12 Chepstow Place

W2

July 10th 26

Dear Mr Huxley,

During the last two years I have managed to collect a compleat (sic) set of first editions of your works, incidentally, the set which was used for the principal items of the bibliography which I understand is to appear in the autumn:- Whenever I could I have secured autographed copies, but these are scarce, and in my set I have so far only eight. I wonder, if I brought, or sent them up to you, you would do me the very great favour of signing the others, or, if this is asking too much, a few of the rarer ones to help me towards a signed set.

I am conscious of my temerity in asking this of you as an absolout (sic) stranger, but unfortionately (sic) I have no literary acquaintances who might sponsor my request; and the news that you are in England again for a little while made the temptation of writing too hard to resist.

While I am writing I would like to tell you something of the very special pleasures that I have had from reading your books - partly perhaps, because so many of the experiences of your characters have been similar to my own, their little weaknesses are so extraordinarily true to life, at least life as I see it. - but mainly because of the gentle humour and erudite detachment that permeate all your work, these things have always seemed to me the supreme achievement both in life and books. - I thought the chapter about Barbara in "Those Barren Leaves" magnifficent (sic), and again, and again the episode of Gumbril in the train on the morning following the postponed appointment - but I'm afraid that for me to say these things to you is like a very small boy at Hollywood telling W D Griffiths that his cowboys are good. -

I read so much, but nowhere else do I find characters whose experiences come so near my own nor that gentle humour and erudite detachment which is such a superb achievement