2110-4-5-4

The Grove Nursing Home Woking. Aug. 10. 1924

Dear Sir

Allow a reader of your books to say, you will never "retire to a Hermitage and read Jane Austin". Even old people of 73 - bedridden and crippled with rheumatoid arthritis, who have steeped themselves in 39 steps - Greenmantle - and Mr Standfast, are quite unable to do so- and one at least is wondering

(2)

how she will get through the drab days of her 7th winter of illness unless she can have more. So please get busy. Is there no romance in these days of disappointment? and are there no more great spirits left to help on the new earth that will surely come? No General Hannay? no Sandy - no Peter - no Mr. Blenkiron - no Sir Walter - no Mary. Create some please and help us on. Are we doing

(3)

anything in S. Africa worthy of our high calling? I know only its plain, simple places - Cape Town - Maritzburg - Bloemfontein, Kokstad, Umtata - Grahamstown &c. But there is stuff for romance even there. Bp. Key - "the Shepherd of the Veld" as he was called said S. Africa must always be "the white

(4)

man's country - but it must be "the white man's burden" to be carried as a willing burden for Africa's sake, not for English profiteering. Are we doing it? Give us a few more Harry Bullivants. As for me, I was just an English school teacher - prosy enough - and I am, in spite of having given my true name,

[name deleted]

Yours anonymously

one of the nobodys