[240 Crescent St., Northampton, Mass.]
There is of course a poor service of liners after Christmas, and this must go by a Canadian boat. There will be a better boat on the 30th. Your Christmas letter – the reminder cards of the Manse etc. came several days ago, and I did obey and not open it until yesterday morning: but I was very glad to have a communication from you to read on Christmas morning. Most of my presents I did not have time to open until the end of the afternoon. ForSt. Stephen's Church, Gloucester RoadChristmas at;a6 having been to the midnight Mass, and made up the money afterwards, I did not get to bed until 2.30, and only got up just in time to have breakfast and go the last Mass at 11.00. ThenJanes, W. L.his Christmas dinners with TSE;a3 IMrs Webster (Ada Janes's sister)like Dickens's Mrs Gummidge;a3 had to go to have dinner with Janes and Mrs. Webster, which passed off cheerfully enough; there is no lack of conversation, because Janes does all the talking and when he is out of the room Mrs. Webster talks about herself and how she misses her sister Ada (people like her have a dreadful memory for dates: ‘just a twelvemonth the 12th of this month since Ada was took with her last illness’. Mrs Webster is a sort of Mrs. Gummidge, very much consciously lone and lorn.1 But she says proudly: ‘I don’t want sympathy, and I don’t want cuddlin’: I like to keep myself to myself’). So then I went to the club for tea and a rest (it was a fine clear dry day, so I had a bit of a walk) and had a bit of a nap too, and then came back and opened my presents and had supper of cold goose while the servants were having their merry party (with paper cups) upstairs. I received
3 pairsEliot, Henry Ware, Jr. (TSE's brother)gives TSE pyjamas for Christmas;d3 of pyjamas (a new kind, pullover without buttons, very handy) from Henry.
DonMorleys, thegive TSE copy of Don Quixote;i4 Quixotede Cervantes, MiguelDon Quixote;a1 from the Morleys (I have just discovered in hunting for something else that I have two editions already)
2 pipesTandys, thegive TSE pipes for Christmas;a8 fromsmokingpipes from the Tandys;b5 the Tandys (and at once broke a tooth on one of them[)]
a boiled-eggMorley, Susannagives TSE boiled-egg cover;a7 cover from Susanna
6 boxesFaber, Thomas Erle ('Tom', TSE's godson)decorates matchbox for TSE;a8 of matches, decorated by himself, from Tom Faber
a diaryMorrell, Lady Ottolinegives TSE customary diary;g2 from Ottoline
a tinHutchinsons, thegive TSE Bath Olivers;b3 of Bath olivers from the Hutchinsons
a boxHayward, Johngives TSE bath-mitts;f8 of Elizabeth Arden bath mits [sic] from John Hayward
AndHale, Emilybirthdays, presents and love-tokens;w2EH gives TSE initialled leather portfolio;d1 a beautiful leather portfolio from yourself, viaSeaverns, Helenbearer of EH's Christmas present;b1 Mrs. Seaverns (whom I have not yet seen, because a letter from me went astray, but whom I may see next week). It is very handsome soft brown leather, and has T.S.E. on it. I shall treasure it always, and shall use it too, though I felt, my dear, it is rather an expensive present. I hope that I may give you a birthday present with my own hands in 1937, as I have done for the last three years – though the last time not on the exact day to be sure.
It has been a busy week, busy with Christmas – aFaber, Thomas Erle ('Tom', TSE's godson)given watch for Christmas;a9 watchTandy, AlisonTSE buys her watch for Christmas;a4 forFaber, Richard ('Dick')bought roller-skates;a2 Tom, a watch for Alison, a pair of roller skates for Richard, wineHayward, Johngiven wine for Christmas;f9 forCheetham, Revd Ericgiven wine for Christmas;c5 John and one bottle for Cheetham, aMorley, Susannagiven doll's chest for Christmas;a8 chestMorley, Donaldbought model car for Christmas;b3 of drawersMorley, Oliverbought wool for his loom;a6 for Susanna (doll’s chest I mean), a miniature motor car that takes apart with tools for Donald, wool for Oliver who has a loom, and innumerable cards up to the last. AndSt. Stephen's Church, Gloucester Roadvestry goings-on;a2 I haven’t yet got round to see the Verger who is in hospital. I have managed the collections quite easily because I had no one to help me (whenJohnson, Brig. Gen. Sir Henry;a3 Old Sir Henry Johnson is about to help it takes twice as long). OnTandy, Geoffreygives Christmas Eve BBC address;b4 Christmas Eve IBarnes, Georgedines with TSE on Christmas Eve;a2 had Geoffrey Tandy and George Barnes of the BBC (a brother of Mary Hutchinson) to supper (it didn’t cost much, as they ate little) and went to Broadcasting House with them to hear Tandy deliver a little address he had composed, a sort of lay sermon, for the Northern Regional Christmas Programme. He took the journey from Nazareth to Bethlehem as his subject, and handled it very well, and spoke well too. (I amHerbert, GeorgeTSE selects poems from;a5 preparingVaughan, Henryreadings selected from;a1 readingsTraherne, ThomasTSE prepares selection from;a1 from George Herbert and Vaughan and Traherne for him to deliver in February).2 ThenChapman, Dom John, OSBTSE reads on Christmas Eve;a1 Igames, diversionssolitaire patience;a1 cameChapman, Dom John, OSBSpiritual Letters;a4 home and read Dom Chapman and played patience until midnight. AndUnderhill, Revd Francis, Bishop of Bath and Wellsconfession with;a4 on Monday night I went down to Rochester for the night as usual. AndChristianitythe Church Year;d8season of irreligion;a6 I am glad as usual that Christmas is over. It has its happy side, and its devout side, but the latter is disturbed always by the impossibility of ignoring the way in which the great mass of people, including most of the people one knows, spend their Christmas so that one must be very conscious of the sins of the whole world, including oneself always. And there is the poignant side too, but I needn’t mention that. AndFamily Reunion, Thewritten against countdown to war;a6 now to turn to consider all the tasks ahead – two most difficult, I will send you a copy of the preliminary pamphlet of our broadcast series on Church Community and State – before I can concentrate on a play. I am reduced sometimes to hoping that I may finish a new play before a great war breaks out: although I recognise that that is a very wrong way to look at it, when one play is such a trifle in such an immense disaster. ButTandys, theTSE's Hampton weekends with;a1 tomorrow I have to go down to the Tandys in the afternoon, because I can’t go to Alison’s birthday party on Saturday; andMorleys, theTSE's New Years celebrated with;d5 I can’t go to her party because I have to go to the Morleys to see the New Year in and stay over for Frank’s birthday celebration on that Saturday.3
IHavenses, the;a3 rather hope you are going to the Havens’s, as it seems to me it would make a more complete change than anything else I can think of. (I had a card from them, which was nice, but I had forgotten to send to them – it is very odd that in making out a list I always remember people to whom there is no need to send cards, and always overlook some of those to whom I should send: thisMcPherrin, Jeanette;e1 yearNoyes, Penelope Barker;d7 I forgot Jeanie, and Penelope!!) And I don’t imagine that the week at Brimmer Street has been a real rest: I only hope that in the pressure of family and social duties you have been able to snatch some of the spiritual refreshment of devotion and meditation on the festival. (I confess that I prefer to worship in a church where the people I know are in a small minority: butPerkins, Palfreyconducting Christmas service;a5 I am sure that Palfrey Perkins would conduct a Christmas service well). You will not get this, my love, I suppose until you return to Northampton. I should like you to find two letters waiting for you at least: but I don’t suppose that the Georgic, which sails on the 30th, is fast enough for that. There are no fast boats next week. I trust that you got my Christmas cable? Somehow I felt that I was cabling not to you alone, but to the whole household; and that – not that I didn’t want to – rather cramped my style. I would have liked to send two cables, one for you to show, and one for you to keep for yourself. You haven’t mentioned the exact date of the new term, but I suppose it begins on Monday the 11th. May you start with new confidence and enthusiasm, and find the best girls enthusiastic to see you again. Anyway, my dear, I think you have got through the most difficult term, and I feel proud of the way you have stood up to it. I know that it has been very lonely going, and much harder for you than the same three months have been for me.
IPerkinses, the;f8 sent my Christmas Card to the Perkins’s to 27 Marlborough Street. AndElsmiths, the;a2 to the Olcotts to Woods Holl [sic], as that’s the only address I know.
1.David Copperfield.
2.TSE’s introductory remarks, to a selection he had made of the poems of Vaughan and Traherne, were broadcast on Thurs. 21 Jan., from 9.45 to 10 p.m.
3.See verse letter to Alison Tandy opening ‘Mr Possum wishes that his name was Tristram Shandy’ (which was presumably misdated 1936 in Letters 8, 3).
2.EducatedBarnes, George at King’s College, Cambridge, George Barnes (1904–60) was assistant secretary at Cambridge University Press, 1930–5. In 1935 he joined the Talks Department of the BBC, becoming Director of Talks in 1941. Head of the Third Programme, 1946–8; Director of TV, 1950–6. From 1956 he was Principal of the University College of North Staffordshire. He was brother-in-law of Mary Hutchinson. Knighted 1953.
8.DomChapman, Dom John, OSB John Chapman, OSB (1865–1933), Spiritual Letters (1935). A posthumous publication.
4.RevdCheetham, Revd Eric Eric Cheetham (1892–1957): vicar of St Stephen’s Church, Gloucester Road, London, 1929–56 – ‘a fine ecclesiastical showman’, as E. W. F. Tomlin dubbed him. TSE’s landlord and friend at presbytery-houses in S. Kensington, 1934–9. See Letters 7, 34–8.
3.HenryEliot, Henry Ware, Jr. (TSE's brother) Ware Eliot (1879–1947), TSE’s older brother: see Biographical Register.
4.ThomasFaber, Thomas Erle ('Tom', TSE's godson) Erle Faber (1927–2004), TSE’s godson and principal dedicatee of Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats, was to become a physicist, teaching at Cambridge, first at Trinity, then for fifty years at Corpus Christi. He served too as chairman of the Geoffrey Faber holding company.
11.JohnHayward, John Davy Hayward (1905–65), editor and critic: see Biographical Register.
4.W. L. JanesJanes, W. L. (1854–1939), ex-policeman who worked as handyman for the Eliots. Having been superannuated from the police force early in the century, he worked for a period (until about 1921) as a plain-clothes detective in the General Post Office. TSE reminisced to Mary Trevelyan on 2 Apr. 1951: ‘If I ever write my reminiscences, which I shan’t, Janes would have a great part in them’ (‘The Pope of Russell Square’). TSE to Adam Roberts (b. 1940; godson of TSE), 12 Dec. 1955: ‘I … knew a retired police officer, who at one period had to snoop in plain clothes in the General Post Office in Newgate Street – he caught several culprits, he said’ (Adam Roberts). HisJanes, Ada wife was Ada Janes (d. 1935).
5.BrigJohnson, Brig. Gen. Sir Henry. Gen. Sir Henry Johnson, 4th Bt, CB (1855–1944), retired, lived at 60 Lexham Gardens, W.8. An associate at St Stephen’s Church, he helped with the church accounts.
2.JeanetteMcPherrin, Jeanette McPherrin (1911–92), postgraduate student at Scripps College; friend of EH: see Biographical Register.
2.JohnMorley, Donald Donald Innes Morley (b. 15 Mar. 1926).
1.HughMorley, Oliver Oliver Morley (b. 4 Dec. 1928).
4.LadyMorrell, Lady Ottoline Ottoline Morrell (1873–1938), hostess and patron: see Biographical Register.
12.PenelopeNoyes, Penelope Barker Barker Noyes (1891–1977), who was descended from settlers of the Plymouth Colony, lived in a historic colonial house (built in 1894 for her father James Atkins Noyes) at 1 Highland Street, Cambridge, MA. Unitarian. She was a close friend of EH.
18.PalfreyPerkins, Palfrey Perkins (1883–1976), who graduated from the Harvard Divinity School, was Unitarian Minister in Buffalo, New York, 1926–33; later of King’s Chapel, Boston, 1933–53.
3.HelenSeaverns, Helen Seaverns, widow of the American-born businessman and Liberal MP, Joel Herbert Seaverns: see Biographical Register.
2.GeoffreyTandy, Geoffrey Tandy (1900–69), marine biologist; Assistant Keeper of Botany at the Natural History Museum, London, 1926–47; did broadcast readings for the BBC (including the first reading of TSE’s Practical Cats on Christmas Day 1937): see Biographical Register.
2.Revd Francis UnderhillUnderhill, Revd Francis, Bishop of Bath and Wells, DD (1878–1943), TSE’s spiritual counsellor: see Biographical Register.