Spencer Heath Archive

Item 2610

Letter from Felix Wittmer, 395 Grove Street, Upper Montclair, New Jersey

June 23, 1957

Dear Mr. Heath:

 

Thank you so much for sending me a copy of your book, Citadel, Market, and Altar. While I have not yet completed reading it, I can see how much original and probably thought-inspiring research you have done.

 I had had in mind to attend the cocktail party at the Plaza, but was prevented from doing so.

 This coming week I’ll sign contract to teach again — at a Midwestern college. This means that there will not be much time to devote to conservative writing, as I had hoped to do.

 I had an offer to teach two courses (HISTORY OF CIVILIZATION) at Queens, in Flushing, and hoped to write a non-collectivist textbook at the same time. Alas, all foundations have turned me down. They are mostly interested in economics, not in history and more universally cultural concerns. Thus I am admitting defeat (I MUST make a living, after all.) But I regard it as a defeat of the conservative cause, whose leaders are too sel­fishly concerned with material things and have missed the things which might help us re-conquer the intelligentsia. (Not lightly said, because I have been making the rounds these past six years.)

 With the best to you,

                            Sincerely,

(signed) Felix Wittmer

 

P.S. If you live in Elkridge, and not in N.Y.C., I might be

able to visit with you this week end as I have a speaking engagement in Alexandria, this Friday evening, and shall stay at the Hotel Continental, near Union Station, Washington, over night.