H.E. Bates Companion

Bates reviewed H.J. Massingham's England and the Farmer in the 25 July 1941 issue of The Spectator and also in the August 1941 issue of Life and Letters To-day. In a letter printed in the August 1st issue of The Spectator (full-text below), Massingham objected to Bates's criticisms, almost surely to the earlier of Bates's two reviews, although Bates's comments are similar in each.

Massingham (1888-1952), editor of the book and a prominent "ruralist" writer, objects that Bates's review is disingenuous, a "covert and ambiguous belittlement of most of the contributors" that distorted at least one of the essays. Bates's response (below) fans rather than cools the flames. Massingham would continue the dispute in a letter printed in the 15 August issue of The Spectator, and this was followed by a final response by Bates in the 22 August issue, at which point the editor closed the discussion. In The Spectator (8 August 1941, pp. 133-134).