BASONIANA
SIR,—I am for saying thank you for the smashing review which Michael Sadleir did of me Fred Boson's Diary. It did me ego such a lot of good to have it praised by such a celebrated author and man who knows his onions. Mark you, it deserved praise 'cause it's a jolly good book—for it took me over 22 years to write its 179 pages.' But you know jolly well as how we don't always get our deserts. But Mr. Sadleir asks in review why I did not track down W. Pets Ridge. I feels as how I must say that I not only tracked him down but for over 20 years was a real fan of his and possess nice letters from him. It is exactly five days ago .that I sold to the Bethnal Green Library The Happy Recruit and Light Refreshment both by him which I had owned for over 18 'years and read and re-read many times. But with all the shortage of paper and all manner of other printing troubles plus the fact that James Agate (who advised me to keep diaries) said Don't put the whole five beans into one bag—give 'ern a nice. basonful but leave 'em wanting more-- prompted me to leave out many other famous folk besides W. Pet t Ridge. After all, Sir, I have collected over r i,000 autographs and met nine thousand famous people in all walks of life—Yet in my diary speak of barely zoo of 'em. So if the public do buy and enjoy my diary and I makes a little money (I write it for money I don't need fame) then I will compile another diary and hope my good friend Nicolas Bentley will take out the swear words and put the commas in and then kind Michael Sadleir will read much about W. Pets Ridge and you, Mr. Editor, will read how earnestly I tried to sell the Spectator from a barrow in Bermondsey and how a bloke thought it might be about potatoes with specks in them 1I1.—Yours so very sincerely, FRED BASON.
152 Westmoreland Road, S.E.17. '
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