Page:Amazing Stories Volume 07 Number 08.djvu/92

I mean to say is that it would be an extremely rare occurrence for the inhabitants of any two worlds (or energy-forms—energy and matter are the same thing—such as Mr. Skidmore's atomites) to use each other's latest slang perfectly naturally as Posi and Nega used ours. No two civilizations could be so alike as to be that sympathetic.

But, on the whole, your (our) magazine is pretty good, though not as good as it used to be. When do we get a sequel to last year's "Luvium"?

Let's have some more stories by A. Hyatt Verrill. And what is the matter with Harl Vincent in the Monthly?

Just the same, Amazing Stories is my Stf. magazine.

P.S. I like the "Reprint Annual" idea.

(We agree with you in your estimation of the "Swordsman of Sarvon." Giving a personality and emotions, such as we know them, to electrons and atoms we think is perfectly fair in a purely romantic piece of fiction. The story of the romance of Posi and Nega is of course quite fictitious, but it is perfectly good practice to personify the atom and the molecule and on investigation we are sure you will find it to be very good rhetoric. We feel that Harl Vincent is one of our firm friends and shall hope to get many more stories from him.—Editor.)

Editor, Amazing Stories:

I saw Amazing Stories for the first time about five years ago and read it occasionally, but now I rarely miss one number. The Quarterly edition I cannot get here. If I use a direct subscription I find that you have also admirers on the Post and very often a number is lost, that is the reason I do not subscribe directly.

Why do I write to you? I am feeling that I ought to tell you how much I like your "mag," and that it is always a happy day for me when it comes. It is true that I do not enjoy each story so much, but I do understand that it is not always possible to suit all.

For myself I like the interplanetary stories best. They must not be too scientific. Sometimes too much science is also a nuisance.

Among the last stories which I like best were the Lemurian Documents. I hope you have still many "Spacehounds of IPC"—won't they come any more? And most of all, "Across the Void." It is really a pity that it is finished. In short, I like A. S. best of all magazines. The day I receive it here I always finish it to the last editorial. Only one wish I have: A. S. ought to be a weekly and of the size of the Encyclopedia Britanica. Naturally with the same rate for subscription. I wish you still greater success and a hundred times as many subscribers.

(The writer of this very pleasant letter apologizes for any imperfections in his English. We have changed a few words to make it a little smoother. It is always of great interest to us to get letters from distant countries and it is gratifying to feel that we have so appreciative a reader in the new country, new since the war. You are perfectly right in your statement that it is not possible to suit all. Our "Discussions" columns give some very curious instances of various tastes among our readers. The last clauses of your letter are enough to make a modest editor blush, you compliment us so highly.—Editor.)

Dear Sir:

I find August Amazing Stories very good, so far as I have read it. I have managed to obtain 2 numbers of 1926, 2 of 1929, some of 1930 and all 1931. I could have had some more back numbers if I had been able to pay 3/- a copy but this I felt unable to give. At present I get the monthly issues at Birmingham about the 23rd of the preceding month. I have worried them enough for the Quarterly which, however, I expect will be there this week. I can also get back numbers in Birmingham at reduced prices, I intend if possible to possess a complete set. A Danish friend in Denmark is also enjoying A. S.

Judging from my experience of back numbers, Amazing Stories is improving. I cannot understand some of your critical correspondents. In my opinion A. S. is definitely advancing. It is so good that improvement is difficult, but men's judgments of perfection are very various. Months should not be compared with months, but years with years. Nor should readers expect nothing but interplanetary stories. Amazing Stories authors have already peopled the other planets with incompatible inhabitants. I also fear that the Lunarians of the "Lunar Chrysalis," if inferior in resources, would have been exploited and despoiled by the Terrestrians.

Referring once more to the Sages of Eros, Dean Swift would have been unmerciful to them, as he was to Sir Isaac Newton (Gulliver in Laputa). Dean Swift is dead, but you have revivified him in "The Blue Barbarians" and perhaps in "A Voice Across the Years."

I am glad you were able to include a story recently by an English author. If you should decide to issue reprints, let me ask for "The Conquest of the Moon," by André Laurie, a delightful story of 1884, and W. H. Hodgson's, "The Night Land" (abridged edition).

Returning to "that much" and "that long," the reference is to the "Wide Wide World" (irreverently nicknamed The Book of the Tearful Ellen) and to Chapter XVII. My preference is supported by "Modern English Usage," by H. W. Fowler, Clarendon Press, Oxford, 1926; not a pedantic work.

"THAT. The adverbial use (when I was that high; he was that angry) is still more unliterary; and in spoken English it now passes only where, as in the first example, actual demonstration with the hand is possible; where it is impossible, as in the second example, 'that' is held uneducated or vulgar." I also noted that Professor Jameson found contemplation restive, whereas we now say restful, but in old English restive = restful. (Our hero must not die but remain eternally enthroned in the heavens.)

Finally let me say that my age is 46, but I have a friend of 22 who is not a book worm. He agrees with me that Amazing Stories should attract both old and young and excels its contemporaries in very many respects.

So good luck and long life to Amazing Stories from

(Staffs. = Staffordshire; Walsall pronounced Waws'l or Wawls'l.)

The French title of André Laurie's work is actually "Selene Company Limited."

(This letter is gratifying in its opening clause where it says that Amazing Stories is improving. As far as back numbers are concerned, you will find numbers of correspondents whose letters are printed in our "Discussions" columns who have back numbers for sale and you should have no trouble in getting all you want. We are positive that many of them could be bought at the standard price. You compare two of our authors to Dean Swift; this ought to make them very proud, as it is a compliment of the highest order. Our impression is that the use of the word "that" as an adverb is almost typically English—you rarely hear it in this part of the world. We shall certainly hope to hear from you again from time to time.—Editor.)

Editor, Amazing Stories:

Your magazine is getting better and better as the months pass by, but I still maintain that you will have to improve a great deal more if you wish to reach the quality of literature attained by Amazing Stories in 1926, 1927 and 1928. In those days stories by A. Merritt, Burroughs, Garret Smith, Verrill, Wells, and many other masters were published in Amazing Stories. However, that reflects no dishonor upon the quality of those that you publish now, for they are very good also.

I have been making a sales talk, if you did not know it. I have bought and read and re-read every issue of Amazing Stories since the first one, which was in April, 1926. I also have almost all the Quarterlies. Knowing that there are many science-fiction readers subscribing to Amazing Stories who would give a great deal to get hold of some of the first

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