[22 Paradise Rd., Northampton, Mass.]

T. S.Eliot
EmilyHale
TS
The Criterion
6 November 1937
My dearest,

I am too late for the Bremen, and I shall have time to write again before the Queen Mary. IPerkinses, the;g5 dinedSeaverns, Helenhosts TSE and the Perkinses;b6 on Thursday very pleasantly with Mrs. Seaverns, who had been having influenza, and looked not very strong, and Dr. and Mrs. Perkins, who seemed very well and cheerful: and came back with the latter as far as Aban Court. I shall expect to see them again week after next, after they return from their lecture visit to Campden. LastHayward, Johnand TSE drive to Tandys;h4 nightTandys, thehost TSE for Guy Fawkes night;a7 I went out with John to the Tandy’s Guy Faux night. Several visiting children of about the same ages added to the excitement, and it was fun setting off fireworks for them – we had supper at about nine o’clock and got back rather tired at 11.30. NowBrooke-Pechell, Sir Augustus Alexanderfuneral;a4 (Saturday morning) I must leave presently to deposit my bag at Charing Cross, have some lunch, and go on to the funeral of Valentine Dobrée’s father at All Hallows near the Tower. ThenAiken, ConradTSE dreads seeing;a1 back to catch a train at 4.30 for Rye; I hope I do not catch a cold at the Aikens’; but even with a cold I shall be glad when it is over. But a cold next week would be as good a time as any, because I have a good many people to see, and at least I would have the relief of cancelling engagements. And Marguerite de Bassiano has turned up again!

I am very sorry that I have not made it clear that I received all your letters so far – certainlyHale, Emily Jose Milliken (EH's mother)doctor prognosticates on;c2 all that you have been wondering about. I did not[,] perhaps, comment on your visit to your mother, since I know all that that means, and I cannot help. And I did not want to express too much satisfaction with Dr. Lawrence’s opinion, since it seemed to support my own – if it had been otherwise, I should still have felt that he knew much more about the details than I do; but as it is I am all the more contented. I will not pretend that I think it is all going to end suddenly and quickly, because I know you must be prepared to have to struggle with it for a long time to come, and the change will come gradually and imperceptibly. But I do feel convinced that you have very much more strength than a year ago, and the struggle will not be so hard, though there will no doubt be short periods when things will seem as bad as ever. I seem to detect a greater confidence also, perhaps largely unconscious, in your attitude to your students; among who I dare say you will after a time find a few girls with some reality to them, emerging from the usual colourless and characterless mass.

I must stop now, and start on my way.

Loving prayers for Emilie

from
Tom
Aiken, Conrad, TSE dreads seeing, his depressing bohemian existence,

1.ConradAiken, Conrad Aiken (1889–1973), American poet and critic: see Biographical Register.

Brooke-Pechell, Sir Augustus Alexander, sketched for EH, dies, funeral,
see also Dobrées, the

11.SirBrooke-Pechell, Sir Augustus Alexander Augustus Alexander Brooke-Pechell, 7th Baronet (1857–1937).

Hale, Emily Jose Milliken (EH's mother), admission to McLean's Hospital, EH's frequent visits to, her state of mind, compared to VHE, a comparison regretted and refined, a strain on EH, falls ill, and suffering more generally, reported to be better, in the hands of physicians, in TSE's prayers, TSE (un-falsely) consoles EH over, her health, doctor prognosticates on, business relating to, TSE meditates on, war affects care for, and TSE's hope for the afterlife, final illness, dies, her funeral, anniversary of death marked, Theresa on,
Hayward, John, in TSE's thumbnail description, his condition and character, what TSE represents to, VHE complains about TSE to, TSE's new chess-playing neighbour, meets EH over tea, hosts TSE, GCF and de la Mare, on EH, on EH (to TSE), gives TSE cigars for Christmas, calls EH TSE's 'sister', and the Dobrées on Boxing Day, and TSE play a prank on guests, backstage at The Times, taken for walk, on Jenny de Margerie, Empson, TSE and Sansoms call on, evening with Spender, Jennings and, exchanges Christmas presents with TSE, exchanges rare books with TSE, sends luxuries to convalescent TSE, TSE's only regular acquaintance, dines with TSE and Camerons, lent Williams's Cranmer, accompanied to the Fabers' party, hosts discussion about Parisian Murder, inspects French translation of Murder, and TSE's Old Buffers' Dinner, gives TSE bath-mitts, given wine for Christmas, one of TSE's dependents, at Savile Club Murder dinner, Empson takes TSE on to see, possible housemate, in second line of play-readers, walked round Earl's Court, and Bradfield Greek play, and TSE drive to Tandys, and TSE give another party, corrects TSE's Anabase translation, watches television with TSE, Christmas Day with, introduced to Djuna Barnes, meets Christina Morley, walk round Brompton Cemetery with, Hyde Park excursion with, moving house, at his birthday-party, honoured at F&F, displaced to the Rothschilds, where TSE visits him, among TSE's closest friends, his conversation missed, the prospect of Christmas without, excursions to Cambridge to visit, 'my best critic', gives TSE American toilet-paper, helps TSE finish Little Gidding, possible post-war housemate, protector of TSE's literary remains, foreseeably at Merton Hall, discusses plays with TSE, flat-hunting with, and Carlyle Mansions, his furniture, installed at Carlyle Mansions, further handicapped without telephone, undermines TSE's aura of poetic facility, irritates except in small doses, helps with adjustment of TSE's OM medal, at the Brighton Cocktail Party, hounded by Time, quid pro quo with TSE, arranges first-night party for Cocktail Party, arranges Confidential Clerk cast dinner, and TSE's Selected Prose, and TSE entertained by Yehudi Menuhin,

11.JohnHayward, John Davy Hayward (1905–65), editor and critic: see Biographical Register.

Perkinses, the, likely to be interested in An Adventure, compared to Mary Ware, enjoyable dinner at the Ludlow with, take to TSE, TSE desires parental intimacy with, their dinner-guests dismissed by TSE, who repents of seeming ingratitude, TSE confides separation plans to, too polite, questioned as companions for EH, offered English introductions, entertained on arrival in London, seek residence in Chichester, given introduction to G. C. Coulton, take house at Chipping Camden, as Chipping Campden hosts, given introduction to Bishop Bell, TSE entertains at Oxford and Cambridge Club, TSE's private opinion on, TSE encourages EH's independence from, their repressive influence on EH, buy TSE gloves for Christmas, sent Lapsang Souchong on arrival in England, invite TSE to Campden, move apartment, anticipate 1938 English summer, descend on EH in Northampton, and EH's wartime return to America, temporarily homeless, enfeebled, EH forwards TSE teenage letter to, their health, which is a burden, approve EH's permanent Abbot position,
Seaverns, Helen, finally dines with TSE, teaches TSE card games, bearer of EH's Christmas present, charms TSE, hosts TSE and the Perkinses, entertained by TSE, TSE hesitates to confide in, and Perkinses dine with TSE, to tea with TSE, seeks advice from TSE on transatlantic tourism, her comforts equivalent to Mappie's, houses EH on 1939 arrival, an old spoiled child, disburdens herself over tea, laments life in Hove, removed from grandchildren,

3.HelenSeaverns, Helen Seaverns, widow of the American-born businessman and Liberal MP, Joel Herbert Seaverns: see Biographical Register.

Tandys, the, TSE's Hampton weekends with, TSE's weekend in Newhaven with, as family, welcome baby daughter, compared to the Morleys, move to new Hampton home, host TSE for Guy Fawkes night, give TSE pipes for Christmas, versus the de la Mares, take large Dorset cottage, host TSE in Dorset, their situation in Dorset, accompanied to Alice in Wonderland,