Case 4
A vast ability of some sort is seething inside his head, + the results will be bound to come out. *
H. P. Lovecraft to J. Vernon Shea, 1933 September 25
Lovecraft’s correspondence ranges from brief notes to discursive multi-page letters. This twenty-four page exemplar covers topics such as his trip to Quebec, advice for a young author, and his strong social and political views. Such expansive thoughts and extended manuscripts were common to the author’s letter writing practice, and he often acknowledged his rambling nature. In response to newspaper clippings on Hitler and the political climate in Germany sent by J. Vernon Shea, Lovecraft expounds on his concerns with contemporary culture and multicultural ideals. Catching himself after nearly fifteen pages, he exclaims: “But hell! how I am filling up space!” and transitions to an appraisal of young Robert Bloch’s (Little Bho-Blôk) talent as both a writer and an artist in which he highlights a “diabolic crayon sketch” titled “Dine and Dance.”
In recent years, scholars and fans have increasingly engaged Lovecraft’s views on race and ethnicity in both his published and private writings. The author’s correspondence is integral to these investigations. In this letter to Shea, Lovecraft expresses his limited opposition to Hitler’s social and political policies. While Lovecraft believes that Hitler is an extremist, the author purports that the leader is “fighting against a real evil.” He asserts that successful civilizations are contingent upon segregation, and that some races are morphologically and psychologically more primitive than others. In the uncertainty and volatility leading up to the Second World War, Lovecraft’s prejudices are clearly on display.
“Yes—little Bho-Blôk, the Daemon Lama of Leng, is certainly quite a boy, + his pictures display a surprisingly natural talent. I think the flippancy of some of his titles is due to intentional irony—one would have to see the pictures in question to judge. Klarkash-Ton recently praised a diabolic crayon sketch of his entitled “Dine + Dance.” I should have thought “Suicide in Costume” would have been right in his line. On the whole, I think the kid has more talent—in drawing than in writing, though he appears to take the latter more seriously than the former. Still—his prose is away ahead of mine at his age, + all its faults are apparently those of youth—extravagance + overcolouring. Comte d’Erlette has done him great good by viciously tearing some of his things to pieces + reducing the fragments to ashes + vapour. As for taste—of course he is essentially immature as yet. To be blind to realism argues a callous spot—though it is a kind of callosity which the years dispel. I had a vilely narrow taste at 16 or 17—phantasy or nothing! Young Bloch is worth watching. A vast ability of some sort is seething inside his head, + the results will be bound to come out.”
H. P. Lovecraft to J. Vernon Shea, 1933, September 25
Case Contents:
Robert Bloch (Chicago, Illinois 1917-1994 Los Angeles, California)
Dine & Dance
Circa 1933
Crayon on paper
John Hay Library. Star Collection. RARE 3-S PS3523.O82 Z98 L7
H. P. (Howard Phillips) Lovecraft (Providence, Rhode Island 1890-1937 Providence, Rhode Island)
Letter to J. Vernon Shea
1933 September 25
Autograph letter signed (twenty-four pages on twelve sheets)
John Hay Library. Howard P. Lovecraft Collection, 1894-1971. MS.Lovecraft
Sheets are headed with Roman numerals I-XII. Odd pages (one, three, five, …) displayed except for page eighteen (sheet IX).