第51部分(第4/7 頁)

　letters　on　the　subject　of　“Nada。”

April　20th。

I　read　right　through　to　Chaka’s　death。　It　is　admirable；　the　epic　of　a　dying　people；　but　it　wants　relief。　Massacre　palls。　The　old　boy　（i。e。　the　narrator　of　the　story；　Mopo）　would　have　given　no　relief；　naturally；　but　an　idyll　or　two　seem　needed。　The　style　is　as　good　as　it　can　be；　an　invention。　I　think　a　word　or　two　more　in　the　preface　might　be　useful。　I　have　made　a　slight　suggestion　or　so。　I　like　“Eric”　better；　but　this　is　perhaps　more　singular。　How　any　white　man　can　have　such　a　natural　gift　of　savagery；　I　don’t　know。　The　Wolves　are　astonishing。

Yours　ever；

A。　L。

The　next　letter　is　undated；　but　was　probably　written　within　a　day　or　two　of　that　just　quoted。

I’ve　finished　“Nada。”　If　all　the　reviewers　in　the　world　denied　it；　you　can　do　the　best　sagas　that　have　been　done　yet：　except　“Njala”　perhaps。　Poor　Nada！　I　hope　it　will　be　done　into　Zulu。　The　old　wolf　Death…grip　was　a　nice　wolf。

May　13th。

Many　thanks　for　the　book。　You　know　exactly　what　I　think　of　“B。”　＇“Beatrice”＇；　but　I　like　your　natural　novels　better　a　long　way　than　your　modern　ones　at　the　best；　which　this　probably　is。　Beatrice　is　all　right　when　anything　flares　up；　and　all　right　when　in　the　open　air；　but　the　Lady　Honorias　of　this　world　are　not　in　your　beat　nor　mine。　。　。　。　But；　oh；　how　much　I　prefer　Galazi　and　Skallagrim　to　these　moderns！

St。　Andrews：　January　18th。

I’ll　return　“Nada”　tomorrow。　The　Wolves　are　the　best　thing　of　yours　I　know。　Indeed　the　unity　of　tone　and　savagery　throughout　are　unique。　But　there　will　be　rows　about　the　endless　massacres。　I　have　no　doubt　a　Zulu　epic　would　be　like　this；　but　reviewers　are　not　Zulus；　worse　luck。　I　think　that　it　is　excellent；　and　quite　alone　in　literature　as　a　pict