J.H.Hexter

 
I only ever met Jack Hexter once in September, 1972 when he came to London to deliver the second J.E.Neale lecture at University College, London. He was staying with Valerie Pearl in Holden Road, Finchley. We had lunch in Southampton Row in London. I had expected Hexter to be a witty, engaging, very well informed figure. In fact, he proved to be very short and exceedingly dull as a conversationalist. I was surprised to say the least. It was a great deal later that I learnt of the course of his intellectual alliances in the United States. Valerie Pearl did tell me a few days later that she would never act as his host again.

 

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