Mr. Belloc objects to "The outline of history"

by H. G. Wells

NEW

YORK
GEORGE H. DORAN COMPANY

COPYRIGHT, 1926,
BY GEORGE H. DORAN COMPANY

MR. BELLOC OBJECTS TO “THE OUTLINE OF HISTORY”
—B—
PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

FOREWORD

In the autumn of 1925 and the spring and summer of 1926 there was published a revised and illustrated version of the Outline of History, by Mr. H. G. Wells. There followed a series of articles by Mr. Belloc attacking this Outline and Mr. Wells. These articles were published in the Catholic Universe, in the Southern Cross of Cape Colony, in the American Catholic Bulletin, and possibly elsewhere. Every fortnight, keeping pace with the issue of the Outline, these attacks appeared; in all, twenty-four voluminous articles. They were grossly personal and provocative in tone, and no doubt a great joy and comfort to the faithful. Mr. Wells prepared a series of articles in reply; and as no one outside the public of these Catholic journals seemed to have heard of Mr. Belloc’s attacks, he offered them to the editors concerned, proposing, if necessary, to give the use of this interesting matter to them without payment. Six articles he asked to have published—in reply to twenty-four. This offering was declined very earnestly by these editors. To the editor of the Catholic Universe Mr. Wells protested in the terms of the following letter:—

My Dear Sir,

I am sorry to receive your letter of May 19th. May I point out to you that Mr. Belloc has been attacking my reputation as a thinker, a writer, an impartial historian, and an educated person for four-and-twenty fortnights in the Universe? He has misquoted; he has misstated. Will your Catholic public tolerate no reply?