[22 Paradise Rd., Northampton, Mass.]

T. S.Eliot
EmilyHale
TS
The Criterion
24 September 1937
Dearest Love,

A line to catch the Normandie, and I shall write again on Monday for the Queen Mary. Atravels, trips and plansEH's 1937 summer in England;c7TSE reminisces about;b5 week tomorrow since we went down the river – it might be yesterday or a year ago – and last Sunday was all a phantasmagory – notCheetham, Revd Ericoffers prayers for EH's passage;b6 the least when Cheetham asked the prayers of the congregation for ‘Emily Hale, travelling by sea’ as the formula is. (I have not seen him since, but have written him four letters on four different subjects). And this week has been filled in the usual way, but including the dentist and the tailor (I hope you will like my new winter suit and overcoat, and my teeth are less dilapidated than one would expect after six months) and'Development of Shakespeare's Verse, The'composition and revision;a3 I have finished Lecture I and started Lecture II which I hope to finish next week. AndWoolfs, the;d2 on Sunday evening I shall think of your arriving at Northampton, and you will think of me sitting at the Woolfs. At this moment – let me see, I suppose it is about 8 o’clock with you now, and it is 10 here – I imagine you just having finished dinner and being pleasant to fellow-passengers – I think of you as dreading the arrival: yet by the time you get this letter you will be thoroughly in the engrenage 1 again; and I am longing to hear your frank opinion of your new rooms and landlady, and of your colleagues on seeing them again and afresh. On Sunday night and through Monday, I shall feel torn and distracted, sharing your feelings; by the end of next week I shall feel a little more stable: for thinking of any strain for you, 3000 miles away, is a strain for me.

HelpedMcEachran, Frank;a1 aTomlin, E. Walter F.distracts TSE from EH leaving;a4 littleWaller, Robert;a1 by having to deal with others: yesterday McEachren [sc. McEachran]2 (a schoolmaster at Shrewsbury) to lunch, and Tomlin, a young protégé of mine for some six years, to dinner, and a waifish youth named Waller,3 whom I have been seeing for about three years, this afternoon.

Your dear letter from the boat is in front of me. Yes, our having breakfast together here was an experience that takes its important place: and I shall open your note (c/o Leonard Woolf) on Sunday morning. And in spite of the chill of arrival, how glad I shall be that your voyage among the third class is over! Itravels, trips and plansEH's 1937 summer in England;c7TSE reminisces about;b5 try to hold you in my arms as I did at Campden. For one thing, my memories of Campden are happier than in any previous year.

Wholly your
Tom

1.‘in gear’.

2.FrankMcEachran, Frank McEachran (1900–75), schoolmaster, classicist, author, was a friend of TSE and contributor to the Criterion. In the 1920s he taught at Gresham’s School, Norfolk; subsequently at Shrewsbury School. Alan Bennett has acknowledged that the eccentric, charismastic schoolmaster Hector, in The History Boys (2004), is based on McEachran (Dave Calhoun, ‘Alan Bennett: interview’, Time Out, 2 Oct. 2006). On TSE’s recommendation, F&F brought out McEachran’s first books, The Civilised Man (1930) and The Destiny of Europe (1932). Other works include a study of J. G. Herder (1939), based on his Oxford B.Litt. thesis, and an anthology, Spells (1955). See John Bridgen, ‘Sometime Schoolmasters All: Frank McEachran and T. S. Eliot … and a few others’, Journal of the T. S. Eliot Society (UK) 2010, 21–40.

3.RobertWaller, Robert Waller (1913–2005), poet, writer, radio producer; ‘ecological humanist’ who helped to found the magazine The Ecologist. His writings include Prophet of the New Age: The Life & Thought of Sir George Stapledon, F.R.S. (F&F, 1962).

Cheetham, Revd Eric, TSE's rent to, as landlord at 9 Grenville Place, asks TSE to be churchwarden, to which TSE agrees, invited to Sweeney Agonistes, taken ill, offers prayers for EH's passage, his pageant for Mothers' Union, on London colds, given wine for Christmas, possible flatmate, pleased to welcome EH, advice in case of fire, unfolds tale of French holiday, and St. Stephen's wartime finances, remembers TSE's birthday, indifferent to rationing, during Blitz, paid to house TSE's books, starts lending library in tube, living in modern penthouse, TSE drafts testimonial letter for, hosts TSE in penthouse, his testimonial, requests TSE's presence for Bishop of London, by whom he is chastened, and Elvaston Place, exhausted by war, prevented from giving TSE customary birthday greeting, one of TSE's few intimates, TSE on, hounded by Time, and the Bishop of Tokyo, retires under doctor's orders, TSE's outgoing tribute and succession, apparently in Hong Kong, leaves affairs in a mess, insouciant letter to parishioners,

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.

'Development of Shakespeare's Verse, The', TSE reading Shakespeare in preparation, composition and revision, as lectured, Morley comments on, Granville-Barker, Wilson and Martin Browne sent, sent to EH, who seeks permission to recite, revised again for Bristol, refashioned for Stockholm, bibliographic details of,
McEachran, Frank,

2.FrankMcEachran, Frank McEachran (1900–75), schoolmaster, classicist, author, was a friend of TSE and contributor to the Criterion. In the 1920s he taught at Gresham’s School, Norfolk; subsequently at Shrewsbury School. Alan Bennett has acknowledged that the eccentric, charismastic schoolmaster Hector, in The History Boys (2004), is based on McEachran (Dave Calhoun, ‘Alan Bennett: interview’, Time Out, 2 Oct. 2006). On TSE’s recommendation, F&F brought out McEachran’s first books, The Civilised Man (1930) and The Destiny of Europe (1932). Other works include a study of J. G. Herder (1939), based on his Oxford B.Litt. thesis, and an anthology, Spells (1955). See John Bridgen, ‘Sometime Schoolmasters All: Frank McEachran and T. S. Eliot … and a few others’, Journal of the T. S. Eliot Society (UK) 2010, 21–40.

Tomlin, E. Walter F., at Kelham, last to leave Criterion gathering, on TSE's return from Austria, distracts TSE from EH leaving,

10.E. WalterTomlin, E. Walter F. F. Tomlin (1914–88), writer and administrator; author of a memoir T. S. Eliot: A Friendship (1988): see Biographical Register.

travels, trips and plans, EH's 1930 trip to England, EH's proposed 1931 England visit, called off, EH's 1932 summer holidays, the Eliots' Derby Day excursion, related, the Eliots' July 1932 Hindhead visit, the Eliots' August 1932 Eastbourne holiday, described, TSE's 1932–3 year in America, Norton Professorship offered to TSE, and the prospect of reunion with EH, which TSE refuses to see as decisive, which angers EH, who writes and destroys a response, TSE's financial imperatives, TSE's itinerary, and the question of discretion, opportunity for adventurous lecture-tours, TSE speculates on attendant feelings, TSE on the voyage over, TSE reflects on, TSE's return from, the Eliot family's Randolph holiday, TSE's 1933 westward tour to Scripps, proposed to EH, and TSE's need to lecture, possibly via St. Louis, TSE's itinerary, possible stopover in Seattle, a shameful source of happiness, still a happy thought, described by Havens and others, TSE reflects on, TSE's return from, TSE wonders at after-effect on EH, EH urged to reflect honestly on, Ada on, and a conversation about divorce, in EH's recollection, possible EH 1933 summer in England, TSE's 1933 Faber summer holiday, set for mid-August, postponed, rearranged, TSE buys summer outfits for, described, TSE's 1933 tour of Scotland, possible itinerary, Morley's preparations for, described for EH, TSE's 1933 trip to Paris, mooted, described, EH's 1934–5 year in Europe, TSE delighted at the prospect, attempts to coordinate with TSE's 1934 summer plans, the Perkinses due in Chipping Camden, EH's itinerary, TSE's initial weekend at Chipping Campden, TSE books rooms in Lechlade, TSE visits Campden again with family, and again alone, which visit TSE reflects on, TSE's plans to entertain EH en route to Europe, EH's continental itinerary, VHE and propriety inhibit pre-Paris arrangements, L'Escargot lunch, weekend in Sussex for EH's birthday, possible London tea-party, second lunch at L'Escargot, EH and TSE's November excursions, a month which TSE reflects happily on, EH's summer 1935 plans, EH departs England, EH in Florence, arrived in Rome, TSE coordinating with EH's return, TSE recommends Siena, EH returns to Florence, EH sails for Riviera, EH returns from France, L'Escargot lunch on EH's return, EH sails for Guernsey, May 1935, EH's June 1935 London sortie, TSE attends Dr Perkins's birthday, TSE's July 1935 Campden week, TSE offers to fund EH in London, where EH joins Jeanie McPherrin, TSE's Campden birthday weekend, prospect of EH spending month at Blomfield Terrace, Thorp theatre outing, TSE's 6–8 September Campden weekend, EH staying at 19 Rosary Gardens, EH to Campden for 15–17 November, EH sails for Boston, EH and TSE's final farewell, TSE and EH's final weeks in London, their excursion to Finchampstead, TSE reflects on, excursion to Greenwich, EH reflects on the final weeks of, TSE's 1934 Faber summer holiday, described, TSE's dream of Cairo, TSE's invitation to Finland, palmed off on Robert Nichols, TSE's 1935 tour of Scotland, proposed by Blake, attempts to coordinate with EH, TSE's itinerary, TSE's 1935 Faber summer holiday, TSE writes from, described, TSE's 1936 visit to Ireland, TSE's itinerary, recounted, TSE's spring/summer 1936 trip to Paris, first contemplated, date fixed, Morleys invited, TSE's itinerary, recounted, TSE's 1936 Faber summer holiday, TSE writes from, TSE's 1936 American trip, spring arrival dependent on New York Murder, if not spring, then autumn, possible excursions, autumn better for seeing EH, and possible Princeton offer, and possible Smith visit, efforts to coordinate with EH, passage on Alaunia booked, TSE's itinerary, Murder to pay for, coordinating with Eliot Randolph holiday, the moment of parting from EH, TSE's birthday during, TSE reflects on, TSE's 1937 tour of Scotland, itinerary, recounted, the Morley–Eliot 1937 trip to Salzburg, contemplated, itinerary, EH receives postcard from, described, as relayed to OM, EH's 1937 summer in England, and Mrs Seaverns, EH accompanies TSE to Edinburgh, itinerary coordinated with EH, dinner at L'Escargot, TSE's 10–11 July Campden visit, TSE's 17–22 July Campden visit, TSE's 21 August Campden visit, EH travels to Yorkshire, TSE reminisces about, TSE's 1937 Faber summer holiday, TSE reports from, leaves TSE sunburnt, TSE's 1938 trip to Lisbon, outlined to EH, TSE advised on, travel arrangements, the voyage out, described, EH's 1938 summer in England, and whether EH should spend it at Campden, EH's arrival confirmed, TSE's July Campden visit, EH's late-July London stay, TSE's 5–21 August Campden fortnight, TSE's 3–6 September Campden visit, EH's September London stay, TSE reflects on, TSE's 1938 Faber summer holiday, TSE's preparations for, TSE reports from, possible EH England Christmas 1938 visit, possible TSE 1939 visit to America, mooted for spring, complicated by Marion and Dodo's trip, shifted to autumn, threatened by war, made impossible, EH's 1939 England visit, TSE's efforts to coordinate with, threatened by war, complicated by Marion's arrival, EH's itinerary, EH's initial London stay, TSE's 7–20 July Campden visit, TSE's 22–30 August Campden visit, TSE's 2–4 September Campden visit, EH again London, EH and TSE's parting moments, in TSE's memory, memory vitiated by EH's subsequent letter, TSE's 1939 Faber summer holiday, TSE writes from, possible wartime transatlantic crossings, contingencies, in case of EH being ill, TSE's reasons for and against, and TSE's New York proposition, following invasion Denmark and Norway, impossible for TSE unless official, TSE's desire to remain in England, TSE's reasons for and against accepting lectureship, given Ada's impending death, TSE's abortive 1940 Italian mission, possible but confidential, lectures prepared for, and the prospect of seeing EP, might include Paris, itinerary, in jeopardy, final preparations for, cancelled, TSE's 1940 visit to Dublin, approved by Foreign Office, in national interest, itinerary, recounted, involves TSE's first plane-journey, TSE's 1940 Faber summer holiday, TSE reports from, TSE's 1941 Faber summer holiday, Kipling and fishing-rod packed for, TSE reports from, TSE's 1941 Northern tour, proposed by the Christendom group, arranged with Demant, itinerary, recounted, TSE's 1942 British Council mission to Sweden, TSE makes cryptic allusion to, as recounted to EH, as recounted to JDH, return leg in London, as war-work, TSE's 1942 New Forest holiday, described, TSE's 1942 week in Scotland, recounted, TSE's abortive 1942 Iceland mission, TSE's 1943 trip to Edinburgh, recounted, TSE's abortive 1943 Iceland mission, TSE's 1943 New Forest holiday, TSE's 1944 trip to Edinburgh, TSE's abortive 1944 North Africa mission, TSE's May 1945 trip to Paris, described, TSE's June 1945 trip to Paris, recounted, possible post-war American visit, and Henry's impending death, ideally ancillary to work, possibly as F&F's representative, waits on TSE's health and Carlyle Mansions, TSE's 1945 September fortnight in Lee, described, TSE's 1945 Christmas in Lee, described, TSE's 1946 summer in America, date for passage fixed, paperwork for, TSE's itinerary, its aftermath, recounted, TSE's 1947 summer in America, dependent on lecture engagements, TSE seeks to bring forward, Henry's condition brings further forward, set for April, itinerary, EH reflects on, TSE's scheduled December 1947 visit to Marseilles and Rome, itinerary, TSE's preparations for, dreaded, Roman leg described by Roger Hinks, EH's hypothetical March 1948 visit to England, TSE's postponed 1948 trip to Aix, itinerary, recounted, home via Paris, TSE's 1948 trip to America, itinerary, TSE's visit to EH in Andover, disrupted by Nobel Prize, TSE's 1948 Nobel Prize visit to Stockholm, itinerary, recounted, TSE's 1949 family motor-tour of Scotland, described, TSE's October–November 1949 trip to Germany, possible itinerary, preparations for, final itinerary, TSE's account of, the return via Belgium, TSE's January 1950 voyage to South Africa, all but fixed, itinerary, described by TSE, recounted by Faber, EH's 1950 summer in England, TSE books EH's hotel room for, TSE's efforts to coordinate with EH's movements, EH in Campden, TSE reports to Aunt Edith on, TSE's 1950 visit to America, and TSE's possible Chicago post, the Chicago leg, November itinerary, TSE's spring 1951 trip to Spain, itinerary, recounted, TSE's September 1951 Geneva stay, itinerary, recounted, TSE's 1951 British Council mission to Paris, recounted, TSE's second 1951 British Council mission to Paris, recounted, TSE's 1952 visit to Rennes and the Riviera, itinerary, recounted, TSE's 1952 visit to America, itinerary, efforts to coordinate with EH's summer, TSE on meeting with EH, TSE's 1952 rest cure in Switzerland, TSE's 1953 visit to St. Louis and America, set for June, to include fortnight in Cambridge, itinerary, EH's 1953 trip to England, EH's Alnwick plans, TSE books hotel for EH, and EH's ticket to Confidential Clerk, TSE's 1953 visit to Geneva, TSE's 1953–4 trip to South Africa, itinerary, described, arrival described to JDH, GCF on, TSE's 1954 Geneva rest cure, Geneva preferred to Paris, TSE's deferred 1955 visit to Hamburg, prospect inspires reluctance in TSE, proposed for spring 1955, dreaded, TSE now returned from, TSE's 1955 visit to America, and contingent speaking engagements, foreshortened, itinerary, Washington described, TSE's return from, TSE's 1955 Geneva rest cure, TSE's 1956 visit to America, passage fixed for April, itinerary, TSE in the midst of, TSE reflects on, TSE's 1956 Geneva rest cure, itinerary, recounted, illness during, EH's 1957 visit to England, TSE and EVE invited to Campden, TSE reciprocates with London invitation, but EH leaves England abruptly, which TSE consults Eleanor Hinkley over, who duly explains, TSE and EVE's 1958 trip to America, as rumoured to EH, EH's 1959 tour of Scandinavia, funded by bequest from cousin, TSE and EVE's 1959 trip to America, TSE and EVE's 1963 trip to America,
Waller, Robert,

3.RobertWaller, Robert Waller (1913–2005), poet, writer, radio producer; ‘ecological humanist’ who helped to found the magazine The Ecologist. His writings include Prophet of the New Age: The Life & Thought of Sir George Stapledon, F.R.S. (F&F, 1962).

Woolfs, the, at Clive Bell's for lunch, TSE's dearest London friends, company compared to that of Christians, host TSE and Elizabeth Bowen to tea, Rodmell described, closer to TSE than to VHE, visited on TSE's 1933 return, refreshingly childless, amazed by TSE's appearance, and Tomlin dine with TSE, Keynes and TSE dine with, TSE's Bloomsbury weekend with, described in their Tavistock Square domain, have TSE for tea, TSE dines with, and TSE argue about honours, compared to the de la Mares, host TSE for weekend, abandon London for Sussex, where they invite TSE, TSE's Sussex stay with, on their return from Sussex, host TSE, give dinner without mentioning war, TSE plans to visit in Sussex, 52 Tavistock Square bombed,