T. E. Lawrence to Bruce Rogers

3/3/30

Dear B.R.

Here are IX and X back, with after-thoughts and corrections by myself W. hasn't got all his notions through, this time. I find him a bit matter-of-fact, sometimes. However he lets pass many things which a good scholar would utterly despise - so clearly we must praise him in the balance sheets. You are a better (literary) critic.

'Gurling' is a first rate word, and the derivation seems dear. Let us have it. I should leave 'same' and the dash, too, and let the pedants go hang. I suppose 'dompter' is mostly French: but the XVIth Century English used it.

I have not cut out many epithets, in these books. Some of them have value. The author wrote them deliberately, as part of the epic tradition, and the text loses if they all disappear. Loses dignity, I should say. 'Wise eyed' has gone into Book XIII which reads fairly well now, I think, though it is yet unfinished: in its third edition, to be exact.

I am sorry about the Vs. I shall sign myself SHAW in future. The red roof enclosed is good. I like the idea, and provided that the solid colours came out strongly and happily - why it would be distinctly a feature. Ethereal is the exact word to hit them off. Black for Pluto and Persephone, perhaps: all the spectrum for Iris:- Lord, how we could run on! As a compromise, I think the gold, black and red an admirable solution.

Yours

T.E.S.