Across the Spectrum:The Interdisciplinary Life and Letters of John G. Neihardt (‘Flaming Rainbow’)

I received your letter at Madison, there I had a good time. It was heartening to hear from you on the trip, and I gave your message to the Dowlings.

You will be glad to hear about the University lectures. I gave them, and the following will give you some idea of the impression made: After the first lecture, Doctor Alexander had me over to his house for lunch, after which his wife got out of the way, and he launched forth. He asked if I would give him permission to urge that I be brought to the University as Prof. of Poetics in the Department of Philosophy. I said, But I am not a philosopher. He said, It is precisely because you are not officially tagged a philosopher that I want you. Then I asked if there was not some unpleasantness, between the English and Philosophy Departments. He admitted that there had been some unpleasantness, but for his part it was not serious. Then he said, In view of that fact, perhaps it would be better if I should urge that the English Department bring you at once. I said that I thought that very gracious of him, and I do. Alexander was undoubtedly deeply impressed with the lecture. This pleased me most because of the fact that I went there under Sherman's wing. Sherman, too, was pleased. The old fellow beaned. After my second lecture, an Omaha party took me by car to Omaha. While I was hastily throwing my stuff into my grips (I stayed with Doctor Sherman while in Lincoln), Sherman came up to my room and said excitedly, I want to know that this has been a very successful affair, that you have made a deep impression. In addition to the forgoing, I have just received a letter from Prof. Scot in which he says that he has spenty twenty

years at the University, and that in his opinion the two lectures were the "most significant" he had heard in that time. Others spoke in similar vein, and I noted that there was plenty of cordiality at the faculty club dinner in my honor. I tell you only what has come to me. What else there is, I do not know. Prof. Stepanek, one of the finest and most brilliant chaps in the faculty, was strong for the stuff. I do not recall all I heard in one way or another I don't know what Avery thought. But whether he liked what I did or not, I sincerely like him. He heard only the second lecture, and the two go together, of course. But he was very kind to me, the dear, big-hearted man.

Well, that's over, thank goodness. Now I'm freer than I've been for some time. I've just received sample title page of the POETIC VALUES book, and it looks as though they were issuing a lordly large paper edition of it. I can't be sure of this, but always before they have sent title page in the proper size. Golly, what a book it will be if they issue it in the format indicated by the title page sent me!

Naturally, the reports of my lectures were altogether inadequate. The poor reporters didn't know what in hell to do about it. One could see that. Alexander said that nine-tenths of the students couldn't follow my language (which I certainly consider simple) and that no very large percentage of the faculty could really get the whole of it. I do not like to believe this. If it is true, it is due to the fact that the thing was read rapidly, and thinking can never be gotten rapidly.

I think that I was happier over the fact that I did good dear old Sherman credit than over anything else. Dear old scholar!