[No surviving envelope]
I had three Surprises to-day: (1) I came posthaste to Grenville Place from Victoria and found no letter (2) I had two letters at Russell Square (just as good an address as the other, and allright so far, but better in future put PERSONAL on the envelope as my secretary sometimes opens private letters by mistake) (3) whenHale, Emilyreturns to London;d5 I got back this evening I found a Boofle Teaset. Really my dear I hope you did not break yourself to get it (Wedgwood it says); I think it is lovely, though I should still have loved it even had it been an ugly one, but you Have Very good taste, and I am very proud & pleased, and I am delighted with the Teaset. So now
next9 Grenville Place, Londontea-party for Perkinses at;a7 [sic] week or as early as possible Itravels, trips and plansEH's 1934–5 year in Europe;b4possible London tea-party;b9 wantUnderhill, Evelynon TSE's Perkins tea guest-list;b3 to have a Tea, primarily for your aunt & uncle rather than ourselves this one, and ask Evelyn Underhill and one or two others. But I don’t know what day you come back. ICriterion, TheRussell Square gathering for;a9 realised afterwards that the 31st is no good because there is a Criterion Evening that evening, the first for a year, an assembly at Russell Square for the contributors. SoMorleys, the;d3 IShakespeare, WilliamRichard II;c6 am writing to find out tomorrow whether the Thursday or Friday (Nov. 1st and 2nd) will do for the Morleys, as there was a possibility of Christina going to stay with her aunt Ethel; I hope you can come either of those nights to Richard II. If the Morleys can’t manage next week, and as Richard II ends that week, IHuxleys, theTSE's wish that EH meet;a2 might ask the Huxleys, with whom I lunched to-day; but I think somehow they are better for tea and the Morleys for the theatre. AnywayShakespeare, WilliamMuch Ado About Nothing;c4, after that, Much Ado About Nothing (which I have never seen either) comes on. In either case we must have Oysters, and do you like Game? Grouse, pheasants etc.? I should like to know.
IBell, George, Bishop of Chichester (earlier Dean of Canterbury);b1 wrote to your aunt to-day and enclosed an invitation from the Bishop of Chichester for lunch on Sunday.1 I couldn’t very well say yes to him without consulting you; but I hope that that will suit you, because the Bells are very nice people and I am sure you would like them. And it is useful to me, qua churchwarden, to keep in with him, because he is likely to be the next Bishop of London, unless the Achbp of Canterbury dies first, in which case he might become Archbp of York. So I hope your aunt can write to the Bp and say yes. I shall try to take the 1.32 on Saturday which gets in at 3.30 so I can have Tea with you. AndEnglandChichester, West Sussex;d9TSE's guide to;a3 while you are at Chichester youEnglandArundel, West Sussex;c7TSE's guide to;a1 could make excursions to Arundel, which is quite near and well worth a visit, the Duke of Norfolk’s seat, and the principal R. C. community in England with the church of St. Philip Neri; andEnglandAmberley, West Sussex;c6ruined castle at;a1 Amberley, a little beyond on the same line, has a lovely old ruined castle. At Arundel, the Bridge Hotel is the best; but it is or was customary to walk up the Arun and have lunch or tea at the Black Rabbit Inn. And it has been on my mind to remind you that it is very easy to catch cold at this time of year. Take Hot Water Bottles and give them to the maid to fill every night. Also, one must have a room with a gas fire, and dry one’s inner clothing before it in the morning and pyjamas before going to bed: you have no idea how much dampness clothing gathers here while it is not being worn. At Boots Cash Chemists (there is a branch at Victoria Station, so you could stop on your way to the train) get Regesan Cold Cure for a shilling; it says take one pill but as a matter of fact take TWO pills every two hours, the moment a cold declares itself.
I'Literature and the Modern World';a2 caughtEnglandLeeds, Yorkshire;g5;a2 cold in the train going to Leeds and am snuffling but expect to be harmless by Saturday. Observations about Leeds can wait, except that to my surprise I was PAID (fifteen guineas) for the lecture. SpentMorleys, theand TSE play 'GO';d4 thegames, diversions'Go' (Wei-Ki);a6 weekend evenings playing GO, which the Chinese call WEI-KI, a difficult Game.2 I'What does the Church stand for?';a1 shall also be paid for an article in this current Spectator, on What the Church Stands For.3
Tomorrow I shall have some light reading forwarded to Chichester. No one can read anything heavy or much of anything at all except when the weather is bad, while travelling about.
ISt. Stephen's Church, Gloucester RoadEH encouraged to visit;a1 shall be very proud & pleased if you will come and visit my church, when you return. I like to have you so near, even when I don’t see you.
ItHale, Emilybirthdays, presents and love-tokens;w2two rings bought for EH;a7 was lucky that I am a nosey Parker: this morning in the train I happened to look over a man’s shoulder and read what he was reading the Daily Mail with an Article about the Scorpion Women who are born between Oct 20 and Nov 22 my goodness that was a close shave because if the Opal isn’t ones lucky stone there is nothing more unlucky; I shall see if I can find anything nice with topaz, or carbuncle, though carbuncle doesn’t sound very lucky to me.4 Article Enclosed. It is true that the old jewellry [sic] is likely to be cheaper, but also the new jewellry is usually so very ugly. I hope I may find something that you will like. I don’t think much of that amethyst or whatever it is I gave you, but it was supposed to be Victorian.
OneHale, Emilyfeels inferior to 'brilliant society';d6 thing I must speak sharply about is your saying you feel shy about meeting my friends, because of ‘being equal or even approaching their level’. You are perfectly able to hold your own on any level that I know. I do know a few exceptional individuals – but insofar as they are exceptional individuals they are each utterly alone; and they have no means of communicating with each other or with other people except by the ordinary universal social chatter. Some have stupid wives, who can shine by surface reflection from their husbands, and some have stupid husbands. But I find that the more intelligent people are, the more simple they are and the more they appreciate simplicity and naturalness in others. And in any case you are not to disparage your gifts, which you cannot appreciate anyway, but just take people as they come. It will be interesting, if there is opportunity, to produce several kinds of people, and show those who go together and those who don’t.
I am eager to learn the result of the doctor’s examination. Also if you have made any plans about going abroad. IfCowley House, OxfordTSE considers retreat at;a1 you go at the end of November I shall arrange a retreat at Cowley for myself early in December, but the longer you stay the happier I shall be. I was really very happy the other day at lunch. And I like a woman who is aware of what she is eating and drinking.
I think your summary of the present situation very accurate. WhatHale, Emilyrelationship with TSE;w9as perpetual progress and revelation;c1 is so curious and unexpected is the kaleidoscopic changes which seem to go on: and it rests with ourselves to see that this means progress, acquisition of knowledge and understanding, and not decline. I have learned a great deal. I think that in one aspect any relationship should be something beginning always all over again, though not with any repudiation of anything behind – and that it should be at every moment something new as well as old!
I MUST stop some time. I look forward to the weekend without self-consciousness.
1.Since EH’s birthday fell on 27 Oct., TSE hoped to spend the weekend with her and Dr and Mrs Perkins in Chichester.
2.TSE to Hayward, 24 Oct. 1934 (Letters 7, 356): ‘[I] went to Morleys for weekend, & played GO, or as the Chinese say KI, 1000 times more difficult than chess. Invented by Emperor Shosun in 2225 B.C., to improve the mind of his son.’
3.‘What Does the Church Stand for?’, Spectator 153 (19 Oct. 1934), 560–1: CProse 5, 143–5.
4.‘Emotional Women of Scorpio: Asmodel’s Birthday Forecasts for October 22 to November 20’, Daily Mail, 22 Oct. 1934, 27:
Vivid, intense, sometimes psychic, but never negligible, you Scorpio people are ruled by a compelling sign. You are either greatly loved or intensely disliked … even feared.
Your ruler is the fiery planet Mars. Quick temper follows naturally a strong will, often sheer obstinacy; but you are loyal when you love. You give your whole heart without stint or qualification.
You are born leaders. You never know when you are beaten. People believe in you because of your strong personal magnetism.
You tackle and overcome obstacles by dint of your tremendous capacity for endurance.
Your[s] is not a particularly lucky sign. Often you are your own worst enemy. Direct and honourable in word and action, you hate subterfuge.
Some of you Scorpio women are sarcastic, with a biting gift for repartee. You make enemies, and it is not to be wondered at. But with you it is open warfare; you seldom talk behind your adversary’s back.
You have an unerring faculty of reading character at a glance. It is hopeless to try to deceive you by flattery, for you see through it at once. Perhaps it is this power that inclines you to believe in the occult.
You are not envious. You can be big and generous, and words of praise come naturally to your lips when your heart is moved. You make splendid friends and will go to any length to support those you love.
But woe betide those who meet with your dislike and condemnation!
Black marks against your sign include the habit of being fiercely critical of the faults of those you dislike. You are often jealous and hot-tempered, and you lack foresight and prudence.
You are frequently as much an enigma to yourselves as you are to others.
You are jealous and possessive in your love affairs, and suffer intensely if you are disillusioned.
Yet you can, and do, make ideal marriages. Many of your qualities go to the making of a happy home. You make good housewives, and often excel at nursing.
True Scorpio women marry for love. Their matrimonial mistakes arise from following too blindly the promptings of their hearts.
You rarely marry from snobbish or mercenary motives, for you are too impulsive, too powerfully swayed by your feelings.
The Scorpio child is unusually attractive, but not easy to understand. Even when very young they are very difficult when thwarted. They are naturally proud and reserved. There is nothing namby-pamby about these children. They have strong passions and strange likes and dislikes. They respond to appeals to their honour, their courage, or their innate generosity. They will do anything for those they love, but they will not be coerced.
See that outlets for their dynamic energy are provided.
Your illnesses generally come suddenly, and mostly arise from inflammatory conditions.
Temperance both in work and play is the best way of life for the Scorpio-born. Eat moderately, drink sparingly, and curtail your meat allowance after forty.
Don’t neglect rest, either. You are usually strong and enduring, and seldom nervous about yourselves, but do beware of accidents.
The more mature among you should not enter into violent athletic competition with your juniors.
In your career, your initiative, confidence, and daring are stultified in positions of a subordinate nature.
In hazardous sports and games you are in your element. Your dash and pluck make you very popular.
There are plenty of other activities where the Scorpio qualities are an asset. Dramatic art, whether stage or film, is especially favoured by this sign. In commerce you often make good, and in medicine (including veterinary surgery).
Lucky Stones for Scorpio, the article noted in a box, are Topaz, Carbuncle, and Bloodstone.
4.RtBell, George, Bishop of Chichester (earlier Dean of Canterbury) Revd George Bell, DD (1883–1958), Bishop of Chichester, 1929–58: see Biographical Register.
1.EvelynUnderhill, Evelyn Underhill (1875–1941), spiritual director and writer on mysticism and the spiritual life: see Biographical Register.