Letter From A Pundit

Press, Volume XCIX, Issue 29246, 2 July 1960, Page 3

Letter From A Pundit

IA Fourth Leader In “The Times") It was indeed kind of you to send me a copy of your latest opus (your modesty would, I know, bid me add -culum; but the diminutive can hardly be applied to a substantial octavo volume of 316 pages, can it?) I ought to have written earlier to thank you, but was reluctant to do so until I had found time to read, through the book. This I have at last managed to do; apart from the normal pressure of my professional and public duties I have been kept particularly busy of late, partly by reason of the appearance of the revised edition of Grunt's overpraised “Folklore of the Nicobar Islands” (the Sabbath Day demanded a 200-word review, and I am dealing with his inconsistencies at greater length in the Mythological Society’s Journal) and partly by the need to complete a paper on Pannage and Turbay in the Soke of Peterborough, which old Jewkes asked me to write for the Fourteenth Cdntury. So you see I have not had much time to spare for inessentials.

Let me say at once that, although I have not read all your justly celebrated works, this one seems to me at least as good as the last one you were kind enough to send me, - which dealt, if I remember rightly, with an episode in the Civil War. I must confess that I was somewhat put off by your allusive choice of title. Since your theme is the Defenestration of Prague, would it not have been appropriate to call the book “The Defenestration of Prague” or—better, perhaps—- “ The Defenestration at Prague” Besides being inexplicit, “The Window” must surely suffer from the disadvantage of having been used before; I seem to remember a book of this title which dealt with spiritualism. Am I right in conjecturing-that the dust-jacket was designed and executed by one of your children? If so, I feel that this fact, together with the youngster’s age, might have been included under Acknowledgements. It is a creditable effort. In your Foreword —why, if I may digress, do so many modern writers use this synonym for the more graceful “Preface”; since the dictionary defines “foreword” as “introductory remarks, esp. by another than the author of the book” it does not seem strictly applicable to your own preamble. But let that pass. In your Foreword you admit, and your bibliography amply confirms, that your chosen subject has been, down the years, explored by many other writers, some of them historians of the first rank. I wonder, therefore, what decided you to undertake a reconstruction of this obscure episode? In your place, I believe, I should have asked myself whether the wisest course might not be to let well alone. Important though the Defenestration of Prague was, or seemed at the time, is any useful purpose served by offering to the public a reinterpretation which must be, at least to a considerable extent, a rechauffee? The same question could, of course, be asked of anyone who writes, or attempts to , write, any kind of history. I sometimes wonder why it never is asked! I must hasten to add that I enjoyed reading your book and cannot, in retrospect, lament the inroads which the process made in my scanty leisure. Youfully deserve, I am sure, the unanimous chorus of praise which you have received from the reviewers, the legend of whose venality I have never taken very seriously.