Stuk 5 - Letter from J.R.R. Tolkien to Sir Henry Willink about C.S. Lewis, 17 May 1954

Handwritten letter from J.R.R. Tolkien to Sir Henry Willink marked 'confidential' about the offer to C.S. Lewis of the chair of Medieval and Renaissance English.

Thanks him for his hospitality and kindness. He should have written before but wanted to have a chance to talk to C.S. Lewis first.

Although it would be Oxford's loss he wanted to urge the case for Cambridge as Lewis was the precise man for the job and he would probably be happy there and be reinvigorated by a change of air. Oxford had not treated him very well, and although he was incapable of dudgeon or showing resentment he had been a little dispirited.

After their talk Lewis said he would accept. The chief obstacle had been domestic. As long as he could be assured he could have rooms to live in during term time that could house a lot of his books he would accept. Unlike in Oxford 'chairs' were not attached to Colleges but he hoped there would be no difficulty in an offer being made. Magdalene held enormous attraction for him.

He would be relieved if this came off as the more he reflected the more he felt certain in his one obdurate vote.