StudienVerlag - Oapen

An William Rose
Long Crendon/Bucks, 3.12.1939
Ms. m. U., IGRS London, WRO 5/Neu
My dear Rose,
here I am again asking you for a favour. I need your advice. Please read the enclosed
opening of a new novel. It is my first attempt to write in English. Shall I go on with
it, or shall I go on writing in German? In other words, shall I go on talking to the
Anglo-Saxons, who are my chief public now, through the medium of a translator
(which even in its very best variety is bound to be a blurring medium) or shall I
make a supreme effort to build up my own style in a foreign language? For this is the
salient point. Please ignore minor mistakes which can be corrected. But am I on the
way of building up a style of my own, or is it just tripe, and un-understandable, and
flat, and without background and atmosphere? Do tell me frankly. And please don’t
allow yourself to be misled by the subject matter which is at first sight off my usual
shooting-grounds. I am not emulating the funny Priestley but trying to grope my
way somewhere between fun and death. It will, perhaps, be called THE HUMBLE
LIFE OF MR TIBBS. And if my effort does not live up to the requirements of twilight
and atmosphere, I had better give it up. So what?
Please forgive my bothering you. You are one of three people I am relying on in
this question which is to me of rather great importance. […]
„The Humble Life of Mr. Tibbs“ ist der Arbeitstitel des ersten Romans von Neumann
in englischer Sprache: „Scene in Passing“ (Dent, London 1942); die US-Ausgabe trug
den Titel: „Mr. Tibbs Passes Through“ (Dutton/New York 1943). – Der handschriftliche
Autograph datiert den Beginn der Niederschrift: „Nov 13 th , 1939, Long Crendon“ (ÖNB
20.856, S.131).
An Heinrich Neumann
Long Crendon/Bucks, 4.12.1939
Ms. m. U., ÖNB
Lieber Heinrich,
Deine Grossmutter ist gestern gestorben. Wir fahren am Mittwoch Vormittag zum
Begräbnis nach Ramsgate. Sollte es Dir ein Bedürfnis sein, auch hinzufahren, so
triffst Du uns in dem von Victoria um 10.35 a.m. nach Ramsgate abgehenden Zug.
Ich will Dir da weder zu- noch abraten. […]
Dein
Vater.
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