Spencer Heath Archive

Item 2370

Typed letter to Heath from grandson Spencer MacCallum at Princeton

May 1, 1954

 

 

Hi Popdaddy,

 

If I was erratic last week it’s because I’m tied up by the neck with school work, two papers coming due and a paper and an exam just come due.  But nothing to speak of happened with the foundation.

 

However something did happen this week. Read this dandy letter from Mr. Chitty at Sewanee and send him the booklets he asks for. I’d like to see some of them myself. If you’ll send me several at the same time you’re sending Mr. Chitty’s I’ll forward one to Corpy. Also it would be fine to send one with nothing but a personal inscription on it to Kirk.

 

Your way of answering my last couple of letters by sending them back with comments was certainly a time and labor-saving thought.

 

Our P&PR enclosure to Winston Churchill was acknow­ledged with thanks by the embassy at Washington. I’m writing from Princeton and haven’t the letter here.

 

I’m waiting to get my philosophy paper back. I had to hand it in in unpolished form, but I’m interested to see what if any comments Prof. Kaufmann will make on it. Say, an excellent account of the development of the Feudal System in Europe, how it was started among the Romans themselves as the central power broke down and adopted by the German tribes who had kindred institutions of their own, is Chapiter IX of CIVILIZATION DURING THE MIDDLE AGES by George Burton Adams. Sample — “It was of course true, as the history of the Roman tax system makes evi­dent, that the rich man might be so strong in his dis­trict that he could refuse to meet his obligation towards the government, and set the local officers at defiance, and so be able to protect from the burdens of the state the poorer men who became his clients and dependents. He could also protect them from the not infrequent abuse of power by officials.”

 

Well keep up the good work, Popdaddy; keep pursuing Beauty.

 

I expect when you come back you’ll want to go out and visit the McConkeys and Mr. Kirk while I’m finishing up here before June. In any case I’ll be free to travel about June 15th, and I’m finding out when Corpy will reach the west coast; maybe he can fit into our plans somehow.

 

Send a copy of your religious article if you have made some, and I’ll read it and send it with the new “Inspiration of Beauty” for Corpy to read.

                          So long for now,

 

                       /s/ Spencer