his work, though he has appreciated Leavis’s supervision. Will miss his visits to Smith’s family. Father Grant has promised to call on Smith’s aunt. Has decided not to return to Cambridge but to research his chosen subject, the devotional prose of the Catholic recusants, at Downside; the subject of his Stoll paper, the medieval tradition in Shakespeare, deserves to be pursued by Smith himself. The boy he coached for a scholarship is not doing well at Cambridge but Dom Gerard [Hayes] has got a first; Brother Sebastian [Moore?] is also going to read English at Cambridge. Kenelm Foster, a Dante scholar, has come [to the Dominican friary] to take the place of Father Elrington, who has died. Relates an anecdote about Father Reeves, relating to a bust of Edward Bullough. Now that Edward Wilson is engaged elsewhere Moreno must find someone else to translate his thesis. Gives an account of the Corpus Christi procession.
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.
Downside Abbey, Stratton-on-the-Fosse, near Bath.—Expresses sympathy at the way he has been treated. Is glad he is in touch with Father Bonnar. Invites him to visit when he is free from examining. Defends aspects of [C. S.] Lewis’s Hamlet paper. Dom Sebastian [Moore?], who is reviewing Preston’s book [on the Four Quartets] for the [Downside] Review, remains convinced of Eliot’s greatness and would like to discuss him with Smith. Hay, he finds, is an amateur historian, ‘but generally considered sound by responsible Catholics’. Recommends, for the other side of the secular priests’ case, Leo Hicks’ review of Hughes’s book in The Month. Cannot find the ‘Persons-Raleigh’ reference, but can ask Hicks if it is urgent.