Typed Letter Signed to Professor R[ichard]. H[enry]. Tawney.

Eminent American sociologist and economist (1882-1969) and nudist. The recipient (1880-1962) was an equally eminent English economic historian, social critic and reformer. Two pages, quarto. On discoloured, sunned paper. Parmelee begins an interesting discussion of Tawney's 'Religion and the rise of capitalism', by pointing out a couple of minor errors before declaring: 'For more than a quarter of a century I have been writing a treatise on cultural evolution in which I have encountered numerous perplexing questions.' Poses nine of these questions, on subjects including language and 'primitive peoples', science and 'free business enterprise', 'invention and diffusion', 'conscious leadership', democracy and 'the struggles of depressed groups for freedom', religion and 'animistic beliefs', 'the fine arts', 'material and mental culture'. 'These are a few of the problems which involve biological, psychological and sociological considerations of profound significance.' Quotes his own 'Oriental and occidental culture' (1938). Gives a number of examples in Tawney's book which 'seem to discount the influence of religion', and praises Tawney's 'excellent criticism of Max Weber'. Is 'surprised to find' passages in which Tawney seems to be attributing 'a peculiar significance to the brand of institutionalized animism which currently pervades the Occident'. 'You are, of course, too good a scholar to indulge in the infantile lucubrations of Arnold Toynbee who espouses the "Great Man" theory of history in his "Creative Minority" consisting largely of religious leaders who regenerate themselves through "Withdrawal-and-Return" thereby becoming "Etherialized," [...] It seems to me that all genuine social scientists should endeavour to counteract the misleadingn of the public by Toynbee, Sorokin and their theological ilk.' Signed 'Maurice Parmelee'.