[No surviving envelope]

T. S.Eliot
EmilyHale
TS
Faber & Faber Ltd
17 June 1948
My Dear,

I am writing only rather briefly, to thank you for your sweet letter of June 8 – because you know I am very fidgety about addresses, as about other details of life like catching trains, packing etc. So this will go simply to

——Miss Emily Hale,

——Abbott [sic] Academy,

——Andover, Mass.———————Is that right? it seems such a little address.

and my next will go to

——Miss Emily Hale,

——Apartment 17

——90 Commonwealth Avenue

——Boston, Mass.

and towards the end of July to

——Miss Emily Hale,

——‘The Anchorage’,

——Grand Manan,

——New Brunswick.

I9 Lexington Road, Concord, MassachusettsEH removing from;a7 set all this out, so that you may instantly correct me on any detail, especially about the last one. It seems a pity that you should be leaving such nice rooms, which I shall never see, and just as you seem to have acquired some very nice note paper for it. But I am delighted to hear that the School has amenities, as well as sympathetic and appreciative personalities. IDorset Players, Thesuspended for the summer;a4 don’t know how sorry or glad to be over the cancellation of Dorset – IStephenson, Paul;a7 am sorry for Paul Anderson [sc. Stephenson], in any case: because if you had a good part in a good play, it would be a tonic stimulant, but in any case it would be fatiguing, and you need a good holiday with sea breezes. I am distressed, but not at all surprised, by the increasing problem of 90 Commonwealth Avenue. I hope you will not be there throughout the whole of July – and in the hot weather; and that you will at least make excursions of a few days at a time to New Bedford and elsewhere. IThorp, Willard;c4 had a letter from Willard giving their Francis Avenue Address (IEliot, Abigail Adams (TSE's cousin);a9 wonder whether they would find Abigail Eliot congenial – perhapsWallace, Henry;a2 theyArab–Israeli War, 1948;a1 will have a common enthusiasm in Henry Wallace – though how any intelligent people can support that dangerous clown passes my comprehension).1 I don’t know, because I so carefully avoid politics when in America; and IPrinceton University;e4 shall certainly refuse to discuss Palestine while in Princeton2 – the extent to which Britain has been traduced and lied about over that affair is amazing.

IPerkins, Dr John Carroll (EH's uncle);h3 am afraid my cable did not arrive in time for Uncle John’s birthday, but I hope he got it all the same. I shall write to him after I come back from Oxford – IRichmonds, theTSE's Netherhampton weekends with;a7 shall really be a week away, as I go to Salisbury tomorrow, toAlliance Françaisewhere TSE stays;a5 Oxford on Tuesday, andBlum, Léon;a3 stay over Thursday night at the Maison Française for a dinner to Léon Blum.3 I seem to see a good deal of the Frogs, but that is one of my functions. IBrownes, the Martinencourage TSE over Cocktail Party;c8 dinedCocktail Party, Thestimulated by the Martin Brownes;b7 with the Martin Brownes last night, and received encouragement about the scenes of my play, and a few useful hints to keep in mind when I start on the second version. I am now about a third through the third act – which sounds very advanced; but the scenes are in this version too short as well as having too much talk. Some of the talk must be resolved into action.

IAll Souls College, Oxfordfestivities at;a6 do wish that you could be at Oxford, thoughChrist Church, OxfordGaudy at;a3 no ladies attend the Luncheon at All Souls’ or the dinner at Christ Church, except possibly a few lady dons and heads of womens’ [sic] colleges. But there is a garden party in the afternoon, with a band playing of course – and probably a cold damp windy day.

With very much love
Tom

1.Henry A. Wallace (1888–1965): farmer, journalist and politician; served under Theodore Roosevelt as Secretary of Agriculture, 1933–40; as 33rd Vice-President, 1940–4; Secretary of Commerce from 1944. However, at a time when anti-Communist sentiment was running high in the USA, he made a speech in New York in Sept. 1947 that advocated conciliation with the Soviet Union – whereupon he was summarily sacked by President Harry S. Truman. For the presidential election campaign in 1948, Wallace quit the Democratic Party and ran with the so-called Progressive Party; he endorsed left-wing policies including the desegregation of public schools, gender equality and a national health insurance programme and was fatally tagged as a fellow traveller to Communism. Despite the notable support of a variety of groups and individuals – including Paul Robeson, Pete Seeger and Norman Mailer – Wallace won only 2.38 per cent of the popular vote.

2.The 1948 Arab–Israeli War was ongoing at the date of this letter, following the Israeli declaration of independence on 14 May 1948.

3.LéonBlum, Léon Blum (1872–1950): French socialist politician – Prime Minister in a Popular Front government, 1936–7, 1938. During the war, as a Jew and stout antagonist of Vichy France, he had been incarcerated in Buchenwald concentration camp. TSE to Elena Richmond, 27 June 1948, of Blum: ‘a most charming man, who recites poetry with learning, taste and expressiveness, but who struck me as, like other socialists, a mediocre political philosopher’.

9 Lexington Road, Concord, Massachusetts, EH moves to, EH's daily existence at, EH removing from,
All Souls College, Oxford, and Isaiah Berlin's election to, evening with GCF at, over-represented in the Literary Society, lodges TSE, and the Fabers' property dealings, festivities at,
Alliance Française, TSE British Federation council for, TSE gives lecture to, Maison Française opened in Oxford, where TSE stays, honours TSE with dinner, Annual Meeting in Birmingham, reception for French president, Annual Meeting in Newcastle, Annual Meeting at Brighton, TSE addresses in Edinburgh, council meeting of, Annual Meeting in Bristol,
Arab–Israeli War, 1948,
Blum, Léon, voices TSE's feelings about Munich, on Munich Agreement, and TSE both passengers in minor car accident,

3.LéonBlum, Léon Blum (1872–1950): French socialist politician – Prime Minister in a Popular Front government, 1936–7, 1938. During the war, as a Jew and stout antagonist of Vichy France, he had been incarcerated in Buchenwald concentration camp. TSE to Elena Richmond, 27 June 1948, of Blum: ‘a most charming man, who recites poetry with learning, taste and expressiveness, but who struck me as, like other socialists, a mediocre political philosopher’.

Brownes, the Martin, at TSE's theatrical tea-party, pick over scenario for Murder, TSE's fondness for, introduce TSE to Saint-Denis, both invited to Tenebrae, TSE reads Family Reunion to, and their Pilgrim Players, their sons, among TSE's intimates, encourage TSE over Cocktail Party, discuss Cocktail Party draft, Silver Wedding Party,
Christ Church, Oxford, hosts TSE as guest, 'Chatham Club' addressed at, Gaudy at,
Cocktail Party, The, copy inscribed to Miss Swan, Martin Browne's preference for a popular play, plot ruminated, still a distant prospect, deferred by war, at last begun, being written, EH begs TSE to continue, stimulated by the Martin Brownes, titled and nearly drafted, interrupted, attempts to reconcile EH to title, to be discussed with Brownes, to be continued in Princeton, end in prospect, TSE rewriting, alternative titles, its star appeal, 1949 Edinburgh Festival production, Martin Browne to produce, production schedule, the Martin Browne collaboration, 'reading' for, reviewed, cuts made during rehearsal, TSE's opening-night impressions, stage-set for, copy to be sent to EH, EH on, TSE disavows autobiographical basis, post-Edinburgh prospects, 1949 Theatre Royal, Brighton run, its fate, closing, 1950 New York transfer, TSE skeptical of, its fate, being negotiated, fixed, revisions made in mind of, alarmingly successful, royalties from, prospects beyond 1 June 1950, final act still being rewritten, its reception, EH's second opinion on, 1950 New Theatre production, preliminary week in Southsea, its fate, opening night, to close with provinicial tour, comes off at New Theatre, Mrs Nef's reading-group reading, in which TSE reads Reilly, and casting for Confidential Clerk, its first draft, difficult to produce in France, 1954 Théâtre du Vieux-Colombier production, reception, Muriel Spark on, EH detects hidden meaning in,
Dorset Players, The, described, elect EH director, EH returns to for single play, suspended for the summer,
Eliot, Abigail Adams (TSE's cousin), tries to disabuse VHE, and Uncle Chris tour Eliot country,

2.RevdEliot, Revd Christopher Rhodes (TSE's uncle) Christopher Rhodes Eliot (1856–1945) andEliot, Abigail Adams (TSE's cousin) his daughter Abigail Adams Eliot (b. 1892). ‘After taking his A.B. at Washington University in 1856, [Christopher] taught for a year in the Academic Department. He later continued his studies at Washington University and at Harvard, and received two degrees in 1881, an A.M. from Washington University and an S.T.B. from the Harvard Divinity School. He was ordained in 1882, but thereafter associated himself with eastern pastorates, chiefly with the Bulfinch Place Church in Boston. His distinctions as churchman and teacher were officially recognized by Washington University in [its] granting him an honorary Doctorate of Laws in 1925’ (‘The Eliot Family and St Louis’: appendix prepared by the Department of English to TSE’s ‘American Literature and the American Language’ [Washington University Press, 1953].)

Perkins, Dr John Carroll (EH's uncle), wished speedy recovery, Perkins household apparently restored, and TSE's King's Chapel address, at first Norton lecture, writes about second Norton lecture, supplied with tobacco, unused to intelligent opposition, suggests title for Murder, recommended Endless Adventure, TSE on, novelty birthday-present suggested for, comes by The Achievement of T. S. Eliot, once again preaching, his accent, his versus Eliot-family Unitarianism, reports on TSE from Aban Court, remarks on photograph of TSE, his Pastor Emeritus position endangered, starved of male company, more remote with age, donates Eliotana to Henry's collection, relations with Aunt Edith, ailing, altered with age, and Campden memories, sends photograph of EH portrait, on 1946 reunion with TSE, withdrawn, according to EH, honoured by bas-relief, celebrates 86th birthday, feared for, celebrates 87th birthday, thanks EH for her help, his final illness, dies, elegised by TSE, funeral, obituary and funeral, obituary, TSE receives old clothes of, Miss Lavorgna on, apparently communicated in Anglican churches, Annals of King's Chapel,
see also Perkinses, the

3.DrPerkins, Dr John Carroll (EH's uncle) John Carroll Perkins (1862–1950), Minister of King’s Chapel, Boston: see Biographical Register.

Princeton University, according to TSE's fantasy, TSE engaged to lecture at, and Ronald Bottrall, TSE on his trip to, its architecture, compared to Harvard and Yale, Alumni Weekly print TSE's More tribute, possible wartime lectures at, and Allen Tate, among American colleges, extends wartime invitation to TSE, invites TSE to conference, Johnson lectures revamped for, confers honorary degree on TSE, and TSE's Institute for Advanced Study position, EH's information on, and Herbert Read, and EH's bequest,
Richmonds, the, TSE's new South Kensington neighbours, TSE's alcholic weekend with, host TSE in Sussex, TSE's Netherhampton weekends with, make their home over to maternity hospital,
Stephenson, Paul, direction of Kind Lady, strikes out from Dorset Players, the Dorset Players conspire against,

5.PaulStephenson, Paul Stephenson (1898–1974), theatre director – he worked for various theatres, with seasons at the Central City Opera House, Colorado (where he directed Lillian Gish in Camille), and at the Brattleboro Theater Group, Vermont – was first engaged for the summer season at the Dorset Players, Vermont in 1939–40, After war service in the Marine Corps, he returned to the Dorset Players for the summers of 1946 and 1947. But box office takings during 1947 were so poor that the final shows were cancelled: Stephenson was not asked back for the summer of 1948.

Thorp, Willard, introduced by TSE to Dobrée, at the Criterion meeting, grows on TSE, teaches Ombre to the Eliots, EH thinks of entrusting letters to, seems lifeless, has stiffening effect on TSE, requests Paul More tribute, which he delivers to More, congratulates TSE on Family Reunion, invited TSE to Princeton, due to teach at Harvard, compared to Margaret, resembles Sweden's Crown Prince, formally notified of EH's bequest, objects to TSE's 50-year moratorium, and EH's 'recordings', seeks again to shorten moratorium, but again refused, invited to petition TSE directly, but shifts responsibility to Dix, makes transcript of EH's 'recording',
see also Thorps, the

1.Margaret Thorp, née Farrand (1891–1970), contemporary and close friend of EH; noted author and biographer. WillardThorp, Willard Thorp (1899–1990) was a Professor of English at Princeton University. See Biographical Register. See further Lyndall Gordon, Hyacinth Girl, 126–8, 158–9.

Wallace, Henry, 'danger to freedom', his supporters scorned,

1.HenryWallace, Henry Wallace (1888–1965) was U.S. Vice President in F. D. Roosevelt’s third term in office, but was replaced on the ticket for the 1944 election by Harry Truman.