[Grace Toll Hall, Scripps College, Claremont]

1.F. W. BainBain, Francis William ('F. W.') (1863–1940), Fellow of All Souls, 1889–97; Professor of History and Political Economy at the Deccan College at Poona, India, where he was esteemed ‘not only as a professor but also as a prophet and a philosopher’, 1892–1919. An old-style High Tory, enthused by the writings of Bolingbroke and Disraeli, his works include The English Monarchy and its Revolutions (1894), On the Realisation of the Possible and the Spirit of Aristotle (1897), and a series of ‘Hindu love stories’ purportedly translated from Sanskrit originals. See K. Mutalik, Francis William Bain (Bombay, 1963).

2.SirStrachey, Sir Charles Charles Strachey (1862–1942), diplomat.

3.C. M. BowraBowra, C. M. (1898–1971), educated at New College, Oxford (DLitt, 1937), was a Fellow and Tutor of Wadham College, Oxford, 1922–38; Warden of Wadham, 1938–70; Oxford Professor of Poetry, 1946–51; Vice-Chancellor, 1951–4. President of the British Academy, 1958–62, he was knighted in 1951; appointed CH in 1971. Publications include Tradition and Design in the Iliad (1930), Greek Lyric Poetry (1936), The Romantic Imagination (1950), The Greek Experience (1957), Memories, 1898–1939 (1966). TSE wrote rhetorically to John Hayward, 23 June 1944, of Bowra: ‘was there ever a more vulgar little fat Head of a House than he?’

To Theodore Spencer, 5 June 1948: ‘If you don’t know him, I may mention that he is extremely social, a very amusing talker, with a trained palate (it is well known that he has at Wadham the best chef in Oxford) and a keen interest in people and their humours … He likes wealth and fashion as well as intelligence and wit.’

4.Ottolineanti-Semitismin After Strange Gods;a8n Morrell’s diary:

MarchMorrell, Lady Ottolineon the gralloching of After Strange Gods;d2n 21. Last Mon: I had a very interesting tea party – Stephen Spender -- & T. S. Eliot .. Maurice Bowra & later on Virginia. T.S.E. looked very green & unwholesome – I am sure he suffers from some poisoning … he is very unhygenic: . – We talked at tea about non descript things .. But after Virginia came. – I said to Tom that I thought he had treated Hardy badly in his book – & that opened the Sluices – of our minds – SpenderSpender, Stephenhis objections to After Strange Gods;a6n talked up very boldly about things in the books. . The Jews .. etc. & ask[ed] Tom if he realised that these things could be taken by the Nazi – to cite him as sympathising with them. That this book could be taken politically (I agree there. It could start an “Index” a censorship of Novels) He said that he himself was often accused by the Communists of treating some Social & Political Subjects – in a purely intellectual way, – & he knew it was True – & that is what he considered Tom was doing – quite apart from the real importance of the subject. […] I asked Tom if he doesn’t feel unhappy, – at the Isolation that the Anglican Church gives .. at the hair shirt that feeling others wicked gives one – I didn’t express myself at all well – What I ought to have said don’t you feel unhappy being so “intolerant”. – but he said that he doesn’t bother about other people[,] having enough to do to “save his own soul”! From the talk of S. S. about Justice I said Of course you Tom, don’t take up the Line that Scott-Holland & Gore did about Christian Socialism. --- At which he got Very angry, & said “Dam [sic] it all – don’t you know that I write about wages --.” (I was dumfounded here – by his rudeness! to me.) IArnold, MatthewTSE regrets attacking;a3n find that when S.S. talked to him about Matthew Arnold he gave way at once … & when one pushed him he collapsed … he said he had made a mistake – in attacking him -- & then when S.S. said something about his attacking Shelly [sic] he also collapsed! – This – made me feel that he is really rotten – that he can make good phrases – in his Poetry & his writing – but that he isn’t a clear or inspired thinker. – That he has taken up a Position in the Church – which puts him all “out of accord” with English minds – Past & Present -- & that makes him “snap & snarl” first at Shelly & M. Arnold – then at DHL [Lawrence] & KM [Katherine Mansfield] … Stephen may say things he doesn’t hold to but he is sincere. T.S.E. says things from complicated motives, & is never sincere to himself. He has the belief in evil .. which works in people like DHL. – but doesn’t evil also work on the members of the Church? IRussell, Bertrandand TSE's conversion;a7n believe his Church view was first started by his feeling against Bertie [Russell] – he said so in a letter to me once that he thought B was definitely evil & that converted him to being a Christian. – Of course if he said that he criticised such & such writers purely fm [sic] the Moral Standpoint - & kept to that, then his message would be clear, but he seems to mix it up with other standpoints. Of course he irritates as his Tone is very superior & contemptuous -- & he sweeps aside men like M. Arnold - & Shelly who really cannot be called Evil. […] I think that T.S.E. would like to forbid DHL & T. Hardy to be read in England .. He certainly is very narrowly Dictatorish, He would like to Dictate – I suppose if he sincerely thinks Hardy or K. Mansfield etc. evil – he is consistent – But why not denounce Detective Stories? which he delights in – I am sure he is very cruel – very Inquisition very intolerant & inhuman – very judging – I also think he mixes up, Orthodoxy & Tradition – Tradition – I agree with him about – but if he is such an adherent of Tradition why does he so admire Joyce. He does not admire – G M Hopkins – indeed as a Devotee of Tradition – he agrees with W B Yeats – who also puts Hopkins aside […]. I think in himself he binds himself round with the bands of the Church -- & this tends to be very intolerant – cruel – unless it is impregnated with Supernatural Charity – He is a Churchman – rather than a Christian. Newman was a Churchman . & a Christian – Tom is an orthodox Churchman – not a Saint. – He is a man who is timid & needs – the backing & Safety of the Church – He loves order (I do too but I don’t feel I can impose it on others. What would he do to a Laurence [sic]? Stop him writing? – or just disapprove – I feel he could arrest him!’

On 26 Mar.:

TSEMorrell, Lady Ottolineon TSE as friend;d3n is a queer – lonely – isolated figure – without the Capacity of friendship – he can only be polite & formal.. – Never intime – I don’t know whether his “Intime” desires lead him to be friends with 6th rate writers – people that he can boss --- and queer “Chars” -- & Detectives –

He is really very obscure really – Very devitalised – which makes him at times Drink – for then he – manages – to get contact I don’t know at all – how much capacity of affection he has – It is all very formalised, almost Stylised -- & the Lilac is a symbol of that more than affection – but in all this – ItEliot, Vivien (TSE's first wife, née Haigh-Wood)marriage to;e6in OM's opinion;a7n is very difficult to judge – as after all – 18 or 20 years with Vivienne .. must have distorted[?] him .. he is weak, & V. very dominating , & as he was really a “foreigner”, a “New Englander” & ignorant of the ways of England. – She got an extra power over him in Taunting him - & in exposing to himself his ignorance of England .. InChristianityAnglo-Catholicism;a8as refuge from VHE;a8n the C. of England he has found a frame-work a Setting where – he has taken refuge – from all those Troubles .. & here he knows the Decorum, the rules of behaviour.’

A few days later, in an entry for Easter Sunday (1 Apr.) 1934, OM went on:

I was very humiliated yesterday, when we arrived home from a motor drive to see Walter de la Mare at Taplow to find a large Bunch of White Lilac a present from T. S. Eliot! .. After all my anger - & annoyance - & abuse of the poor man , about his book .! – I don’t know why he sent it – except that I suppose he finds me in thought after all – sympathetic as a Christian but he gives me the impression always when I see him of being disapproving of my religion.

He is ecclesiastical more than Religious but still I know he prays.. I feel he thinks me a Terrible heretic – but after all, he is an old friend – & I am fond of him & it was very dear of him to send it to me, & I felt very humiliated by the burning coal in the Shape of White Lilac! [Added later:] I know Tom is good & devout, but he changes so much in his manners, that I never feel he is a friend - & never is interested in one – never asks – about one.

5.Ezra Pound, ‘Mr Eliot’s Mare’s Nest’, New English Weekly, 8 Mar. 1934, 761; TSE, ‘Mr Eliot’s Virginian Lectures’ (letter), New English Weekly, 15 Mar. 1934, 528; TSE, ‘Mr Eliot’s Quandaries’ (letter), New English Weekly, 12 Apr. 1934, 622–3: CProse 5, 63–4 84–6.

6.Serge Alexandre Stavisky (1886–1934), a Polish Jew, became a French citizen in 1930. He was charged with massive frauds which somehow involved senior members of the French government; and he was almost certainly assassinated on 8 Jan. 1934.

7.RevdCheetham, Revd Ericasks TSE to be churchwarden;a2n Eric Cheetham to TSE, 17 Mar. 1934: ‘I want you, if you will, to be one of the two Churchwardens for the coming year …

‘It really does not mean much time, but it does mean a tremendous anxiety off my shoulders to have a gentleman and someone with whom I could work.

‘I am literally in despair about the selfishness of so many of my friends whom I have known for many years, and of whom I thought I should have found some who would have come to my rescue, in my real need about this office.’

TSE wrote to accept the position by 20 Mar., to Cheetham’s enormous relief.