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8, HEREFORD GARDENS, MARBLE ARCH. LONDON. W.
11th February 1915
Dear John,
I was reading the opening chapters of your admirable History last night. I should like to congratulate you very warmly. I hope the book will have a great sale and I think it will, because it is so different from any of the stuff that has been put out so far.
I was interested, amused, and also startled to find how very close we are together on some points with regard to the outbreak of war. Indeed I think I shall have to change a few works [words] or paragraphs in my preliminary chapters, otherwise I shall be branded as a plagiarist. The most curious resemblance is in our descriptions of the Kaiser's character. Mine is a good deal longer than yours and not so flattering, but several of the less obvious, and so far as I know hitherto uncommented on, points which you make I have also made. As for instance, the distinction between theatrical and dramatic; his sincerity wholly unanchored &c. &c. Some time when you are round I should like to show you the thing in the state in which I found it when I came to read it over yesterday. I fancy it was written about the end of October.
In view of the above, perhaps you will think it is almost/
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almost immodest of me to speak so strongly in praise!
I have another title suggested to me since I saw you - "The Crucible of War". It certainly is the best so far and my objections to it are less than to the "Ordeal of Democracy", but it is rather too melodramatic; also it has got too direct a meaning. I had rather it were more allusive.
Yours very truly,
F.S.O. [ST: F.S. Oliver]
John Buchan Esq., 30 Upper Grosvenor Street, W.
