xt7cvd6p303d https://exploreuk.uky.edu/dips/xt7cvd6p303d/data/mets.xml  Thomas Merton 1961-02-02 This letter is from collection 75m28 Thomas Merton papers. archival material 75m28 English  Contact the Special Collections Research Center for information regarding rights and use of this collection. Thomas Merton correspondence Letter from Thomas Merton to Victor Hammer, February 2, 1961 text Letter from Thomas Merton to Victor Hammer, February 2, 1961 1961 1961-02-02 2023 true xt7cvd6p303d section xt7cvd6p303d _+__
V

ABBEY OF GETHSEMANI

TRAPPI ST, KENTUCKY

Feb 2, 1961

Dear Victor:

naving been very busy, and on retreat, and also sick since I last saw you, I have
not yet got around to writing the letter of recommendation. And I am still wondering
very much if I am sufficiently master of the mandarin formulas that will be required
to make it effective. I would like to see a model of some such letter. Could someone
obtain for me an approved form? Then I could follow it. I think that your own
prospectus is itself here and there too simple and honest to be up to the required
mandarin standard. I don't mean that you should be dishonest by any means, but I
don't see that it will help you to say things like: "I can't tell you more than
I have just said in these notes," and "maybe I ought to go and talk to Sir Herbert
Read too". I would be very definite on each point that is is quite essential for
you to do these things or those things, and that you know precisely what you mean
and what you want. I think many of the points you make are very well put and telling
and I think you have made your classical standpoint seem quite strong. But why not
stronger? In a thing like this one must not let modesty stand in one's way. No
one asking for a Guggenheim should He diffident about his project or his powers in
any way whatever. They should get the feeling that tax: you are doing them a favor by
letting them know about your work so that they can fulfil their purpose, their
raison d'etre, by giving you money. I would even ask for more money. But perhaps
in this I am too sanguine, as I say I am not in the mandarin class.

There has been some talk about getting someone in to talk to a group of the
monks about right attitudes in regard to monastic work, especially in view of the
building and remodelling we are doing around here now.Questions of taste, or orientation,
of proper outlook, of working like monks, putting up buildings as monks should,
furnishing them as monks should. Bro Giles and I both suggested that you would be
an ideal person to give one or two talks on this. Wbuld you like to? Some
Daturday afternoon. we could first have lunch together as usual, then the talk would be
perhaps about one thirty or two, our time. There would be discussion afterward, and
the purpose would be enlightenment of monks. I am sure something could be done,though
I don't think all problems can be solved by panels and conferences.

Will you please let me know what you think of this, and what other information
you would like. Of course, we would not expect you to do this without some remunera-
tion.

I shall be waiting for some ideas about the way to write the letter you want.
If you think it is really all right for me to go ahead by my own devices, then I

will do so. But I think I ought to have a model to follow. Will they send me some
kind of form??

I thought Bob Lax might be coming down but he didn't.

As ever, 111 best wishes and blessings to both of you

Very cordially in Christ ‘
,ILI L‘WL-VJ