Emily Hale to T. S. Eliot
Grand Manan,
New Brunswick
Your letter after the play was, of course, very welcome, for it had seemed quite a long time since your letter to me in July, before you went to Cambridge and Southwold; in fact, I think it is as long a time for a letter from you, as has ever happened. But the play, your family and your many other obligations kept you too busy or too tired. I was very happy for you that the reviews and general reception are as favourable, tho’ it was provoking that you wrote me so little personally of your reactions to the opening performance beyond the fact that you made no speech , andBrowne, Elliott Martin1949 Edinburgh Cocktail Party;e7;b2 that you were pleased with Martin’s production beyond expectation, which pleases me happily too. Your cast sounds excellent and the fact that one of your cast needs recognition so much just now adds richly to the play’s importance back of the audience’s knowledge. ThatHale, Emilythen repents of doing so;s8 ICocktail Party, TheEH on;d3 made so great a mistake in mis-reading the play’s import and characters you more than have made plain. You do not say whether anything was cut – the first and last acts seemed to me very good indeed, especially the initiation of the suspense but little mystery about the first act, all of this and the picking up of threads in Act IV. I think great skill and advance in technique on your part, I shall re-read the play on my return, and probably shall profit from further acquaintance, and understand better, perhaps, Acts II and III. I sent a cable to you at your hotel in Edinburgh, but as you did not speak of it, I am afraid it never reached you.1 It brought you my good wishes for the opening. IFamily Reunion, The;j3 am very glad for you, Tom, and pleased that you have gained so much over The Family Reunion. ‘TheRock, TheEH on;e1Forty-Five Churches Fund, The
The half-prose, half poetic phrase and rhythm seems to me very unusual and right in this last play. INotes Towards the Definition of CultureEH on;b2 finished ‘Notes on the Definition of Culture’ [sic] to-day and found it all quite remarkable in analysis and knowledge of so many things, tho’ I couldn’t pretend to understand, or even agree perhaps, with half of it. Your three broadcasts seem to be perfection of clear direct thought and objective. I leave Thursday, flying to Boston, and taking a car to Andover that evening late, as the flight is at 9.15. ‘Rag-Dolldogs'Rag Doll' (Scottish Terrier);c8;a3’ left Friday and I miss her much. The weather is beautiful, but almost too cold after the long test of great heat. I have lived out-doors and have been very lazy on the whole, as I was more tired than I realized. There are very few here now, which I like best of all. IPerkinses, the;n4 am told my letter to Joanna about Miss Laura was forwarded by her to the Ps – and that they thought it beautifully done. I trust you are resting resting [sic] somewhat yourself.
I well know how closely you devoted yourself to the two relatives and of how tiring that is. School opens officially the 23rd but my classes do not begin for another week. I shall be glad of the extra time to settle and enjoy having a less rugged life once again. Maytravels, trips and plansTSE's October–November 1949 trip to Germany;g8;a5 all go well towards your German trip. That seems to me a very hard assignment. My, how much you do of so many things.
1.EH had sent this cable from Grand Manan, 22 Aug.: ‘best wishes – Emily Hale’ (Faber Archive).
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.