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(or so at least the papers say). But who can understand the methods of a government?

      I don’t remember ever noticing before, the words Brightwood Sta. on your mailing stamp, and have been idly wondering what they mean. With us Sta. is the usual abbreviation for Railway Station, and I thought it might stand for that: but my travelled brother assures me that Depot is the American for railway station.

      Your blue suit, looking uncommonly smart, is sauntering round Oxford on the person of the aforesaid brother, and meets with much admiration in its walks. It also visited Ireland last year, where it tramped several scores of miles and very nearly went bathing one rough day: so you may also consider yourself as having had a good look round these islands by proxy.

      We are just emerging from a heat wave, and very unpleasant it was: sent us by you I think, and the first American gift for which I have not been grateful. I am not and never will be a hot weather man—having been reared in the north of Ireland, by the sea, where fifty degrees is a cold day, and seventy a very hot one. Part of the trouble is that we have no apparatus over here for dealing with hot weather—fans, plentiful ice etc. Lecturing and tutoring with the thermometer high in the eighties is ‘not my cup of tea’.

      With all best wishes to you both for a happy summer,

      Yours sincerely,

      C. S. Lewis

      

TO STELLA ALDWINCKLE (W): ¹⁰⁴

      Magdalen College

      Oxford 12/6/50

      Dear Miss Aldwinckle

If I had carte blanche I should put up the following programme for next term¹⁰⁵–

1. The Concept of Mind by Ryle¹⁰⁶ or a disciple: answered by H. H. Price.¹⁰⁷

2. The Concept of Man by a Sartrian:¹⁰⁸ answered by Sheed¹⁰⁹ or Christopher Dawson.¹¹⁰

3. The Mystical Approach by someone of the Heard¹¹¹ or Huxley type:¹¹² ans. by Fr. Gleason?¹¹³

4. Why I believe in God by Miss Anscombe (is that how you spell it?):¹¹⁴ ans. by?

5. Pagan Christs by an Anthropologist: ans. by C. Hardie.¹¹⁵

6. The Historical value of the N.T.¹¹⁶ by Dr. Farrer:¹¹⁷ ans. by?

7. Faith & Experience by Mr. Mitchell:¹¹⁸ ans. by?

8. Religious Language by Prof. Ayer:¹¹⁹ ans. by Owen Barfield.

I shd. press hard for No. 4. The lady is quite right to refute what she thinks bad theistic arguments, but does this not almost oblige her as a Christian to find good ones in their place: having obliterated me as an Apologist ought she not to succeed me?¹²⁰

      I am v. sorry I can’t attend the meeting. The point I shd. make if I were there is that we must not be pre-occupied with novelty. Each generation of undergraduates needs to hear a fair number of the arguments we’ve had already.

      Yours sincerely

      C. S. Lewis

      

P.S. Does Dorothy Emmet ever read papers? ¹²¹

       TO VERA MATHEWS (W): TS

      REF.50/81

      Magdalen College,

      Oxford. 12th June 1950.

      My dear Miss Mathews,

      Parcels from Beverly Hills seem to arrive with the same regularity as the demands of the Income Tax Commissioner, but differ considerably from them in the reception with which they meet. Here is yet another admirable assortment, posted on the 10th. of May, which I found waiting for me this morning, in excellent condition. I have so often had the pleasant task of thanking you for your kindness that I am ‘gravelled for matter’ in which to express my gratitude for its continuance. Many thanks.

      We are just emerging from a heat wave, always a very trying thing in this island, where we never make any preparations for hot weather, and never learn from past experience; when the thermometer gets above 85, this is one of the most uncomfortable countries in the world. No doubt a Californian will smile at the idea of calling this hot weather, but with us, such temperatures are ‘news’ in the front page sense of the word. This is when one appreciates living on a river; I was bathing yesterday afternoon and the water was at seventy. But how greatly I would prefer the sea!

      With many thanks and all best wishes,

      yours sincerely,

      C. S. Lewis

      

       TO JILL FLEWETT (T): TS

      Magdalen College,

      Oxford. 15th June 1950

      My dear June,

      We both enjoyed your visit immensely, and such was its tonic effect on Warnie that he was able to leave Restholme the following day: with however many regrets that he had not been discharged twenty four hours earlier.

      Lucky you, in spite of the railway journey which must have been an unpleasant ordeal; but, as you say, you have your reward, and I envy you, though it is not a southern sea for which I pine. I want to see and hear Ulster waves breaking on an Ulster beach. I, alas, can’t get away, but Warnie has managed to squeeze out ten days in August at Vera’s bungalow in Co. Louth, by the sea: an ideal place for an economical holiday. For, as he points out, the nearest pub. is three miles away, and there is no form of transport other than his own feet!

We can’t imagine you getting engaged to anyone who is not very nice indeed, and look forward eagerly to meeting Clay;¹²² the only catch about the whole thing is I suppose the ‘somewhere to live’? It will have to be in or near London I take it. We wish you good hunting.

      We hope you are having a really good holiday, and that you come back to fresh triumphs and increased happiness.

      yours ever,

      Jack

I love my diptych more every day.¹²³ It is in my bedroom, facing me as I wake. Funny they shd.

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