Abstract

On lengthy and sprawling discussion of financial success, pride, freedom, anti-intellectualism, artistic temperament, and human freedom; on Liberals and youngsters; on the frontier, leading in to a continuation of the discussion on civilization and barbarism, focusing on Gauls, Goths, and Germans, leading in turn to clarification on an anecdote in a previous letter (with reference to the Nazis and a small joke on the casualty rate of tourists in Texas) and fair play in Texas; on violence versus trickery, with respect to Reconstruction and carpetbaggers in Texas, leading in to a discussion on outlawry in the West; anecdotes of Howard's enemies; back to a discussion of barbarism, and the transition of Texas from a frontier to a civilized state; nativist polemic on Texas; on Howard's early writing ("Wolfshead," "Spear and Fang," "The Lost Race," "The Hyena," and "The Forest of Villefere"; Howard pursuing writing out of a desire for freedom (and his occasional perceived hostility to literature), in spite of his environment and disadvantages (and perplexity at those who reject half his ideas as sentimentality and the other half as commercialism); on Lovecraft's "ignorance"; on Howard and Lovecraft's different attitudes towards school (and Howard's approach to different subjects, like mathematics and Latin), leading in to Howard's love of reading (and occasional "borrowing" of books), and introduction to pulp magazines starting with Adventure; apologies for his drunken letter from San Antonio; a line on Lovecraft's new abode; touching on the lost San Saba mine; Howard's trip south with his mother (and how cities oppress him after a time); thanks for Lovecraft's words on his verse, and a British publisher looking at a collection of Howard's stories; on state politics (involving racing, prize-fights, and beer); a summary of the important points in the letter; praise for Lovecraft's "The Dreams in the Witch House" and his ghostwritten tale "The Horror in the Museum" (and thanks too for using Von Junzt's Nameless Cults); a promise to send a copy of The Magic Carpet containing "The Shadow of the Vulture" when it arrives.

Note: In the Selected Letters, the date is given as "May/June 1933."

Cited By

TBD

Included In

• A Means to Freedom (unabridged)
• Collected Letters of Robert E. Howard (unabridged)
• Robert E. Howard Selected Letters (unabridged)