[[1]]

[[MS 2750/2/1/20]]

[handwritten tick]

W[est].H[ackhurst]

26-6-[19]40

Dear John,

Ali showed me the MS[manuscript]. I don't see what he is to do. It's not a question of 2 or 3 passages, is it, more like 20 or 30., and most of them long ones with important [2 words illeg.]. Even when the non-British sentiment <occurs> between inverted commas, it was marked. A Passage to India would never have got through that mesh mesh. He is of course greatly upset, says other printers wouldnt [sic] have made trouble, and that, being a historical novel it wouldnt [sic] be biased in India: all this I have no means of justifying, but I didn't feel that, when their demands were so excessive and so hysterical, there was any good his making further concession, though I believe he might ^consent here and there. - Let me know if I can be any use. The book at its best strikes me more than ever as a good book.

Yours | E MForster. [signature]

I shall be up Friday. (Chiswick 2407). 
for 2 nights