2110-6-2-6

[Original in: Sir Walter Scott miscellanies (PR5330.55)]

COPY

John Buchan Esq. House of Commons London.

Manystairs, Salisbury Road , Wynberg, South Africa 21st Septr/32

Dear Mr. Buchan,

As a fellow Scott-enthusiast, I venture to send you some lines of mine published in "The Cape Times " today. They attempt to show how Scott "came" to an unlicked cub on a remote South African farm and awakened in him an abiding love of literature. They also attempt, in compressed form, an estimate of Scott which I hope you will approve.

Many thanks for your splendid book on "Sir Walter". It is a great work; but, if I may say so, it is not just the very button on the cap of perfection that I expected from such a writer about such a writer. May I mention two misprints which I noticed? On page 110: "The Vanity of Human Wishes" reads as "The Vanity of Human Wisdom" . On page 142: "Warroch-head" (Scott) appears as "Warrick Head".

I wonder if you ever managed to read my poem, "Drought", which I asked Benns to send you three years ago? If so, a comment or two from you would would be regarded as a great honour.

With kind remembrances, Yours very truly, (signed) F. Carey Slater.