Dear Mr Moore,

I enclose the signed agreement.¹ I am afraid there was a little delay before your letter was forwarded to me – I got it yesterday – but when I read the agreement I was delighted, as I know my husband will be when he hears the details. I had not fully realised before how satisfactory it was; in your office the other day I was being rather single-minded.

There is quite good news in Spain, though it comes very erratically. Eric has been created a ‘cabo’, which is I think a kind of corporal² & which distresses him because he has to get up early to turn out the guard, but he also has a dug-out in which he can make tea. There is apparently no ‘proper’ fighting as neither side has efficient artillery or even rifles.³ He says he thinks the government forces ought to attack but are not going to. I hope no crisis will arise needing his decision as letters take from 7 to 10⁴ days to get here.

With many thanks,
Yours sincerely,
Eileen Blair

1. The agreement was for the next three novels Orwell was to write after Keep the Aspidistra Flying (see 357).

2. Orwell refers to his promotion in Homage to Catalonia, see p. 48 [VI/25].

3. Orwell records that rifles were issued on their third morning in Alcubierre, Homage to Catalonia, see p. 42 [VI/16].

4. ‘10’ is possibly ‘16.’ Eileen seems to be more concerned that a battle could affect the publication of her husband’s work than that it might endanger his life. Her objectivity, surely deceptive, might be considered in the light of that attributed to Orwell at the end of her life.

[360]

‘British Author with the Militia’

The Spanish Revolution: Bulletin of the Workers’ Party of Marxist Unification¹ (POUM), 3 February 1937

At the beginning of January, we received a visit in Barcelona from Eric Blair, the well-known British author, whose work is so much appreciated in all English-speaking left circles of thought. Comrade Blair came to Barcelona, and said he wanted to be of some use to the workers’ cause. In view of his literary abilities and intellectual attainments, it appeared that the most useful work he could do in Barcelona would be that of a propaganda journalist in constant communication with socialist organs of opinion in Britain. He said: ‘I have decided that I can be of most use to the workers as a fighter at the front.’ He spent exactly seven days in Barcelona, and he is now fighting with the Spanish comrades of the P.O.U.M. on the Aragón front.

In a postcard which he sent us, he says: ‘When I have persuaded them to teach me something about the machine-gun, I hope to be drafted to the front line trenches.’

On 8 March 1937, The Road to Wigan Pier was published by Victor Gollancz (see 362 ).