30 JUNE 1950, Page 7

I quote (and it is worth quotation): " Dear Mr.

, Our

committee has voted you one of the most outstanding writers of recent years, and it is my pleasure to offer you an honorary fellowship of the National Writers' Club." It is by comparison a barren honour, for while normal Fellows " are entitled to ,use the distinguishing initials F.N.C.W." and even ordinary members become A.N.C.W., a honorary Fellow appears to be merely a letterless cipher. If you joiri, you get a twelve months' course in short-story writing and journalism (combined) absolutely free of charge. You get " dozens of personal letters crammed with advice on every aspect of writing technique from well-known and ex- perienced writers," and even " practical help in the form of special supplements to the letters comes to you from such authorities as Joad, Huxley, Shaw " and other almost equally eminent persons. I like the Joad-Huxley contiguity almost as much as I am sure Julian Huxley does. But, after all, why Julian ? It might as easily be Aldous. Either, I am sure, would be proud to be associated with the N.W.C. * * - * *