[‘Hillbrow’, Cataumet, Mass.; forwarded to 5 Clement Circle, Cambridge, Mass.]
(Just a month and two days before I sail). I returned from my camping rather exhausted on Friday night – the train so crowded from Derby that I could not bother to fight my way in for the usual horrid English restaurant car (now called by the staff ‘diner’) dinner, and had a fried sole at Kings Cross at ten o’clock. ISociety of the Sacred Mission, Kelham Hall, NottinghamshireTSE spends night at;b5 had spent Tuesday night at Kelham, atEvery, Georgeinvites TSE to Kelham;a3 the request of my friend Brother George Every, to assist at a meeting of the ‘Entertainments Chapter’ to discuss the next play the students should do. Nothing much was concluded, of course; butWodehouse, P. G.his play performed at Kelham;a1 the Prior had been dissatisfied because he thought that they were wasting their time last year by spending so much time over a play by P. G. Wodehouse. They spent their time discussing general principles rather than getting down to actual plays – indeed, there are very few that are particularly suitable for performance by a theological seminary. The Prior thought that they ought to make use of their choral talent to produce a play with a chorus, and there are very few plays with choruses, and Sophocles was considered to be above the heads of the local audiences of Notts. To say nothing of the heads of the majority of the students, etc. etc. IStudent Christian MovementSwanwick summer-camp;a2 went on next day with three students to the Student Christian Movement Camp at Swanwick, inEnglandDerbyshire;e4as seen from Swanwick;a1 a quite pleasant district of Derbyshire dotted with coal mines. I am glad to say that I, as guest, was not ‘under canvas’ (because it rained a great deal and was cold) but had a normal bedroom in the house. There were about 500 young people mostly from the provincial universities – a few from Oxford and Cambridge – more than I expected – and I was disconcerted to find a large proportion of females. It was all very hearty and mostly rather common, of course; all the young men in shorts and bare legs. Two days laid out to a time-table of prayer meetings, addresses, lecture courses, recreations etc. – the whole thing lasts a week. And I have no doubt it is very good for them. One wore a badge with one’s name on it, of course. My job was merely to be about for any of them to talk to who wanted – I did give a short reading as a feature in a ‘concert’ – and I talked to the usual sort of people. There was the Indian student who wanted to consult me about starting a society for the study of Indian arts etc., the blushing young woman who wants a criticism of her poetry, and all the normal features. A good deal of jocosity of an official kind, and an atmosphere somewhat suggestive of Groups, only not so bad as that. There were ‘team leaders’ who were had up on the platform and humorously introduced (‘Of course our team leaders are all shy and shrinking violets, nevertheless I have persuaded them to come up and be presented to you. Then you can talk to any of them when you can get hold of them. First, Betty Bussell of Bedford College. Stand up Betty. She spells her name B-u-s-s-e-l-l. Next, here is Frank Rea who has come all the way from Dublin to be with us. We snatched him away from the Irish Wesleyan Methodist Conference to be one of our team leaders. Laddie Davis: you will see that Laddie is neither from Glasgow nor Manchester, but from the Gold Coast (here a large young negro with white shorts and very black legs stood up and flashed an ivory grin … etc. etc.). I suppose my being among them was something of use, one never knows. Anyway, I had an attack of neuritis from which I am just recovering. Iappearance (TSE's)wart on scalp;b5 will ask my doctor about it tomorrow; I am going to him to have a wart removed from my scalp – when I saw him last week he considered that I was much better than even a year ago, however.
IO'Donovan, Brigidon holiday in Spain;b4 had a quiet day on Saturday – morning at the office – Miss O’D. is taking her holiday in Spain, I hope nothing will happen to her, as there will be a lot of work for her as soon as she gets back – two visitors from Iceland called. SundayBrocklebank, Charlotte Carissima ('Cara');a2 wasAdy, Cecilia;a1 rather busy, as I lunched with old Mrs. Brocklebank (a wealthy pensioner) to meet Miss Ady, a member of the Church Assembly,1 thenSmith, Theodora ('Dodo') Eliot (TSE's niece)1936 visit to England;b6taken to Kensington Gardens;a5 took Dodo to tea in Kensington Gardens (it rained again) andHayward, John;f2 had to look in at John’s after supper. TonightUnderhill, Revd Francis, Bishop of Bath and Wellsconfession with;a4 I go down to Rochester, to deliver myself before my travels, andSmith, Abigail Eliot (TSE's cousin)taken to dinner by TSE;a4 tomorrowSmith, Holmes (TSE's uncle);a3 I have to take my Cousin Abigail Smith from St. Louis and her father to dinner2 – WednesdaySmith, Theodora ('Dodo') Eliot (TSE's niece)1936 visit to England;b6ballet outing;a3 Dodo to the ballet as her birthday celebration. She leaves for Cambridge on Thursday, and I think Abigail goes then too, but there is also Sam Eliot’s wife from Pittsburgh to be done something for – she is travelling about with a wealthy woman named Mrs. Torrance (widow of millionaire plumber).
That’s just enough of news-reel I think. I do hope that the time-table prepared in your last letter can be realised, as it sounds the best possible.
IAmericaCataumet, Massachusetts;d7EH holidays in;a1 think you are still very tired, and you naturally felt more jaded in spirit after arriving at Cataumet than before, when you had not time – and probably could not afford to let yourself be conscious of the strain you were under. And I hope and believe that after you have got into your stride at Smith, andHale, Emilyfamily;w4EH's relations with aunt and uncle;a6 feeling yourself naturally in an independent life again, and when you have seen your relatives again after that, you will realise that you have gained through this year a greater power than you knew, both over yourself and to deal in the best way with personal relations – not having to protect your feelings, because the more detached and clear-sighted – and very likely relations will be more satisfactory than ever before. I think that tolerance only becomes a real virtue as it goes with a more comprehensive and deeper understanding of what people really are.
I long to be with you; and the prospect of this visit is made very much easier and calmer by the thought that I may see you again, here in England, the next summer; and that will only be nine months afterwards. There is always a long way to go! with always pleasure and pain, and greater understanding of ourselves and each other and the world about.
1.CeciliaAdy, Cecilia Ady (1881–1958), an Oxford don, was to write, with TSE’s encouragement, The English Church and How It Works (F&F, 1940).
2.Abigail Eliot Smith (1900–84); her father, Holmes Smith (1863–1937); both of St. Louis.
1.CeciliaAdy, Cecilia Ady (1881–1958), an Oxford don, was to write, with TSE’s encouragement, The English Church and How It Works (F&F, 1940).
2.CharlotteBrocklebank, Charlotte Carissima ('Cara') Carissima (‘Cara’) Brocklebank (1885–1948), only surviving daughter of Gen. Sir Bindon and Lady Blood, married in 1910 Lt.-Col. Richard Hugh Royds Brocklebank, DSO (1881–1965). They lived at 18 Hyde Park Square, London W.2, and at Alveston House, Stratford-on-Avon, Warwickshire: see Biographical Register.
4.GeorgeEvery, George Every, SSM (1909–2003), historian and poet: see Biographical Register.
11.JohnHayward, John Davy Hayward (1905–65), editor and critic: see Biographical Register.
3.BrigidO'Donovan, Brigid O’Donovan, TSE’s secretary from Jan. 1935 to Dec. 1936: see Biographical Register.
3.AbigailSmith, Abigail Eliot (TSE's cousin) Eliot Smith (1900–84), daughter of Holmes and Rose Eliot Smith, graduated from Wellesley College in 1922, and took her MD at Washington University School of Medicine, 1927. She was Assistant Resident in Medicine, Barnes Hospital, St. Louis, 1930–2; Instructor in Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, 1932–4; Physician to out-patients, Washington University Dispensary, 1936–42; Cardiologist, Out-Patient Department, St. Louis County Hospital, 1942; and Assistant Physician, Wellesley College, from 1942.
1.RoseSmith, Rose Greenleaf Eliot (TSE's aunt) Greenleaf Eliot (1862–1936), andSmith, Holmes (TSE's uncle) Holmes Smith (1863–1937), Professor of Drawing and the History of Art, Washington University; first President of the College Art Association.
2.TheodoraSmith, Theodora ('Dodo') Eliot (TSE's niece) Eliot Smith (1904–92) – ‘Dodo’ – daughter of George Lawrence and Charlotte E. Smith: see Biographical Register. Theodora’sSmith, Charlotte ('Chardy') Stearns (TSE's niece) sister was Charlotte Stearns Smith (b. 1911), known as ‘Chardy’.
2.Revd Francis UnderhillUnderhill, Revd Francis, Bishop of Bath and Wells, DD (1878–1943), TSE’s spiritual counsellor: see Biographical Register.