- ID
- cx15
- Title
- "Talk About the Land."
- Genre
- Essay
- Page Count
- 2
- Word Count
- 700
- Publisher
- Spectator
- Publication Year
- 1941
- Document Types
- Full-text Online
- Eads, Additions to
- Letters
- Massingham, H.J.
- Topics
- Rural Living
Bates reviewed H.J. Massingham's England and the Farmer in the 25 July 1941 issue of The Spectator, in the August 1941 issue of Life and Letters To-day, and in the Journal of the Royal Society of Arts.
In a letter printed in the August 1st issue of The Spectator (attached), Massingham objected to Bates's criticisms, almost surely to the review in The Spectator. Massingham (1888-1952), editor of the book and a prominent "ruralist" writer, objects that Bates's review is disingenuous, a "covert and ambiguous belittlement of most of the contributors" that distorted at least one of the essays. Bates's response (below) fans rather than cools the flames. Massingham would continue the dispute in a letter printed in the 15 August issue of The Spectator, and this was followed by a final response by Bates in the 22 August issue, at which point the editor closed the discussion.
In The Spectator (August 8, 1941, pp. 133-134, attached).
