T. E. Lawrence

T. E. Lawrence to the Hon. Lady Fullerton

13 Birmingham Street
Southampton

27.8.34.

Dear Lady Fullerton

I waited to finish with this proof before writing to you. Please don't regard it as a lent Book, it is only an uncorrected proof. Publishers send these out to their readers, who correct them and throw them away. Please dump it in the W.P.B. when it begins to bore you. Of course the actual Book will be better, in print and paper, and will have pictures.

I find it a remarkable Book. It is old-fashioned in the sense that the traveller does not keep one eye on himself, in the Peter Fleming manner. He is simple and very observant, and natural. I think he has a gift for writing too, despite some bad grammar.

Thanks to your kindness and the Admiral's. What should have been an awkward visit to Plymouth turned into an excellent time. I do hope the result (or one result) will be Naval help in proving or disproving the value of these new hulls of ours. I have a feeling that we are on the edge of a great development in ship-building... not cargo ships, but fighting and express-passenger ships! That would be a very good thing for the Navy, and for this country. It seems the only possible answer to the Air, so far as I can see.

However we mustn't get technical. When we all retire we must try and see each other again. And meanwhile my best thanks.

Yours sincerely

T.E. Shaw

Note: The proof referred to was an advance copy of L.M. Nesbitt, Desert and Forest (London. Jonathan Cape, 1934)

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