[41 Brimmer St., Boston]

T. S.Eliot
EmilyHale
TS
The Criterion
29 March 1932
Dear Lady

Thank you, my dear, for your kind note of March 16th (as for the confusion of dates, you will have heard by now that one of your letters reached me after another one written before). It was very happy for me to have a letter to greet me here on Tuesday morning, after the four days ‘holiday’, and to have the assurances of your prayers, which I am sure must have met with mine somewhere where they should meet. YesThorp, Willardgrows on TSE;a6, I do like Willard Thorp more and more. IThorp, Margaret (née Farrand)compared to husband;a5 feel that Margaret Thorp is the more quickly sensitive to people and situations than he is – I imagine, rather uncommonly so, as well as having an extremely well educated and able mind – but I find him a person of great delicacy and refinement, and of true literary appreciation and I think general goodness of character. IHinkley, Eleanor Holmes (TSE's first cousin);a6 am glad that you are on lunching terms with Eleanor – of course it is quite right that you should believe that the trouble, whatever it was, was all your fault: but you will hardly expect me to believe so! She seems to be rather in your debt, by the way, as I have a wire from her this morning saying that you have cabled to a Manager you know – I wonder who, not Leon M. Lion?1 about her Bronte play; soHinkley, Eleanor Holmes (TSE's first cousin)Charlotte Brontë play;g4TSE presents to London Play Company;a1 I must cable her to-day toFassett, Dorothea;a1 say that I am seeing Miss Fassett of the London Play Co.2 within a few days (bother it, I must say). I haven’t even read her play yet, I have been so busy, but must do so before I see Miss Fassett (uponFassett, Irene Pearlremembered en passant;a3 whom my only claim is that she is the aunt of Irene Fassett, a girl who had been a pupil of V’s (as governess) years ago, and who was my first, and best, secretary of the Criterion from the beginning until her death (it was her funeral that I went to at the Crematorium, long before Monro’s).

Interruptions again – and now I must hurry home. I'Building Up the Christian World';a1 must leave till the end of the week to run over Holy Week and my last broadcast – of which you shall receive a copy – I think it was a success, but it did not please me. Chère amie, je t’embrasse les souliers affectueusement,3

Tom

1.LeonLion, Leon Marks Marks Lion (1879–1947), British actor, producer and manager; starred in Alfred Hitchcock’s Number 17 (1932). TSE to Phyllis Woodliffe – who played ‘Mrs Bert’ in The Rock – 22 Aug. 1934: ‘Now, my personal acquaintance with the stage, and what is much more important, with managers etc. is very limited; I was once mistaken for Leon M. Lion, that’s about all.’

2.DorotheaFassett, Dorothea Fassett, Managing Director, The London Play Company.

3.‘Dear friend, I kiss your shoes affectionately.’

'Building Up the Christian World',
Fassett, Dorothea,

2.DorotheaFassett, Dorothea Fassett, Managing Director, The London Play Company.

Fassett, Irene Pearl, her photograph on TSE's mantel, her funeral, remembered en passant,

10.IreneFassett, Irene Pearl Pearl Fassett (1900–28), born in Paddington, London, had been TSE’s secretary at The Criterion. She died of pulmonary tuberculosis on 28 July 1928, aged 27.

Hinkley, Eleanor Holmes (TSE's first cousin), announces presence in London, TSE regrets speaking lightly of, un-deracinated, compared to TSE, TSE shares EH's frustrations with, less perceptive than her mother, gives party for Eva Le Gallienne, unworldly, theatrical success might improve, takes TSE to football match, dances with TSE, at second Norton lecture, as EH's friend, unflattering photograph of, and EH attend American Murder, suspected of writing by the book, to Aunt Susie as Hope Mirrlees to Mappie, pursues adult education, prejudices TSE against George Baker, cossetted, TSE feels remote from, explodes two Stearns family myths, reportedly writing novel, and life after Aunt Susie, turned carer, passes up EH's invitation, recollected as girl, TSE attempts to lure to England, her impersonality, invites TSE to stay in Boston, reports on Margaret's funeral, TSE's improved relations with, as 1956 hostess, reports on EH, informs EH of TSE's health, engineers correspondence between EVE and EH, adaptation of Emma, central to TSE falling for EH, Charlotte Brontë play, TSE presents to London Play Company, TSE's verdict on, compared to Dear Jane, Dear Jane, to be produced in New York, consumes her, TSE happy to dodge premiere, but hopes to catch over Christmas, well reviewed in certain quarters, White Violets,
see also Hinkleys, the

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.

Lion, Leon Marks, TSE mistaken for,

1.LeonLion, Leon Marks Marks Lion (1879–1947), British actor, producer and manager; starred in Alfred Hitchcock’s Number 17 (1932). TSE to Phyllis Woodliffe – who played ‘Mrs Bert’ in The Rock – 22 Aug. 1934: ‘Now, my personal acquaintance with the stage, and what is much more important, with managers etc. is very limited; I was once mistaken for Leon M. Lion, that’s about all.’

Thorp, Margaret (née Farrand), accompanied TSE and EH to Tristan, VHE's liking for, TSE on, TSE's Tristan references lost on, compared to husband, possible trustee of Hale correspondence, one of EH's few confidants, would think TSE romantic, TSE on EH's feeling of inferiority to, approachable but for Willard, Criterion review of her book, an unsoothing presence, F&F publish book by, teased for liberalism, EH on, EH seeks job opportunity through, encouraging EH to augment Princeton deposit, America at the Movies,
see also Thorps, the

16.MargaretThorp, Margaret (née Farrand) Farrand (1891–1970), author and journalist – see Margaret Thorp in Biographical Register.

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.