'Have you read [Mr Lucas's book]? "Secularia; Surveys on the Main Stream of History"... It altogether changes my impressions about the man I correspond with almost every week, and with whom I had lot of conversation here 2 years ago. I have always found him gentlemanly and agreeable, cultivated and liberal &c. &c: but this volume shows him to be (it seems to me) so much more that I am perplexed at not having found it out sooner. It is so fresh, so suggestive, so exceedingly pleasant! and I wanted, as soon as I had done, to begin it again, and read every word twice'.
Century: 1850-1899 Reader/Listener/Group: Harriet Martineau Print: Book
Harriet Martineau, in letter of 8 July 1862: 'If Mr. Lucas's book should come in your way ("Secularia: Surveys on the Main Stream of History") do look at the chapter last but one, -- "Absolutism in Extremis," -- for his revelations of the conditions and perplexity of French politics. To my taste this book is charming, though he and I differ about American politics. Nearly all the rest is a very great treat to me.'
Century: 1800-1849 / 1850-1899 Reader/Listener/Group: Harriet Martineau Print: Book
'Monday May 24th. [...] Read the Infernal Quixote.'
Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Claire Clairmont Print: Book
Tuesday 17 September 1940: 'Yesterday in the Public Library I took down a book of Peter Lucas's criticism [...] London Library atmosphere effused. Turned me against all lit crit [...] Is all lit. crit. that kind of exhausted air? -- book dust, London Library, air. Or is it only that F.L.L[ucas] is a second hand, frozen fingered, university specialist, don trying to be creative, don all stuffed with books, writer? Would one say the same of the Common Reader [by Woolf]? I dipped for 5 minutes & put the book back depressed.'
Century: 1900-1945 Reader/Listener/Group: Virginia Woolf Print: Book
'Pardon my frankness. This is most distinctly an idea for a play. And you have put everything into it except the play. [The Sane Star]... Play returned herewith. A.B.'
Century: 1900-1945 Reader/Listener/Group: Arnold Bennett Manuscript: Unknown
'Raw February Afternoon 2-30 [...] Reading Vaughan [quotes two stanzas beginning 'Thou art a moon-like toil'] [...] Reading F. R. Lucas also [quotes seven lines beginning with 'Your quiet altar after all was best']'.
Century: 1900-1945 Reader/Listener/Group: Edward Morgan Forster Print: Book
'I have tasted, sipped, and consumed the delectable nectar prepared surely with the milk of human kindness and spiced with your wit. [...]; This is delightful [...].'
Hence follow 15 more lines of praise.
Century: 1900-1945 Reader/Listener/Group: Joseph Conrad Print: Book
'The following miscellaneous programme was then gone through. This change in the subject was caused by the imposibility of getting cheap copies of The Dynasts.
1. Pianoforte solo. Selection from Debusy [sic] Miss Bowman Smith
2. Reading. Modern Froissart Chronicles Mrs W.H. Smith
3. Reading. Migrations. Anon. Contrib. from Punch by Alfred Rawlings
4. Recitation. In a Gondola (Browning) Miss Cole
5. Song. 2 French Bergerettes. Mrs Unwin
6. Essay. 'The Pious Atrocity' R.B. Graham
7. Reading. Wedding Presents (Punch) Mrs Reynolds
8. Song. My dear Soul. Mrs Robson
9. Reading 'How the Camel got his Hump' W.H. Smith
10. Song. The Camel's hump. E.E. Unwin
11. Reading. The Man of the Evening (A.A. Milne Punch) Miss R. Wallis
12. Song. Hebrides Galley Song. Miss Bowman Smith
13. Reading. Arms of Wipplecrack S.A. Reynolds
14. Reading. Joints in the Armour. E.V. Lucas. H.M. Wallis
15. Song-Chant Folk Song [ditto]
16. Essay. 'Bad morality & bad art' R.H. Robson
17. Song. Winter. Miss Bowman Smith
18. Essay 'Etaples & the air raids' H.R. Smith
19. Recitation. These new fangled ways. E.E. Unwin
20. Song. Goodnight. Mrs Robson.'
Century: 1900-1945 Reader/Listener/Group: Henry Marriage Wallis Print: Unknown
'The Club then listened to a variety of readings from modern poets as follows:
A Rawlings Extracts from "The Art of Poetry"
T.C. Eliott from Chesterton's "Lepanto"
Mrs Evans some verses by Colin D. B. Ellis
R. H. Robson from J. C. Squires "Birds"
D. Brain from Noyes' "Torch Bearers"
C. I. Evans from Thos Hardy
G. Burrow poems by his brother
F. E. Pollard from Siegfried Sassoon
Mrs Pollard from W. Watson's "Lakeland"
C. E. Stansfield from Rupert Brooke
A. Rawlings from E. V. Lucas & Lang Jones'.
Century: 1900-1945 Reader/Listener/Group: Alfred Rawlings Print: Book
'Sunday 17th. Am pretty sure I will get back to the Battalion soon. Went to St. Pol, had lunch, bought some books. Stopped a staff car, and got back to Aubigny for tea. Shifted into a fine comfortable hut with a fire. Finished "Mr Ingleside".'
Century: 1900-1945 Reader/Listener/Group: Robert Lindsay Mackay Print: BookManuscript: Letter, Sheet
'The books you sent me lasted beautifully. I read the two Lucases (which I loved) and the Hutchinson (mediocre) in the train and am now deep in Ariel which is delightful. After that I can get books on board.'
Century: 1900-1945 Reader/Listener/Group: Gertrude Bell Print: Book
'Meeting held at Hilliers, Northcourt Avenue. 26. ii. 40Meeting held at Hilliers,
Northcourt Avenue. 26. ii. 40.
Rosamund Walis in the Chair
1. Minutes of last read + approved
2. Minute 7 of 19th Dec. – relating to the accounts – was continued
[...]
5. The subject of letters was introduced by Roger Moore, and led to a desultory but
amusing discussion ranging from the Pastons to modern family letters and
scurrilous blackmailing letters.
[...]
7. Margaret Dilkes read from Lord Chesterfield’s letters to his son.
8. Ethel Stevens read letters which she had cut out of the papers from time to
time, notably one from a child of thirteen to John Ruskin.
9. H. R. Smith read some four or five short letters from E. V. Lucas, “The Second
Post.”
10. Mary Pollard read Pliny’s account of the Eruption of Vesuvius.
11. Roger Moore read some of Keats’s letters which were much enjoyed, and a
Keats evening was suggested for some future meeting.
[signed as a true record:] S A Reynolds
18/3/40'
Century: 1900-1945 Reader/Listener/Group: Howard Smith Print: Book
'Weather very dud, nothing doing, might as well be at home.
After breakfast I spread myself out in front of our new open fire in the hut, and read pretty steadily on to about 3 in the afternoon—E. V. Lucas's new book.'
Century: 1900-1945 Reader/Listener/Group: Douglas Herbert Bell Print: Book
'I remember reading in a book called "The open Road" an extract from Hewlett's "Pan and the
Young Shepherd" which I thought splendid. Thanks to our Galahad's detestable handwriting I
can't tell whether your book is the "Lore" or the "Love" of P. In any case I have never heard of it
before, but, from your description, am very eager to read it.'
Century: 1900-1945 Reader/Listener/Group: Clive Staples Lewis Print: Book
