Chronologically Lewis Joel D. Heck 1951 In this year Jack’s review of Howard Rollin Patch’s The Other World, According to Descriptions in Mediaeval Literature is published by Medium Aevum.1 January 1 Monday. Jack meets Pauline Baynes and Geoffrey Bles in London to discuss the Narnia books. January 4 Thursday. Warren and Jack get an unexpected visit in the afternoon from Leonard Blake, who is up at Wadham for a musical conference. January 5 Friday. Jack writes to Mary Van Deusen about prayer with thoughts that later form a part of his essay “The Efficacy of Prayer.” Jack writes to Sheldon Vanauken about Vanauken’s research topic to a specifically Christian topic, advising against it. January 6 Saturday. Jack writes to Ruth Pitter. January 8 Monday. Jack writes to Pauline Baynes and Sheldon Vanauken, citing, in the latter’s letter, George MacDonald by writing, “All that is not God is death.” This again has to do with changing Vanauken’s research topic to a Christian topic. January 10 Wednesday. Hilary Term begins. January 11 Thursday. Jack writes to P.N. Newby of the BBC, declining a radio talk on his OHEL volume. January 12 Friday. Mrs. Janie Moore dies of influenza at the Restholme Nursing Home in Oxford at 5:00 in the evening at the age of 79. January 14 Sunday. The beginning of Full Term. Jack writes to William Kinter. January 15 Monday. Mrs. Janie Moore is buried in the Churchyard of Holy Trinity at 2:30 p.m. Warren has the flu and does not attend. January 17 Wednesday. Warren records his impressions of Jenny King Askins, Mrs. Moore or Minto. Jack begins to lecture twice weekly on “Prolegomena to Renaissance Poetry” at 11:00 a.m. on Wednesdays and Fridays at the Schools. January 18 Thursday. Jack writes to Edward A. Allen, thanking him for parcels on December 11 and 12. Warren has just gotten over the flu. January 19 Friday. Jack begins to lecture twice weekly on “Prolegomena to Renaissance Poetry” at 11:00 a.m. at the Schools. January 22 Monday. The Oxford Socratic Club meets to discuss the topic “The Problem of Freedom” with guest speaker J. Ward-Smith. Warren finishes rereading Orley Farm by Trollope. January 23 Tuesday. Warren attends a long P.C.C. (Parish Church Council?) meeting in the schools this evening to decide what the parish is going to do about this Festival of Britain. January 24 Wednesday. Jack is scheduled to lecture on “Prolegomena to Renaissance Poetry” at 11:00 a.m. at the Schools, but he probably does not do so because of the flu. January 25 Thursday. Jack moves back into College this evening, having been laid up with flu since last Friday. January 26 Friday. Jack writes to Sarah Neylan, having just had the flu himself. Jack lectures on “Prolegomena to Renaissance Poetry” at 11:00 a.m. at the Schools. January 28 Sunday. Warren attends the ladies’ musical at Miss Dencke’s in the afternoon. Prior to the concert he meets Jack’s rival for Chair of Poetry, Cecil Day Lewis. In the evening Warren finishes reading the World Classic abridgement of the diary of Parson Woodforde (1740-1802). 1 Light on C.S. Lewis, 143. 2 January 29 Monday. The morning edition of the Telegraph has a photo of Jack and Cecil Day Lewis, with an article entitled “Professor Screwtape?” about the contest for the professorship of poetry at Oxford. “On Clearing Up Philosophical Muddles” with guest speaker Bernard Williams is the topic for the Oxford Socratic Club this evening. January 30 Tuesday. The Inklings meet at the Bird and Baby in the morning (Dyson, Colin Hardie, Dundas-Grant, Havard, David Cecil, Warren, and Jack). Warren talks to David Cecil about Woodforde’s diary. January 31 Wednesday. Jack writes to Arthur, offering to arrive in Belfast on Saturday, March 31, and leave on Monday, April 16. Jack writes to Roger Green, suggesting Feb. 28 and 29 for Roger to visit him. Around this time Jack writes to Mrs. Halmbacher. Jack lectures on “Prolegomena to Renaissance Poetry” at 11:00 a.m. at the Schools. February 2 Friday. Warren goes on the No. 6 bus this morning with Mathews to Magdalen. February 3 Saturday. Jack and Warren walk up to Norham Road in the evening to attend a cocktail party given by Ted’s daughter, Beth, and her companion in their apartment. Warren dines in College sitting between MacFarlane and Dixon. Warren enjoys some wine with James Greffolk, then he takes a taxi home. February 4 Sunday. Because of strong winds, only people attend the 11 a.m. service, But Warren is one of them. February 7 Wednesday. Jack writes to Mary Van Deusen, thanking her for the gift of Frederick Woodbridge’s book, An Essay on Nature, which he has not yet read. Jack expresses his opposition to abortion and infanticide. February 8 Thursday. While waiting to dine at the Royal Oxford, Jack hears the news that he has lost the Poetry Chair to C. Day Lewis. The vote is 194 to 173 on an ambiguous ballot with C.D. Lewis and C.S. Lewis on it. He is with Barfield, Havard, David Cecil, J.A.W. Bennett, and Warren.2 February 9 Friday. Jack lectures on “Prolegomena to Renaissance Poetry” at 11:00 a.m. at the Schools. February 12 Monday. The Oxford Socratic Club meets to discuss “Psychopathology and Sin” with Seymour Spencer and Victor White this evening. Presumably Parkin comes over for a week to visit with Warren. February 13 Tuesday. Jack meets Roger Green, Tolkien, R.B. McCallum (Master of Pembroke College), Warren Lewis, Wrenn, Hardie, Gervase Mathew, John Wain, and others at the Eagle and Child. They discuss C. Day Lewis and his Georgics and critical work.3 February 14 Wednesday. Jack lectures on “Prolegomena to Renaissance Poetry” at 11:00 a.m. at the Schools. February 16 Friday. Jack lectures on “Prolegomena to Renaissance Poetry” at 11:00 a.m. at the Schools. February 21 Wednesday. Jack lectures on “Prolegomena to Renaissance Poetry” at 11:00 a.m. at the Schools. February 23 Friday. Jack lectures on “Prolegomena to Renaissance Poetry” at 11:00 a.m. at the Schools. February 28 Wednesday. Jack writes to Seymour Spencer. Jack lectures on “Prolegomena to Renaissance Poetry” at 11:00 a.m. at the Schools. March Roger Green visits Jack again this month, having finished reading The Silver Chair.4 March 2 Friday. Jack lectures on “Prolegomena to Renaissance Poetry” at 11:00 a.m. at the Schools. March 5 Monday. Jack writes to Mrs. Lockley. March 6 Tuesday. Jack writes to Roger Green about The Silver Chair, having just finished Paul Capon’s The Other Side of the Sun. March 7 Wednesday. Jack lectures on “Prolegomena to Renaissance Poetry” at 11:00 a.m. at the Schools. 2 Clive Staples Lewis, 319. 3 Green and Hooper, 158. 4 Green and Hooper, 244; Sayer, Jack, 315.. 3 March 10 Friday. Jack lectures on “Prolegomena to Renaissance Poetry” at 11:00 a.m. at the Schools. March 14 Wednesday. Jack lectures on “Prolegomena to Renaissance Poetry” at 11:00 a.m. at the Schools. March 16 Friday. Jack lectures on “Prolegomena to Renaissance Poetry” at 11:00 a.m. at the Schools. March 17 Saturday. Hilary Term ends. Jack writes to Ruth Pitter, having just finished his third bout with the flu. He thanks her for her book Urania. Jack intends to go to Northern Ireland after Easter. Jack writes to Mary Van Deusen. March 21 Wednesday. This week Jack is reading Dorothy Sayers’ The Man Born to be King. March 22 Maundy Thursday. Jack writes to Christian Hardie, having just read Evelyn Waugh’s Brideshead Revisited. Jack also indicates that he has in the past read Samuel Butler’s Erewhon, Sir Walter Scott’s Rob Roy, James Hogg’s The Private Memoirs and Confessions of a Justified Sinner, Stephen McKenna’s The Confessions of a Well-Meaning Woman, Benjamin Disraeli’s Coningsby, and Edward Benson’s Dodo. March 23 Good Friday. Jack writes to Arthur. March 25 Easter Sunday. Jack writes to Douglas Harding. March 26 Monday. Jack writes to Ruth Pitter, inviting her to lunch on May 10 at 1:15 p.m. Jack writes to George Sayer. March 27 Tuesday. Jack writes to Christian Hardie, Vera Mathews, and Dr. Firor. At some point in this month, perhaps on this day, he writes also to Mrs. Halmbacher. March 28 Wednesday. Trinity Term begins. Jack’s poem “Ballade of Dead Gentlemen” is published by Punch.5 March 30 Friday. Jack leaves for Ireland for two weeks. March 31 Saturday. Jack arrives in Belfast after his travels from Oxford. April 13 Friday. On approximately this day Jack returns from Ireland. April 16 Monday. Probably on this date Vanauken writes to Jack about his conversion. April 17 Tuesday. Jack writes to Sheldon Vanauken, welcoming him to the Christian faith and warning him that there will be counter attack by the enemy, and to R.W. Chapman. April 18 Wednesday. Jack writes to Sister Madeleva, thanking her for her book, Lost Language. Jack also writes to Mrs. Van Deusen about the challenges of living with Mrs. Moore. He has just returned from a holiday in Ireland and has written about forty letters by hand since returning. April 19 Thursday. Jack writes to Miss Breckenridge. April 22 Sunday. The beginning of Full Term. Jack writes to Arthur and Roger Green. April 23 Monday. Jack writes to Arthur, Griffiths, and Firor. Jack begins to lecture twice weekly on “Prolegomena to Renaissance Poetry” on Mondays and Wednesdays at noon at the Schools.