In 1925 and 1926 there was published a revised and illustrated version of The Outline of History, by H. G. Wells. There followed a series of articles by Hillaire. Belloc attacking the book and Wells. These articles were published in numerous Catholic journals.
Wells prepared a series of articles in reply; and as no one outside the public of these Catholic journals seemed to have heard of Mr. Belloc's attacks, he offered them to the editors concerned, proposing, if necessary, to give the use of this interesting matter to them without payment. Six articles he asked to have published—in reply to twenty-four. This offering was declined very earnestly by these editors. To the editor of The Catholic Universe Mr. Wells protested in the terms of the following letter:—
MY DEAR SIR,
I am sorry to receive your letter of May 19th. May I point out to you that Mr. Belloc has been attacking my reputation as a thinker, a writer, an impartial historian, and an educated person for four-and-twenty fortnights in "The Universe"? He has mis-quoted; he has mis-stated. Will your Catholic public tolerate no reply?