2110-1-13-12

PS I saw Edgar at the office today on his way to the Cape.

2 Audley Square, W.

21st March, 1903.

My dear Buchan

I find it very difficult to know how to advise you. If you want to make a fortune there can be no doubt that the P.M. offer is the one you should take. If you have a political ambition I should say that probably The Bar and The Spectator have equal chances. Needless to say I should very much like to have you at The Spectator, but I don't want to balance your judgment unfairly.

Really, as regards The Spectator, you can judge as well as I can. You know what immediate prospect there is of work at The Spectator and The County Gentleman put together. I feel sure that between the two I could make you up an easy £250 or £300 at once, and probably more; in fact I doubt whether there would be any difficulty in assuring £300 between the two & I will promise £250 absolutely. Then I should be perfectly willing that you should have the reversion of Townsend's post, which would mean £1,000 a year definitely promised to you. It would entail a good deal of work, but not much more than Townsend does at present, and you have certainly three times his energy. In fact, it would be not more but less than he did for many years, but the question, of course, for you is when is Townsend likely to resign. Now you can judge of this as well as I can. Townsend is at present 72. I think it possible that he may go on for another 5 years. He says himself, for I asked him, that he doesn't think it likely that he will go on for longer than three years. But I must tell you he is always pessimistic

about himself. Anyway, if you split the difference you will probably be safe. I don't think that is he is likely to go on for more than four years. That, of course, is not a very long time to wait. I waited between 10 and 11 years after Hutton and Townsend took me on. Of course, we ought to talk all this matter out in detail when you come home. My only essential condition would be, that whatever arrangement we made should include that you should not take journalistic work elsewhere after you had the £1000 a year. Also I think you will agree it would only be reasonable for me to expect you stay on at The Spectator after Townsend had gone for at any rate a certain number of years. I mean, I should like to feel that if you were put in training for the post and got it, that you wouldn't go away perhaps after a couple of years, in which case the paper might be stranded.

However, as I say this is a matter that can be much better talked of when we meet in the summer, as I feel, from what you say, we shall. Curiously enough my own instinct about the whole thing is that Milner will be so determined not to lose you that he will make you a very good offer and that you will accept it and stay. I should personally be sorry, as I am most anxious to get you back with me, but this I foretell is what is going to happen, and I shall be personally very sorry for it.

Let us hope I shall turn out an untrue prophet. Write to me again on the whole matter & excuse rather a diffuse epistle.

Yours ever

J St. Loe Strachey