T. E. Lawrence to Edward Garnett

30.1.23.

I'm overdue in writing, but have been inordinately worried. The R.A.F. have sacked me, for the crime of possessing too wide a publicity for a ranker: and as I'm as broke as usual the sacking is immediately and physically inconvenient. Also it's annoying to have worked myself up to the point of seeing much good and some thrills in barrack life, and then to be kicked out of it suddenly.

One result is that I'm unlikely to write an epoch-making book about man - or Englishman - in the ranks.

I should have written about The Breaking Point. I read it - and as you expected, the point of it missed me. I can't understand a fuss about such things. Marriage-contracts should have a clause terminating the engagement upon nine months notice by either party. I could admire its nervous writing, and the economy and power of the business: but its point lies so much in its content that it's nearly an impertinence to admire its other qualities.

Having been unequal to it myself, I tried it on the dog. In other words it went the round of B. block. There were debates about the four fires upon its subject, and these I found very interesting. On the whole opinion was liberal: though the dilemma of the book's close gives no scope for party feeling. The fellows treated it not as a work of art, but as a story of plain fact, and grew very keen following its track. Judged by their interest it should have drawn well as a play.

Lyeskov: did I write about him? He was fair to good. I liked the cruelty of the first story (The Sentry) more than the unnecessary harshness of some of the later ones.

Marie Grubbe is for return to you next time I come to London, if I do shortly. For the moment I'm rather at a loss for interest in anything. The motor-bike still runs like a dream, But I can't stay anywhere, for restlessness, and so haven't an address. I liked Marie Grubbe immensely: Nils Lyhne even more: both magnificent books.

Sidney Webb (on a sight of some pages) said that the Seven Pillars reminded him of Borrow (of whom he had read just as many pages). Any views?

Of course everything in connection with Cape and The Seven Pillars is over. I now feel that I was an ass ever to have dreamed of publishing anything.

E.L.