Subasta Bidspirit | DOYLE ARTHUR CONAN: (1859-1930) ´

DOYLE ARTHUR CONAN: (1859-1930) ´ I fear you will think me an awful heretic´ - DOYLE ARTHUR CONAN: (1859-1930) Scottish author, creator of Sherlock Holmes. A.L.S., A Conan Doyle , one page, 8vo, Undershaw, Hindhead, Haslemere, n.d. (c. September 1900) to ´My dear Russell´ (Major General John Cecil Russell). Doyle commences his letter stating ´I shall be afraid to meet you when you have read my views about Cavalry. I fear you will think me an awful heretic. But change in arms must bring about new conditions to correspond, and I think the man must get off his horse to fight´ and continues ´I should love to come down & see you all but I have hardly been at home at all since my return from Africa, and so I must for a month or two remain here and gather up the threads of my life. Otherwise I should have been much delighted to come to you´ . Lightly mounted at the left edge to the half-title page of a hardback edition of Doyle´s The Great Boer War , First Edition published by Smith, Elder & Co., London, 1900. With a printed presentation slip ( ´From the Author´ ) laid down to the front free endpaper, which also bears Russell´s ownership signature. Russell´s Ex Libris plate appears to the pastedown of the inside front cover. Some light, minor foxing to the letter and the book with some age wear and slightly faded boards and spine. G John Cecil Russell (1839-1909) British Major-General who had served in Southern Africa during the Anglo-Zulu war of 1879. Doyle served as a volunteer physician in the Langman Field Hospital at Bloemfontein between March and June 1900 during the Second Boer War (1899-1902). His non-fiction work The Great Boer War was completed in September 1900 when the British believed that the war had finished. However, the conflict lasted until 1902 by which time the book had been published in 16 editions, constantly revised by Doyle.