I was just beginning to consider the possible necessity of re-arranging my little world with another vacant place in it — not an easy task. But I see there's no necessity, and I'm glad. I should have known better, shouldn't I?
Yes indeed, I can plan so as to be with you in July, and I'm looking forward eagerly to the visit, because I don't like you very much and I don't like Bower too. You can tell him that from me. And I do want Stewart to tell about his English experiences. That will be most interesting. As for Perky, you may assure her that I am still cr-r-r-r-az-y about her, and am constantly longing to split a bottle with her. I'll wager she has an Olympian thirst by now, and goes about stepping on her tongue!
I wonder about the Sullivan reference to me. I surely read it when it appeared. I was on the P-D. Recently I went over the several volumes & did not find the reference.
Did you receive the Jos. [Auslander?] letter? And the clipping about Bancroft?
I'm sending you the George C. Scott interview. He was my student in 1951. E Apparently he remembered me!! It's a typical
student attitude towards me. You should have several things of the sort.
Lucile, dear lady, it's really getting rather late, and I do worry a bit about the biography lingering until after I've gone on. You will be regarded as the authoritative biographer (if anyone cares, and they will!). So an error in your account will be important. I must be able to check the whole thing for this reason. It is so very easy to get the wrong impression.
My very dear friend, Dr. Kendrick of Cornell, has sent you a little article. It is dear and he brings out an important point — the mingling of the nature with the narrative. Dr. Richard G. Moullon
noted this particularly. You will note an error or too, of course.
Menn of the K. C. Star wrote me that his article on me (based on an afternoon here at the farm) is ready to go, but is being held (or was, at any rate) to appear when the biography is completed. Lacking this, some other "newsworthy" event would serve. India would have done it, but you know what happened. I'm still a bit handicapped
Do you have the first volume of Chittenden??? I do hope so. Please answer.
Knipmeyer is working on my library (cataloging)
on Wed. and Thurs. of each week. It's a huge job. He says there will be around fity fifty or sixty thousand cards in the index! After the cataloging I should go through the cards, adding annotations. So much will be lost if I don't do this. But my eyes are not much good — and getting worse. (This, secretly, has more to do with my India misadventure than anything else)
John and Lassie
SKYRIM FARM
COLUMBIA, MISSOURI
8¢ U.S. AIR MAIL