To Grace L. Hardy, a fan [Letter 567]

June 20, 1972

Grace L. Hardy
1037 Elm St., Apt. 8
Manchester, NH  03100

Dear Mrs. Hardy:

Thank you for your letter of April 24.

I appreciate the honesty of your intention, but you are mistaken if you think that your original letter “sounded whiny,” as you say. I was prompted to send you a gift subscription to The Ayn Rand Letter precisely because your letter was not whiny. I admire your spirit of independence and your active interest in ideas at the age of 78. As you probably have observed, many people give up thinking much earlier than that (or never even begin it).

So please accept the gift subscription as a kind of tribute to your character—and not as “charity.” I am glad if your financial circumstances have improved, but regardless of these circumstances, you are not obligated to pay for my Letter. Please consider it as an answer to the fact that I liked yours.

As to the comment of your son, I do have a secretary, but my secretary never signs mail in my name. I am unable to maintain philosophical correspondence, which is why she often answers for me, but in such cases she signs her own name.

With my best wishes,

Cordially,

Ayn Rand

AR/bw