Emily Hale to T. S. Eliot1

In answer to your letter written on the 27th thank you for your cable which I knew would come as of yore, as I realized my request for a more personal message would come too late. How curious that after all these years neither of us have changed our means of these anniversary communications. (I asked again and again for a poem, you may remember, about our Cotswold country!)

The Letters at Princeton are to be formally presented (most confidentially) this weekend when I go to Princeton from Friday to Monday to stay with the Thorps – whom I know better […] dull as can be considering […] short […] is the distance relatively. These days are so full of extra [illegible words] that I hate in some ways to take the trip, but on the other had [sc. hand] its importance is very really an occasion and a little break of the routine here will be pleasant, I hope. Speaking of Dudley Fitts ‘Lysistrata’ I think I haven’t told you he has concluded an Adult Education course at P.A. one evening a week for an hour on ‘The Waste Land.’ Brilliantly penetrating as are many of his comments I often wonder if his interpretations would not surprise you!

I am making 50 years after 1956 the time to open these letters – which should not touch many living people if any one connected by blood or friendship […] are free [...] referred to – besides one could go down into second & third generations – years & years from now […] to prevent what you fear – revelation. As they gossip to – etc, but that can’t be helped much my dear. The booklet of your Minnesota lecture has come – thank you. […] very […] been very cold. How are you? Taking fine care of yourself. [Illegible word] Emily