36 H P M
16th August, ‘73
replied 24 Aug
My dear Derek,
Many thanks for your letter and news. I don’t think I’ve ever heard of Ivor Gurney – he must have published earlier volumes if now he has a vol of COLLECTED POEMS. These geniuses (?) one manages to ‘miss out’ on, as our American friends say. I have been able to review Shaun Herron’s book both for TLS and BBN. As you say, he is a brave man to have said what he has. I know nothing about him, apart from having seen good reviews of his previous novel, also about Belfast. He’s pretty obviously a Catholic Irishman.
Surprise that there isn’t a standard critical biog of W.H.Hudson. Perhaps there is, but another book may revive interest. Yr friend doesn’t sound awfully professional, judging from what you say. Anyway, good luck to him. If it is published, I’ll try to get it somewhere, though natural science is not my – shall I say – field or even hedgerow. (I give myself high marks, however, for spotting a host/multitude of sunflowers when I was in Spain. YOU and Peggie get
