We now find Lewis in the army and billeted at Keble College, Oxford, rooming with Paddy Moore. His mom and sister, Maureen, have also moved to Oxford to be with Paddy. Jack first mentions Paddy in 10 June letter, p. 317. He reflects over the changes in his life and the character of the fellows with him (p. 317). He describes his life at this time, the schedule he has, his “getting rid of some adipose tissue,” etc. 10 Jun., p. 321, he says he is in a very productive mood and writing verse. There is a rather humourous description of his getting drunk at a celebration of some of his friends and his behaviour (though it refers to his particular vice at the time) – p. 319.
With his father, two things are going on: 1) Albert’s attempts to do whatever he can to keep Jack from being sent into the trenches, and 2) Jack regularly telling his father how much he’d like for him to come over and visit him. These appeals to his father will go on, and on, through Jack’s various war experiences, but his father never comes. It’s very sad.
8 July, Jack writes from Univ. College, where he is spending a bit of time; he really hates parting from it. There’s a very touching scene where Jack goes wondering through the College and examines one of the rooms, still furnished by an absent student. (p. 324; v. et. 326). Wagner and Rackham are important at this time.
18 Jul, writing to his father, he “has it out” with him about being placed in the artillery, which his father thought would be safer. Jack just did not have the mathematical background to place there. Beside that, he’s feeling sentimental about his own unit. He has tea with a Trinity don and mentions that Jowett is pronounced like “poet” in Oxford. He’s longing to read Well’s God the Invisible King. He wants his father to write of intellectual matters because he wants to keep his “soul alive” and “not become a great, empty headed, conceited military prig.”
24 Jul., Jack writes to Arthur about his political feelings. He has “no patriotic feelings for anything in England, except Oxford,” for which he would “live and die.” If he were to “get interested” in politics back home, he would be a nationalist. He continues to write to Arthur about their good old days together, about the books they like and the quality of their bindings. The actual presentation of a book is regular fare between them. That’s why Lewis will often buy a book and then have someone rebind it in leather or some such, just so it will be nicer.
4 Aug., he is glad Arthur likes Tristram Shandy and Milton’s Comus. He mentions that G. E. B. Saintsbury, in his History, thinks it better than Paradise Lost, but not Lewis.
27 Aug., 10 Sept., 24 Sept., ending p. 336, Jack writes typically to his father but here we find Jack talking about how he is spending time with Mrs. Moore and her family. He says he likes her “immensely.” There will be more about Moore in the coming letters.
