Case 3
It was indeed fortunate that my brother had not sought me in the woods upon a night like this … *
Robert Bloch, “The Feast in the Abbey,” 1935
For the younger members of the circle, Lovecraft’s frequent correspondence and dedication to critique made him a powerful mentor. The items in this case illustrate his tutelage of young Bloch and illuminate aspects of his own creative process that he shared with his correspondents. This letter begins with nearly two pages of suggestions and composition advice for Bloch’s manuscript “The Madness of Lucian Grey,” a story he never ended up publishing. Lovecraft identifies areas of weakness in Bloch’s build up to the “climactic final scene” and calls attention to the young writer’s tendency to employ tautologies when painting the scenes of his stories. Helping Bloch develop his own network, Lovecraft then provides a detailed list of “other promising correspondents interested in the weird.”
In the final page of the letter, Lovecraft praises Bloch for using illustration as a method for planning story plots and scenes, noting that he has formulated portions of his own tales through this visualization technique as well.† “The Feast” is perhaps a sketch Bloch did while composing “The Feast in the Abbey,” later published in the January 1935 issue of Weird Tales. Drawn on a school notebook cover, the similarly titled scene may illustrate the critical moment of the story when the visitor to the abbey envisions the evil inhabitants devouring his brother’s body.
- It was indeed fortunate that my brother had not sought me in the woods upon a night like this
- † “Thanks for the sinister glimpse of Bho-Blok, the Daemon Lama of Nighted and Abharred Leng. Rrrrhg…but all the hidden festering evil of pathless Thibet leers from those balefully arching brows! I return the likeness herewith, as per request. Thanks, too, for your exceedingly clever drawing of the other priest of Leng—who looks very like me, if I am any judge. I am adding that to my collection. Drawing your story themes is a really excellent idea, which makes for clear-cut, concrete visualization. I have done it once or twice—notably when designing nameless monsters like Cthulhu or the denizens of the Mountains of Madness— + I always prepare maps + diagrams where complicated action occurs. Thus I made a complete chart of Innsmouth before finishing the “Shadow.” Some day I will try to draw a map of Arkham.”
H. P. Lovecraft to Robert Bloch, 1933 July (month uncertain)
Case Contents:
- H. P. (Howard Phillips) Lovecraft (Providence, Rhode Island 1890-1937 Providence, Rhode Island)
Letter to Robert Bloch - MS.Lovecraft
- Four pages of a four-page letter written from Providence, Rhode Island. Text from pages one and three reproduced.
- Lincoln High School notebook cover, property of Winifred Bloch.
Circa 1933-1937
Printed cardboard.
John Hay Library. Star Collection. RARE 3-S PS3523.O82 Z98 L7
Front cover of a notebook belonging to Winifred Bloch with untitled crayon drawing by Robert Bloch (her brother) on reverse side. - Robert Bloch (Chicago, Illinois 1917-1994 Los Angeles, California)
The Feast
Circa 1933-1937
Crayon on cardboard.
John Hay Library. Star Collection. RARE 3-S PS3523.O82 Z98 L7
Illustration drawn on the back cover of a notebook (likely belonging to Winifred Bloch). - Robert Bloch (Chicago, Illinois 1917-1994 Los Angeles, California)
“The Feast in the Abbey,” Weird Tales
1935 January (volume 25, issue 1)
Cover and page 111.
John Hay Library. Star Collection. PS648 S3 W4X