magazine any better, he would do it without
hesitation.--Charles Strada, 503 Olive Street, Kansas City,
Mo.

_Cummings and Wagner_

Dear Editor:

Astounding Stories is in my estimation the best magazine on
the market. Words are feeble when an accurate description of
the pleasure that I receive from every issue of Astounding
Stories is needed. However, I will say that next to my
extreme appreciation of classical music, I rate Astounding
Stories as being the best outlet of my emotions. As in the
music of that great German composer, Richard Wagner, whom I
rate as the greatest of all composers, so do I find an
outlet of my emotions by reading a novelette by Cummings,
Vincent, Leinster and many other of your excellent Authors.

For example, I shall take the overture to "The Flying
Dutchman." In the beginning of this overture we hear the
opening call played by the trombones with the string section
accompanying this principal motive with wild crescendo. This
excites the brain so that a taste of the supreme motives is
like an appetizer at dinner. So, taking the novel by Ray
Cummings entitled "Beyond the Vanishing Point," we find that
in the opening paragraphs there is also an "appetizer" to
the rest of the story which is to follow.

Now, returning to our "Flying Dutchman" overture, we find
that after the introduction by the wild calls by the
trombones and the string accompaniment, we gradually drift
into a somewhat pensive mood; so in the story, for the next
few pages we find more or less quiet reading. Gradually,
however, this quiet mood in the music gives way to rolls on
the kettle-drums announcing a grand climax; finally the
music becomes wilder and wilder until at last the storm
breaks and we actually picture this ghost-ship riding over
the waves in a terrific storm. Lightning flashes, thunder
roars, huge waves sweep over the deck of the ship as we see
the Dutchman at the wheel laughing out his defiance in
diabolical fury.

And so in the story we are finally led up to a grand climax
which actually grips anyone with an ounce of red blood in
his veins.

And now I would like to ask the following questions:

Is there some Reader of Astounding Stories who no longer has
any use for the old issues of Astounding Sto