You will remember the terrific outburst Forrest J. Ackerman made upon
Clark Ashton Smith's stories and weird tales in general in last
month's column. Shortly after the issue went to press, we received the
following postscript to his article which he requested to have printed
at the beginning of this month's column.
"I could as well pick on John Taine--a favorite author, mind you--for
'The Time Stream' in Wonder Stories, another story considered doubtful
science fiction. My only interest is to keep stf. in the stf.
publications, and let fantasies and weird tales appear in the
magazines featuring that type.
"It is to be hoped that Mr. Smith will discover many of his admirers
thru the writings of readers caring to present arguments...."
It is only fair that Mr. Smith himself should have the first blow
against Mr. Ackerman's argument, in defense of his own stories. He
calls his defense "Horror, Fantasy and Science."
"Mr. Ackerman's fervent and ebullient denunciation of my stories,
followed by Editor Hornig's invitation to join the melee, is not to be
resisted.
"I infer that Forrest J. Ackerman considers horror, weirdness and
unearthliness beyond the bounds of science or science or science
fiction. Since horror and weirdness are integral elements of life (as
is well known to those who have delved beneath the surface) and since,
in all likelihood, the major portion of the universe is quite
unearthly, I fail to understand the process of logic or syllogism by
which he has arrived at this truly amazing proscription.
"Let me recommend to Mr. Ackerman, and to others like him, a more
scientifically open and receptive attitude of imagination. If Mr.
Ackerman were transported to some alien world, I fear that he would
find the reality far more incredible, bizarre, grotesque, fantastic,
horrific, and impossible than any of my stories.
"In regard to 'The Light From Beyond,' I cannot see that this tale is
any more fantastic and unreal than others dealing with unknown
dimensions or planes of hyper-space. Physical entry into such planes
is improbable, but form an alluring theme for fictional speculation.
"It is curious that Mr. Ackerman should profess to like 'Flight Into
Super-Time', a story which is wilder, if anything, than the ones he
has denounced. I might also add that it was written as a satire on
time-travelling, and should not have been read too seriously.
"Of course, it is Forrest Ackerman's privilege to dislike my stories,
and to express his dislike whenever he chooses. I have merely tried to
point out that he is in error when he condemns them as being
inherently unsuitable for a scientifiction magazine."
H. P. Lovecraft also defends the weird tale:
"As for Ackerman's ebullition, I fear he can hardly be taken seriously
in matters involving the criticism of imaginative fiction. Smith's
story was really splendid, except for the cheap ending on which the
Editor Wonder Stories insisted. Ackerman once wrote me a letter with a
very childish attack on my work--he evidently enjoys verbal
pyrotechnics for their own sake and seems so callous to imaginative
impressions."
August W. Derleth liked everything in "The Fantasy Fan" except the
letter in this department from Forrest J. Ackerman "Who," he says,
"while usually quite interesting, nevertheless has the unpleasant
habit of trying to make everything over into his own imagine."
R. H. Barlow gives an open reply to Mr. Ackerman in defense of Clark
Ashton Smith.
"To my mind you are deplorably lacking in imagination to so condemn
some of the finest work of the greatest living fantasy writer. Must
you be so literal, physical, in your interpretation of imaginative
literature? Clark Ashton Smith, whom I have the honor of knowing, is
primarily and foremost a poet, his work having received the highest
commendation of such persons as Edwin Markham, George Sterling, etc.
Truly, his colourfully nightmarish visions are far superior to the
conventional type of--forgive me--trash--printed in the average
mercenary scientifiction magazine. The mere fact that a few helpless
ray-projectors, heroine consisting mainly of lipstick and legs, and a
dastardly villain, are not dragged in by the nape of their respective
necks certainly does nothing to impair the excellence of his dulcet
prose, but rather it an agreeable relief."
Come on, now, everybody join in the battle!