Emily Hale to T. S. Eliot
Grand Manan,
New Brunswick
As I recall, you will be coming back from Southwold about this time. Itravels, trips and plansEH's 1934–5 year in Europe;b4weekend in Sussex for EH's birthday;b8 hope you will have had some real refreshment from the change of scene and air – SussexEnglandSussex;j5EH remembers;a3, of course, largely means Chichester & that part of the coast to me, as you may recall – for I loved our visit there long ago now, it seems. Idogs'Rag Doll' (Scottish Terrier);c8travels to Grand Manan;a1 reached hereHale, Emilyrecounts journey to Grand Manan;s6 Saturday P.M. with ‘Rag Doll’ who behaved as an exemplary traveller under many changing conditions. WeAmericaAugusta, Maine;c5EH stops in;a1 stopped two night, Wed. & Th. in Augusta Maine where a student of mine – a this year’s Senior – and her nice family most hospitably entertained me; tho’ in the continuing heat driving long distances for lunch, the theatre (at a famous summer theatre) and a concert, had slight drawbacks for a non-motorist, unused to driving so casually, so to speak. But the car is most comfortable, some of the scenery along the Upper Kennebec very pretty, and always the friendliest of company. Friday night I regretfully left my kind hosts and ‘Rag Doll’ and I travelled to St John, N.B. arriving 6.30 A.M. & to the boat which sailed at 8 and finally reaching Manan soon after 3.30! It is warm – nay, hot for this part of the world – and unhappily dry, too. This summer will certainly be known as the Great Heat. Up to the last in Boston the humidity remained high, plus the temperature – so my poor family really suffered much – tho’ there was a slight break of 24 hrs in the worst of it. IPerkins, Edith (EH's aunt)depressed by the heat;j2 got on very well on the whole – really better than they, poor dears, who have so little to do to take their minds off conditions – especially, of course, my aunt, who gets very depressed emotionally, and weak physically. There was only one very bad spell of depression when I was up with her in the night – but I don’t know what the future holds for either of them. At least, and at last, I have come to realize that they must work their own way – or rather my aunt’s way, as she is so tenacious still in her way and ideas. I have much sympathy for him especially – besides the deplorable condition for him, which for her is deplorable. APerkins, Dr John Carroll (EH's uncle)thanks EH for her help;h7 letter from my uncle since I left has never before expressed as much appreciation of what I tried to do for them while I was with them.
But it cannot be for so long as time again another year, I feel sure, tho’ I am remarkably well.
ThoHinkley, Eleanor Holmes (TSE's first cousin);d9’ I could write of seeing E. H. H. and a very few others, and a few very mild diversions, in the midst of the heat – ICocktail Party, TheEH on;d3 mustHale, Emilytakes The Cocktail Party personally;s7 come to the subject of your play – it came two weeks ago tomorrow, most carelessly placed in an ordinary envelope. So it seemed to me – without extra wrapping or insurance protection of any kind –, perhaps the sort of carelessness which made your late secretary inefficient. Until you have received public appraisal of the play from professional critics, after Edinburgh, I prefer not to go into too much discussion, or even criticism of it. It is too difficult on paper anyway – and until I see you in 1950 I fear I must reserve some of my feelings until talking with you, unless circumstances bring my words to a head earlier. I wish I could be enthusiastic about it, my dear, but I can’t be. In the first place, you never gave me a hint of the nature of the play, andFamily Reunion, TheEH's response to;j1 it is its content which has so taken me aback – I fear – much as in ‘Family Reunion’. It is, in other words, too personal to many things I know – if no one else – for me to be very objective about it – did you realize this yourself – its extremely personal element – of your own thought – of our own experiences, lately? For the smaller details like getting people in and out, which so bothered you – you have managed very well, I think – except for the strange fact of hiding Julia in the closet at the doctor’s office – which many will object to, I think – and whose sudden appearance will, I fear, bring laughter in a tense moment – which perhaps you wanted? Julia is excellently drawn I think – as are the other leads – except Celia – who remains nebulous to me – and oh, Tom, how could you so brutally destroy Celia at the last? That description of her immolation (is that the word?) seems beyond the canon of dramatic laws of restraint. I can not be anything but honest with you, Tom – you would not wish me to be, I know. IBrowne, Elliott Martin1949 Edinburgh Cocktail Party;e7;a9 think you have given your cast a very stiff assignment and I hope they and Martin prove equal to it. I wish the best for you for its sake as much as I can. I hope to hear from you how rehearsals go etc before too long.
4.E. MartinBrowne, Elliott Martin Browne (1900–80), English director and producer, was to direct the first production of Murder in the Cathedral: see Biographical Register.
5.EleanorHinkley, Eleanor Holmes (TSE's first cousin) Holmes Hinkley (1891–1971), playwright; TSE’s first cousin; daughter of Susan Heywood Stearns – TSE’s maternal aunt – and Holmes Hinkley: see Biographical Register.
3.DrPerkins, Dr John Carroll (EH's uncle) John Carroll Perkins (1862–1950), Minister of King’s Chapel, Boston: see Biographical Register.