[22 Paradise Rd., Northampton, Mass.]
YourEliot, Henry Ware, Jr. (TSE's brother);d5 letter by the Queen Mary came this morning, and I am writing this to catch the same vessel back tomorrow. (I wonder if you have been have [sc. having] such severe weather – relatively, as ours: gales, flood and damage; Sunday afternoon a sudden pelting snowstorm, which melted at once). IDukes, Ashley;d9 haveBrowne, Elliott Martin1938 American Murder tour;c4yet to report from Boston;a3 heard nothing from Dukes and Browne: a cable from Henry, very optimistic, andLamb, Annie Lawrence (TSE's cousin)writes to TSE about Murder;a6 a nice letter from Cousin Annie Lamb, that’s all. IAmericaBoston, Massachusetts;d1its theatregoing public;b9 told Dukes that the first night in Boston would probably be very successful, but that they wouldn’t make a success of Boston unless they captured the Irish Roman Catholic suburban public. I think that the suggestion was made of inviting the Cardinal to come. But if they don’t do very well in Boston, there is nothing to be gained, that I can see, by taking the play to New York. Perhaps a fortnight was too long for Boston anyway; yet greater Boston has a very large population.1
Eventravels, trips and plansEH's 1938 summer in England;d1;a2 if you come over this summer, I should like to get to America at some time during this year; butFamily Reunion, Thewaiting on Browne and Dukes;d3 as you say, I cannot make plans until I know more about The Family Reunion. CopiesDukes, Ashleysent full Family Reunion draft;e1 ofBrowne, Elliott Martin1939 production of The Family Reunion;c1new draft submitted to;a9 the present draft are going by this same boat, to Browne and Dukes; and I shall of course urge them to try to make their comments and suggestions as quickly as possible; but with all their business and bustle I don’t know how much time they can give to it. When I know how much they want to alter it (and I don’t mean that I should necessarily accept every suggestion they make) I shall know when it will be ready for press, and I shall have to be on hand at the right time to correct the proof. And of course I want a hand in the casting and rehearsing. Possibly I would be free for a few weeks visit from the middle of June (IUniversity of Bristolhonorary degree in the offing;a1 have an intimation that there might possibly be another degree coming my way early in June,2 atTruro School, CornwallTSE's speech-day address to;a1 about the time I have promised to speak in Truro – that is confidential – it would not in itself make any difference to my plans) or in mid-summer; or I might be free for October if the production started early. But I can’t make any plans for some time. It would be much simpler if Martin was over here now.
IDukes, Ashleylets EH down;e2 am vexed that Ashley had to let you down, but it is rather like those theatrical people, always in a great hurry and excitement. The thought of your getting him to Smith to speak gave me much pleasure; and as you say, it is a kind of contact. Besides, I hate to think of all the trouble you took being wasted.
ILewis, Wyndhamasks to paint TSE;b2 had dinner with Wyndham Lewis last night. He wants to paint a portrait of me: having a portrait made is more nuisance than the dentist, but I couldn’t refuse him, and I am sure he will do an interesting, and perhaps a remarkable piece of work. His idea is to submit it to the Academy: if it is accepted, well and good; if not, he will exhibit it somewhere else as a portrait rejected by the Academy, which should attract still more attention. So I must give him Friday evening, to begin with, to make preliminary sketches and settle the pose.3 ThursdayHayward, Johnintroduced to Djuna Barnes;i3 IBarnes, Djunaintroduced to JDH;a6 have to give dinner to Djuna Barnes and take her round to meet John; that will be a strain, as she is so nervous and fidgety, but I thought it would do her good to meet him.4 ThisWoolf, Virginia;c7 afternoon to Virginia’s to tea andAll Souls Club, The;b1 thenMozley, Revd John Kenneth;a1 on to a dinner of the All Souls Club given by Canon Mozley.5
WellHale, Emilywritings;x4EH asks to write about TSE;a4, my dear, why shouldn’t you write anything about me that you like! so long as you keep it strictly private – as private as our letters – for unfortunately interesting things cannot be said until everyone is dead – but I suppose that is true of most people.
And thank you for the Valentine! which you timed very well indeed – I expect if the weather had been better it would have reached me yesterday. The Valentine has disappeared in England, I am sorry to say.
And I hope that you will be a little time in Campden – not too much – you know I do not like the idea of your devoting a whole summer to it again – but just because of the many deep associations we have with the place – I should be unhappy ever to see it again unless you were there – but, if you do not come at all – I shall certainly come over at some time during this year.
1.SoonEliot, Henry Ware, Jr. (TSE's brother)hosts Murder's Boston cast;d6n after entertaining Ashley Dukes, E. Martin Browne, with Robert Speaight and other members of the cast to tea at their home, 84 Prescott Street, Cambridge, MA, Henry Eliot related to Donald Gallup, 9 February 1938: ‘They are all charming people, and their acting is superb! The play did not start off too well in Boston, but I think is doing much better this week; I wish it might stay another week, but I think it is off to New York next week.’
2.In the event, TSE received an Hon. D.Litt. from the University of Bristol on 2 July.
3.The sitting took place at 29A Notting Hill Gate. See further Paul O’Keeffe, Some Sort of Genius: A Life of Wyndham Lewis (2000), 379–86.
4.See TSE to Djuna Barnes, 28 Jan. 1938: Letters 8, 778–9.
5.RevdMozley, Revd John Kenneth John Kenneth Mozley (1883–1946), Anglican priest and theologian; Fellow of Pembroke College, Cambridge, 1909–19; Canon Chancellor of St Paul’s Cathedral, 1930–41. Author of works including The Impassibility of God: A Survey of Christian Thought (Cambridge, 1926) and The Beginnings of Christian Theology (Cambridge, 1931).
1.DjunaBarnes, Djuna Barnes (1892–1982): American novelist, journalist, poet, playwright; author of Ryder (1928); Nightwood (her masterpiece, 1936); Antiphon (play, 1958). See ‘A Rational Exchange’, New Yorker, 24 June and 1 July 1996, 107–9; Nightwood: The Original Version and Related Drafts, ed. Cheryl J. Plumb (1995); Miriam Fuchs, ‘Djuna Barnes and T. S. Eliot: Authority, Resistance, and Acquiescence’, Tulsa Studies in Women’s Literature 12: 2 (Fall 1993), 289–313. Andrew Field, Djuna: The Formidable Miss Barnes (1983, 1985), 218: ‘Willa Muir was struck by the difference that came over Eliot when he was with Barnes. She thought that the way Barnes had of treating him with an easy affectionate camaraderie caused him to respond with an equally easy gaiety that she had never seen in Eliot before.’ See Letters 8 for correspondence relating to TSE’s friendship with Barnes, and with her friend, the sassy, irresistible Emily Holmes Coleman, and the brilliant editing of Nightwood.
4.E. MartinBrowne, Elliott Martin Browne (1900–80), English director and producer, was to direct the first production of Murder in the Cathedral: see Biographical Register.
4.AshleyDukes, Ashley Dukes (1885–1959), theatre manager, playwright, critic, translator, adapter, author; from 1933, owner of the Mercury Theatre, London: see Biographical Register.
3.HenryEliot, Henry Ware, Jr. (TSE's brother) Ware Eliot (1879–1947), TSE’s older brother: see Biographical Register.
11.JohnHayward, John Davy Hayward (1905–65), editor and critic: see Biographical Register.
35.AnnieLamb, Annie Lawrence (TSE's cousin) Lawrence (Rotch) Lamb (1857–1950) was married to Horatio Appleton Lamb (1850–1926).
7.WyndhamLewis, Wyndham Lewis (1882–1957), painter, novelist, philosopher, critic: see Biographical Register.
5.RevdMozley, Revd John Kenneth John Kenneth Mozley (1883–1946), Anglican priest and theologian; Fellow of Pembroke College, Cambridge, 1909–19; Canon Chancellor of St Paul’s Cathedral, 1930–41. Author of works including The Impassibility of God: A Survey of Christian Thought (Cambridge, 1926) and The Beginnings of Christian Theology (Cambridge, 1931).
1.VirginiaWoolf, Virginia Woolf (1882–1941), novelist, essayist and critic: see Biographical Register.