2110-6-6-12

WALLINGTON, CAMBO, MORPETH.

Station. Scot's Gap, Via Morpeth. Telegrams, Cambo

February 22nd 1934

Dear Buchan,

This Life of Scott is a great work There are not many biographies in the language which give such entire satisfaction. One is likely to say when one starts, "Dear me, what's the use of a new life of Scott? We all have got a feel about the great man which is sufficient for us". But I read with increasing interest and enlightenment as to his greatness. I had never before considered what the world would have been like if he hadn't been here, and that Scotland to Englishmen would only have been an interesting but unknown land as far as its past is concerned, just as Wales is to us. Whatever respect one may have for the Welsh character (or the reverse) we have nothing in common with their patriotism; we don't understand it. We share Scotch patriotism and insensibly that sharing is the greatest bond between our communities; it makes us securely one for ever. Not Burns or Carlyle could have done this; they don't touch the common folk enough in England. In both their cases the language has to be learnt, Scotch and Carlylese, both of which are unavailable for the Cockney or the Midlander in England. I don't say this is the theme of your book, but

WALLINGTON, CAMBO, MORPETH .

Station, Scot's Gap, Via Morpeth Telegrams, Cambo

-2-

it is the result of reading it, a complete understanding of his greatness. I congratulate you on the writing of it.

The lesser thing, your comments on the novels, are extraordinarily well balanced and fair. They make me thirst after reading the great ones again; there are some I haven't read since I was a boy when they were read to me by a wonderful master who was the first to teach A.J. Balfour and his brothers, and myself a few years later - Chittenden. He read the Scotch wonderfully and I have no doubt that the real reason why it leaves such a tremendous impression on me was that the native genius of the common people was the first thing that was presented to my mind as the interest to be found in Scott.

The last part of your comments about him, his larger views of life and his political outlook, give me a feeling of being the last word of truth. I think you must feel very much pleased with yourself at what you have accomplished.

Yours sincerely,

Charles Trevelyan

[ST: brother of GM Trevelyan OM]