Emily Hale to Willard Thorp
Concord,
Massachusetts
It is difficult to write of personal matters in the wake of last week’s terrible event,1 but the world of small things and small human beings has to keep on turning to take the share of life which is History. YouHale, Emilycorrespondence with TSE;w3which EH never receives;k6 will have been conscious as I, of course, that no answer has ever come from T.S.E., since I wrote – in August, wasn’t it? This silence either means he doesn’t even care to be courteous enough to say ‘no’, or else something has changed his mind about keeping my letters, and he – as of old – can’t disturb the present, to stir up past memories and plans – or, he is too far from well to take action on anything, without long range preparation.
NowThorp, Willardinvited to petition TSE directly;d9, asDix, William Shepherdinvited to petition TSE directly;b8 so intimately connected with all of this – do you (or William Dix) think it proper to write London to make your official request about the matter? Since in my letter, I referred to you both as urging me to write, I feel it is no impropriety – if you so agree – to try to get some reply, based upon a purely scholarly, publically professional basis – so to speak – as each of you represent (you and W.D.).
I leave it wholly to your wisdom and experience in these matters, Willard – and of course I give my consent to your sharing my quandary with Mr Dix. ISpender, Stephenencomium for TSE's 75th;d5 have to confess that reading the laudatory very personal leaders in the N. Y. Times at the time of the 75th birthday was not easy to subscribe to – especially Spender’s which had to be very personal because of the long close relationship, ‘disciple– master’.
IAmericaSeattle, Washington State;h1EH returns to;a9 haveHale, Emilypays visit to Seattle;v2 been and returned of course from the Seattle trip, which because of Friday’s Event turned all the plans for the 50th into something perhaps even bigger […]
My love to you both
1.President John F. Kennedy had been assassinated in Dallas, Texas, on Friday, 22 Nov.
1.WilliamDix, William Shepherd Shepherd Dix (1910–78): Librarian, Princeton University, 1953–75. Having gained first degrees (BA and MA) at the University of Virginia, he earned a doctorate in American literature at the University of Chicago. After working first as a teacher and English instructor, he became Associate Professor of English and Librarian of Rice Institute, Houston, Texas (now Rice University), 1947–53. Resolutely opposed to censorship and intellectual constraint, he served as chair of the Intellectual Freedom Committee of the American Library Association (ALA), 1951–3; chair of the International Relations Committee, 1955–60; and President of the ALA, 1969–70. In addition, he was Executive Secretary, 1957–9, and President, 1962–3, of the Association of Research Libraries. Recognised as one of the topmost figures in librarianship, he was honoured by the American Library Association with the Dewey Medal, 1969, and the Lippincott Award, 1971.
12.Stephen SpenderSpender, Stephen (1909–95), poet and critic: see Biographical Register.
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.