* * * * *
_Ottawa_
_Dear Senbot Drosmig:_
_Having just completed a two-year tour of duty on Earth as part of
a diplomatic mission, I am regretfully leaving this fair planet.
What books, what objects of art, what, in short, souvenirs shall I
take back to Fizbus which will give our people some small idea of
Earth's rich cultural heritage and, at the same time, serve as
useful and appropriate gifts for my friends and relatives back
Home?_
_Inquiringly yours,_
_Solgus Zagroot_
* * * * *
Dear Mr. Zagroot:
Take back nothing but your memories. They will be your best
souvenirs.
Out of context, any other mementos might convey little, if
anything, of the true beauty and advanced spirituality of
Terrestrial culture, and you might cheapen them were you to use
them crassly as souvenirs. Furthermore, it is possible that you, in
your ignorance, might unwittingly select some items that give a
distorted and false idea of our extrafizbian friends.
The Fizbian-Earth Cultural Commission, sponsored by _The Fizbian
Times_, in conjunction with the consulate, is preparing a vast
program of cultural interchange. Leave it to them to do the great
work, for you can be sure they will do it well.
And be sure to tell your fellow-laborers in the diplomatic
vineyards that it is wiser not to send unapproved Terran souvenirs
back Home. They might cause a fatal misunderstanding between the
two worlds. Tell them to spend their time on Earth in working,
studying and meditating, rather than shopping.
Helpfully yours,