• MR. CRONIN'S PLOTS
[To the Editor of THE SPECTATOR.] • SIR,—The letter of Mr. Milliken in the issue of October 8th on the similarity between Dr. Cronin's The Citadel and Martin Arrowsmith recalls to my mind a fact which, so far as I know, no reviewer pointed out about Hatter's Castle, an earlier novel of Dr. Cronin. This latter book is nearly a replica of The House With The Green Shutters, the almost forgotten masterpiece of George Douglas.
My attention was drawn to this fact by a friend, and I found that reading Douglas's book was like re-reading Hatter's Castle. In both books a dour, avaricious Scot is the central figure—the hatter of Dr. Cronin's book is the alter ego of John Gourlay of The House With The Green Shutters—and the children of each are weaklings, with similar destinies.
Whilst not suggesting plagiarism, I think that Dr. Cronin was "sub-consciously influenced by the plan and general theme" of the earlier novel.—Yours faithfully, 17 Vicarage Road, Gloucester. GORDON WILKINS.
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