My dear Snooks
'Rebus in Arduis' I know your difficulties are great but don't forget its 'Aequam memento'. Keep calm, face up to them and problems that seem inseparable now will melt away before a steadfast front.
With best wishes
John Podsnap
Judy Taylor, in her edition of Ardizzone's Sketches for Friends, London: John Murray, 2000, notes that 'in 1959, for his own amusement, Edward Ardizzone began a series of illustrated letters to Mr Snodgrass, an imaginary (and extremely inefficient) publicity manager for a firm of corset manufacturers, Comfi-Corsets.'