[240 Crescent St., Northampton, Mass.]

T. S.Eliot
EmilyHale
TS
The Criterion
23 February 1937
Dearest Dove,

IOldham, Josephwhich he prizes;b8 have had a note from Oldham saying that he likes my Revelation essay better than any of the others – and I have had this note from George Barnes (Assistant Director of Talks at the BBC, Mary Hutchinson’s brother)1 and I have written my commentary, and'Mr Reckitt, Mr Tomlin, and the Crisis'Mairet appreciates;a3 myMairet, Philipapproves TSE's NEW note;a8 notes on the Crisis for the NEW2 (and Mairet tells me that he likes them) and that ended up a busy week. AlsoChekhov, AntonUncle Vanya;a7 IWestminster Theatre, The, Londonpresents Uncle Vanya;a3 went to ‘Uncle Vanya’ at the Westminster – a very good production, indeed, I thought. ItChekhov, AntonThe Cherry Orchard;a5 was the first Tchehov play that I had ever seen. I find from this that they are very much better on the stage than to read. When I have read them, they seemed almost tiresomely Russian, and inviting caricature, everybody miserable and helpless and dithering and drinking vodka instead of doing anything about it. But Uncle Vanya when acted did not remind me of its Russian-ness particularly, the people seemed like human beings. And it had a quality that came out in playing – something that I admire, and which presents a problem that I have not yet had to tackle myself: a kind of balance between the characters. I don’t mean by balance, that each character should be fully drawn – I mean, I mean more than that – because each character can be drawn fully in such a way that they distract attention from each other, which is bad. I mean drawing each character fully within the circle of a given situation – the effect of a lot of people whose lives are inextricably tangled up with each other not because they love each other, or are congenial, or simply because of business and exterior circumstances, but in such a way as to give a pattern to the group, suggesting a kind of musical analogy – so that each has his part to play like an instrument in a small orchestra. That’s what I should like to get – a situation – not just one figure to which all the rest are merely foils.

IHutchinsons, the;b4 dine with the Hutchinsons’ tonight, andFabers, theand TSE attend opening of Ascent of F6;d7 onAuden, Wystan Hugh ('W. H.')The Ascent of F6 (with Isherwood);d3 Friday take the Fabers to the ‘Ascent of F6’ first night: FaberFaber, Geoffreythrilled by complimentary tickets;f3 takes an almost childish pleasure in being sent complimentary tickets for a first night, something that never happened to him before (though he could have had them for my first night at Canterbury, but preferred to go late on). AndFamily Reunion, Theplot still not settled on;b1 while clearing up some odds and ends of manuscript reading, I am casting about in my head for a plot. The weather is bright and cold; I hope you are not petrified with cold now after an unnaturally open winter up to February. What will you be doing at Easter? I hope that after the fatigue of the examinations, you have been able to get on more easily with the actual teaching and at the same time recover a bit.

to my Emilie
from her loving Tom.

1.Barnes'Church's Message to the World, The'moves George Barnes;a8n to TSE, 14 Feb. 1937: ‘I am sorry that you should ever have felt misgivings that your trouble over Church Community & State had not been worth while. I can assure you that the result was very fine. The thought behind your words was apparent in the vistas which each sentence opened up, and yet the words remained simple and the sense immediately apparent. I found that I could understand what you were saying all the time, but that I was saying to myself “I must go and read this afterwards in order to follow up that turn of thought.” And curiously enough you were so excited that your voice changed. You need not fear that anyone will say again to you that your voice is not good for broadcasting.

‘Whatever you put into that talk was worth while. It ranks as the most moving broadcast I have yet heard’ (Princeton).

2.TSE, ‘Mr Reckitt, Mr Tomlin, and the Crisis’, New English Weekly 10: 20 (25 Feb. 1937), 391–3: CProse 5, 449–56.

Auden, Wystan Hugh ('W. H.'), and EP's 'Seafarer', TSE sends EH Poems, TSE recites 'To Gabriel Carritt', remembered by Ethel Swan, as dramatist, and Yeats's Mercury Theatre plans, Holmesian prank devised for, Doone wants for Westminster Theatre, collaborative efforts lamented by TSE, talks films at JDH's, strays from F&F, preoccupied with Byron and Barcelona, TSE on 'Letter to Lord Byron', as verse dramatist, away in Aragon for premiere, and Isherwood's plays versus Spender's, forgets to thank Keynes, TSE on his Isherwood plays, condoles TSE over Sandburg accusation, in bad odour, in America, circulating drollery on latest book-title, as pictured by TSE in America, Journey to a War (with Isherwood), Letters from Iceland (with MacNeice), New Year Letter, On the Frontier (with Isherwood), Paid on Both Sides, The Ascent of F6 (with Isherwood), The Dance of Death, The Dog Beneath the Skin (with Isherwood),

10.W. H. AudenAuden, Wystan Hugh ('W. H.') (1907–73), poet, playwright, librettist, translator, essayist, editor: see Biographical Register.

Chekhov, Anton, at the Old Vic, his distinguishing excellence, as master, supreme modern playwright, The Cherry Orchard, Three Sisters, Uncle Vanya,
'Church's Message to the World, The', commissioned by BBC, submitted to D'Arcy, Every and Mairet, revised in light of criticisms, fee donated to St. Stephen's, broadcast, moves George Barnes,
Faber, Geoffrey, made TSE's literary executor, described for EH, as friend, overawed by Joyce, recounts the Eliots' dinner-party, discusses international situation with TSE, his annual effort to diet, introduced to TSE by Whibley, favours TSE taking Norton Professorship, suggests garden-party for TSE, mislays key to Hale correspondence, writes to TSE about separation, which he helps TSE over, blesses Scotland tour with whisky, victim of Holmesian prank, favours 'The Archbishop Murder Case', Times articles on Newman, Russell Square proclaims his gentlemanly standards, forgives TSE and Morley's prank, as tennis-player, champion of Haig biography, social insecurities, and the Faber family fortune, advertises 'Pollicle Dogs and Jellicle Cats', at lavish lunch for Dukes, relieved that 'Work in Progress' progresses, and JDH, needs persuading over Nightwood, on Edward VIII's abdication, Old Buffer's Dinner for, wins at Monopoly, and the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, thrilled by complimentary tickets, The Family Reunion described to, in line to read Family Reunion, has mumps, composes Alcaics from sickbed, at TSE and JDH's dinner, shares EH's Family Reunion criticism, on TSE's dinner-party bearing, discusses F&F's wartime plans, on meeting Ralph Hodgson, asks TSE to stay on during war, takes TSE to Oxford, argues with Major-General Swinton, and Purchase Tax exertions, and Literary Society membership, TSE's wartime intimacy with, drops teeth on beach, offers criticisms of 'Rudyard Kipling', falsely promised Literary Society membership, but eventually elected, helps revise TSE's Classical Association address, reports to Conversative Education Committee, deputed to America on publishing business, returned from America, Ada too ill to see, discusses National Service on BBC, depended on for breakfast, as fire-watching companion, and TSE rearrange attic at 23 Russell Square, recommends blind masseuse to TSE, in nursing home, and the Spender–Campbell spat, on TSE's Order of Merit, approached for essay on TSE, seeks to protect TSE's serenity, as Captain Kidd, wins fancy-dress prize, TSE's trip to Spain with, and National Book League, receives knighthood, on TSE's paroxysmal tachycardia, dies, his death,
see also Fabers, the

11.GeoffreyFaber, Geoffrey Faber (1889–1961), publisher and poet: see Biographical Register.

Fabers, the, model of happiness and respectability, their domestic situation, Faber children to tea chez Eliot, visit TSE at Pike's Farm, compared to the Morleys, closer to TSE than to VHE, 1933 summer holiday with, Ty Glyn Aeron described, request TSE to write play, too absorbed in their children, at the Morleys' party, give anti-Nazi party for author, host poker party, 1934 summer holiday with, take TSE to lunch in Oxford, 1935 summer holiday with, for which the children are bought tent, give party, 1936 summer holiday with, at Morleys' Thanksgiving Day party, sail model boats with TSE, and TSE's foggy adventure, cinema-going with TSE, take TSE to Witch of Edmonton, and Morleys take TSE to pantomime, and TSE attend opening of Ascent of F6, 1937 summer holiday with, and the Bradfield Greek play, School for Scandal with, take TSE to pantomime again, 1938 summer holiday with, 1939 summer holiday with, offer possible wartime refuge, 1940 summer holiday with, host TSE in Hampstead during war, TSE makes bread sauce for, brought vegetables from Shamley, move to Minsted, and TSE attend musical revue, 1941 summer holiday with, Minsted as substitute for nursing-home, trying to sell Welsh home, take TSE to International Squadron, invite TSE to Wales for Christmas, host TSE at Minsted, away fishing in Scotland, mourn TSE's post-war independence, 1947 Minsted summer stay, 1948 Minsted summer stay, host TSE for weekend, on 1950 South Africa trip, on TSE's 1951 Spain trip, 1951 Minsted summer stay, 1952 Minsted summer stay, 1953 Minsted summer stay, on 1953–4 South Africa trip, 35th wedding anniversary weekend,
Family Reunion, The, and TSE as Orestes, plot sought for, progress stalled, referred to as 'Orestes play', written against countdown to war, should be artistically a stretch, plot still not settled on, begun, compared to Murder, TSE on writing, described (mid-composition), and Gunn's Carmina Gadelica, described to GCF, EH questions Harry's entrance, draft read to Martin Brownes, projected autumn 1938 production, depletes TSE, and Mourning Becomes Electra, its Greek inheritance, alternatively 'Follow the Furies', first draft promised to EH, as inspired by Tenebrae, being rewritten, work suspended till summer, fair copy being typed, waiting on Browne and Dukes, 'Follow the Furies' quashed by EH, aspires to be Chekhovian, Dukes keen to produce, criticised by Martin Browne, under revision, submitted to EH's theatrical wisdom, for which TSE credits her, possible John Gielgud production, Gielgud-level casting, Browne's final revisions, with the printers, Henry loaned draft, Donat and Saint-Denis interested, in proof, progress towards staging stalled, Saint-Denis interest tempered, possible Tyrone Guthrie production, possible limited Mercury run, its defects, publication scheduled, first draft sent to EH, Michael Redgrave interested in, March 1939 Westminster Theatre production, waits on terms, rehearsals for, which are photographed, opening night contemplated without EH, last-minute flutters, opening night, reception, coming off, TSE's final visit to, Dukes bullish on New York transfer, EH spurs TSE's reflections on, and Otway's Venice Preserv'd, American reception, and Orson Welles, F&F's sales, 1940 American production, Henry harps on the personal aspect, its cheerfulness, EH acknowledges part in, 1943 ADC production, in Dadie Rylands's hands, described, certain lines expressing TSE's frustrations, EH discusses with pupils, plays in Zurich, 1946 Birmingham production, 1946 Mercury revival, rehearsals for, opening night, TSE attends again in company, Spanish translation of, VHE's death calls to mind, its deficiencies, BBC Gielgud broadcast version, first aired, to be repeated, goes nominally with The Cocktail Party, Swedish National Theatre production, compared to Cocktail Party, EH's response to, more 'personal' than Cocktail Party, performed in Göttingen, 1950 Düsseldorf production, 1953 New York production vetoed, 1956 Phoenix Theatre revival, described, Peter Brook congratulated on, Martin Browne seeks MS of,
Hutchinsons, the, dine chez Eliot, questioned by VHE as to TSE's whereabouts, dine in company with TSE, give TSE Bath Olivers, as friends,
Mairet, Philip, approaches TSE over NEW, at Chandos Group, at heavy Criterion gathering, consulted on BBC talk, approves TSE's NEW note, takes Criterion closure symbolically, anointed reader of Boutwood Lectures, on Oldham's new wartime committee, often editorially opposed to TSE, especially missed during war, and 'Culture Class', and Notes towards the Definition of Culture,

8.PhilipMairet, Philip Mairet (1886–1975): designer; journalist; editor of the New English Weekly: see Biographical Register.

'Mr Reckitt, Mr Tomlin, and the Crisis', Mairet appreciates,
Oldham, Joseph, lunches with TSE, convenes discussion of contemporary Christianity, at the Unemployment Conference, éminence grise in Council for Life and Work, hearing improved, spearheading anti-Nazi Church movement, puts TSE up to BBC talk, sent TSE's Revelation contribution, which he prizes, organises Lambeth Council, initiates 'Moot', and the Moot, first Moot meeting, bewails mankind, anointed reader of Boutwood Lectures, founds new wartime committee, which meets, sent drafts for CNL, as editor of CNL, views diverge from those of TSE, pleased with TSE's education supplement, needs holiday, convenes education group meeting, propagates yet another religious body, his style, to meet Michael Roberts, Church, Community and State,
see also Oldhams, the

8.JosephOldham, Joseph (‘Joe’) Houldsworth Oldham (1874–1969), missionary, adviser, organiser: see Biographical Register.

Westminster Theatre, The, London, The Moon in the Yellow River, presents Uncle Vanya, presents Volpone, their Volpone versus Phoenix Society's, presents Troilus and Cressida, and The Family Reunion, presents Distant Point: A Soviet Play,