Found –an interesting signed presentation from Charles Morgan to the historian, Arthur Bryant. It reads – “Arthur Bryant, more about the froggies from his old friend & admirer, Charles Morgan 7.7.49.” It was in a copy of his 1949 book The River Line.
Morgan had been awarded the French Legion of Honour in 1936 and was elected a member of the Institut de France in 1949. In his time Morgan enjoyed an ‘immense’ (Wikipedia) reputation during his lifetime, particularly in France.
The River Line became a play but was originally written as a novel in 1949 and concerned the activities of escaped British prisoners of war in France during World War II.
The inscription is interesting given Morgan’s high standing in France and his professed love for the French. He is still admired there but has become a slow seller in Britain. The inscription possibly panders to Bryant’s tastes and views, notably to the right. Bryant had written a book in 1940 which he had to rapidly repress (see Bookride) due to its failure to condemn Hitler.
