[George Jackson Flemwell, artist; Skiing] Long Autograph Letter Signed (‘G. Flemwell.’) to H. Stuart Thompson, discussing plans for his ‘Alpine Flowers and Gardens Painting’, mentioning Henry Correvon and skiing; with ALS from Thompson.

An interesting letter from Flemwell, written while working on his 1910 A. and C. Black book ‘Alpine Flowers and Gardens Painted’. In good condition, with envelope carrying Swiss stamps and postmarks, addressed to 'H. Stuart Thompson Esqre. / Forest View; / Vale Rd.; / Upper Parkstone; / Dorset.' 4pp, 12mo. Eight-six lines of text, including pencil postscript. He begins: ‘Dear Thompson; / After finishing a new chapter, & before starting upon another, I really must break off & write to you!’ He thanks him for ‘so many “kind attentions”’, adding that ‘Every fresh article of your’s [sic] I like better than the last.’ An example between the ‘ten-league strides’ that Thompson is making is the difference between his ‘“Kerry” article & those articles you sent a year ago to the “Teachers’ Times”’: ‘One would hardly think they were by the same man.’ He discusses Thompson’s ‘notice of Arber’s book’ and ‘remarks about English v Latin names’, and may add a quotation from him, but he ‘mustn’t put you too often in the book if you write the Preface! It will look too much as if we were “scatching each other’s backs”!? / And what do you think of a short Introduction in French from M. Correvon - as well as a Preface in English from you?’ He explains that ‘the book is a double one: it is an Appreciation of the Pastures (Part I) , and Part II is a Suggestion for the Adoption of such pastures in England. [...] a word in French from Correvon adds an interest which appeals to the Swiss, & it influences the reception & sale of the book over here. As a matter of “business”, therefore, I think it is wise.’ He continues on the subject of the ‘two Introductions’, and if Thompson has no objection, he will take his pictures to Geneva, to show them to Correvon, as soon as he has retouched them and ‘put them quite in order’. ‘I have to-day received them from the man who has mounted them in Lausanne; &, in looking through them as they now are, I can see another week’s work on them.’ He ends with an enquiry about Thompson’s own book, giving the ‘dogmatic advice’ that he should not allow himself to be ‘led off into Politics’: It’s an empty business; it’s not your sphere - nor mine. Leave it to the Jones’s!’ Postscript: ‘Sleighing, ski-ing & luging in full swing; but few English at present here. Winter has come to stay!’ Together with this item is an ALS from Thompson to ‘Mr. Cox’, beginning: ‘I can’t find a short letter from Flemwell which I can spare, but enclose a longer one with his autograph. I fear there is rather much about myself in it, but that was often his custom.’ The rest of the letter concerns a ‘framed C. B. Branwhite’ which Thompson has offered to Cox.