Diana Pavlac Glyer (edited). The Major and the Missionary: The letters of Warren Hamilton Lewis and Blanch Biggs. Rabbit Room Press: Nashville, TN, USA. 2023. pp: xxxiii, 309.
Anyone who becomes interested by The Inklings, that legendary Oxford group of CS Lewis's friends - which functioned as a writers club to hear and critique work-in-progress, rapidly comes across the genial and hospitable persona that was CS Lewis's beloved older brother Warren: the regular Army officer Major WH Lewis (1895-1973).
Those who are intrigued by Warren, or "Warnie" as he was called by intimates, then typically (and I recommend this) move-on to read the selection from his diaries edited by CS Kilby and M Lamp Mead - Brothers and Friends (1982).
If, like me, you are then charmed and beguiled by Warnie's good nature and warmth of personality, and his distinctive personal perspective on books and things; then The Major and the Missionary would be rewarding next-step.
The editor is Diana Pavlac Glyer, a scholar who has done more than anyone to establish that the Inklings was primarily, and at its core, a writers group - and not "just" a group of Christian friends meeting for conversation. (See The Company They Keep, 2007)
The Major and the Missionary comprises eighty-seven letters and an editorial apparatus (including a foreword, introduction, afterword and index). It describes and depicts Warnie Lewis's pen-friendship with Blanche Biggs (1909-2008), an Australian-born medical missionary in Papua, New Guinea; which was conducted entirely by letters over the last five years of Warnie's life.
Blanche was born some fourteen years after Warnie, and outlived him by thirty-five years - nearly reaching her century.
Blanche got in touch in 1968, having read his edition of letters by CS Lewis; and asking Warnie for advice on how to deal with her own collection of memorabilia. The early letters are business-like, focused on matters of organization and suggestions about agents, publishers and the like.
The main common interest for Warnie and Blanche was Christianity. Both were Anglicans, but with different emphases and priorities, and many letters were concerned with debating these differences. Indeed, there are many "bones of contention" between the two of them and many matters!
Blanche comes across as both an unusual and a strong character; whose missionary commitment led her to endure (voluntarily, and for minimal reward) extreme hardship and periods of prolonged isolation. She had her own views derived from her experiences, and expounded them without apology - yet she was also a careful "listener", and thoughtfully responded to Warnie's statements and comments.
Yet it was clearly affection and interest that predominated, and grew; and maintained the epistolary interchange.
Gradually the correspondence becomes more personal, and then affectionate - as life details were shared, serious matters (often to do with church and theology) were discussed, and personal advice sought and given.
This is reflected in the mode of address which evolved from the formal "Major Lewis", "Doctor Biggs" to first names and mild endearments.
By the end it is clear there was a genuine affection between the two; including a wisful desire to meeet - if not in this world, then the next.
The friendship was abruptly brought to an end by Warnie's terminal illness; during which his side of the correspondence was taken over by Len Miller. Len, with his wife Mollie, were employed to look-after Warnie in his later years: providing meals, household maintenance, daily companionship, and accompanying Warnie on holidays.
Having read about the Millers in various biographies and memoirs of the Lewis brothers, I was pleased at last to hear Len "speak for himself".
Despite that this is a scholarly and specialized book, I found it easy and enjoyable to read; much as if I was reading a novel.
Both correspondents were good writers with clearly expressed opinions, there was an arc to the "story" provided by their deepening friendship; and I found their discussions of contemporary news items to be enlightening - jogging various childhood memories, and providing the special insight of a contemporary perspective (recorded without the distortions of hindsight).
The paperback edition is nicely produced, well designed, and pleasant to handle and read. (I usually find that US publishers are superior to those in the UK in such respects - and this was no exception.)
I would personally have appreciated biographies of the two correspondents at the very start of the volume, including photographs of Warnie and Blanche from the approximate time of their letter writing; to set the context for my reading. As it is, photos are few, and biographical information rather scattered through the editorial elements.
In sum, I was delighted by The Major and the Missionary; which comes on top of a biography by Don W King published the previous year. A decade ago, I had hardly dared to expect any such riches of new information on Warnie!
There are, it seems, quite a few of us Warnie Lewis fans around the place - a burgeoning cult perhaps (for this least-cultic of imaginable people)?
And I have not given up hope of a new and larger edition of the WH Lewis diaries - which have been out for print for over forty years.
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