SOURCE: A letter to John Galsworthy in 1901, The Life and Letters of John Galsworthy, by H. V. Marrot, Charles Scribner's Sons, 1936, pp. 129-30.

Conrad was born and raised in Poland and later resided in England. A major novelist, he is considered an innovator of novel structure as well as one of the finest stylists of modern English literature. In the following letter, originally written in 1901, he critiques A Man of Devon and suggests that Galsworthy should regard his characters with more skepticism.

11th Nov. 1901.

DEAREST JACK,—I didn't write about the book before, first because Jess had it—and she reads slowly—and then I had at last some proofs of mine—a whole batch—which it took me several days to correct. Nevertheless I've read the book twice—watching the effect of it impersonally during the second reading—trying to ponder upon its reception by...