[No surviving envelope]

T. S.Eliot

EmilyHale

MS

Faber & Faber Ltd

22 July 1947

My Dear,

Myappearance (TSE's)hernia;b9deferred operation for;a2 first operation was on last Friday, and was satisfactory. It took longer than was expected, so the surgeon postponed sewing up the other side until the end of this week, if all is well – They take good care of me here and I am given penicillin and oxygen to keep me in condition.

I have slept a great deal and have had no telephone installed.

I may be here about 3 weeks, in consequence of having the operation in two instalments. RichardFaber, Richard ('Dick')in hospital with broken leg;a9 Faber is here too, with a badly fractured leg.

I did think those lodgings were too far away, & I hope they can find you something nearer. I await impatiently your first performance. I cannot write any more now – will write of course after next operation – I get tired = this is my first letter –

With much love

Tom

appearance (TSE's), 'pudding-faced',

TSE remembers wearing make-up,

of a third-rate actor,

likened to a crook,

of a Chicago magnate,

of a dissipated movie actor,

of a debauched British statesman,

hair-style,

lobster-skinned,

of a brutal Roman emperor,

of a superior comic actor,

of Maurice Evans,

proud of his legs,

wart on scalp,

baldness, 'in spots',

unlikely treatment for,

'as a bat',

worsened by travel,

due to worry,

may require wig,

in retreat,

reasserts itself,

confines TSE to single barber,

eyes, dark,

damaged by teeth-poisoning,

figure,

'obese',

altered by war,

hernia, described,

deferred operation for,

recovery from,

nose, the Eliot nostril,

a Norman nose,

too thin for pince-nez,

teeth,

'nothing but chalk',

EH severe on the state of,

'stumps',

blamed for hair-loss,

liable to be removed,

blamed for rheumatism,

false upper plate,

plate reconstructed,

state of,

new false teeth,

keystone tooth removed,

remaining upper teeth removed,

new plate,

Faber, Richard ('Dick'),

bought roller-skates,

takes TSE to Madame Tussaud's,

the more religious Faber son,

taken to Distant Point,

entering Naval Cadet school,

serving on cruiser,

in hospital with broken leg,

fellow convalescent at Minsted,

TSE speaks at Chatham Club to oblige,

see also Fabers, the