Waugh, Evelyn

1 page on Combe Florey House letterhead (10 1/2 x 8 1/2 in.; 267 x 216mm), Taunton, Somerset, 10 September 1962; vertical and horizontal folds, small holes in upper left corner from staple removal, small amount of very light foxing mostly in right margin.

Condition as described in catalogue description.
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

"I have never been troubled about the Inquisition."  In 1962, Hugh Heckstall-Smith published his memoir Doubtful Schoolmaster, which prompted Waugh to initiate a correspondence with the author, discussing mutual acquaintances and religious matters. "I am delighted to know that I was misinformed about J. F. 's last years.  It is the kind of thing that is too often said irresponsibly about the eminent.  My informant (in 1942) himself commited suicide & no doubt was attributing his own despair to others …. My informant had been a master under him."

Heckstall-Smith obviously asked Waugh for his opinion of the book, and, among other remarks, Waugh writes, "The only fault I found was your occasional use of a slang which is not my own.  Other people's slang always jars—a good reason for retaining absolutely conventional usages even at the cost of seeming prosy."

In the final paragraph of hte letter, Waugh proves himself to be the staunchest of Roman Catholic converts: "I have never been troubled about the Inquisition.  There are oddities about the economy of Grace and its operation through human free will.  Some oddities vex some people, some others …. The basic problem is: why didn't the Redemption work in the way an omnipotent & benevolent God might be presumed to intend it? The answers to that must be speculative.  Particular scandals only illustrate the basic (apparent) frustration of God's will."