[22 Paradise Rd., Northampton, Mass.]
I am dashing off a hasty note to thank you for your letter of the 13th, and to express my gratitude for hearing from you, just before leaving, that your health is improving. But remember that Shingles is a symptom of impoverished health, whether you have felt so or not, and that you are to nurse yourself for some time to come. I don’t want you to arrive in a state of collapse – though that would in a way be better, for me, than your not arriving at all!
The last few days before leaving have, of course, been crowded with every sort of thing. I now have some business to do before going to bed, and must get up early to do my packing. Itravels, trips and plansTSE's 1938 trip to Lisbon;c9;a6 have just received a programme of events in Portugal – which seem to occupy every minute, and to include excursions to almost the whole of Portugal – only one day is marked as ‘la journée libre!’ and that is followed by an evening at the theatre. By the time it is over, I and the Frenchman, the Swiss, the German and the Italian delegate ought either to be bosom friends or deadly enemies. ButCarmona, Óscar;a1 ISalazar, António de Oliveira;a3 am not sure that we shall be received either by Carmona1 or by Salazar.
ILewis, Wyndhamportrait shown to EH;b5 enclose some cuttings. Only the portrait is very much distorted: it is really very much better than these photographs show!
1.ÓscarCarmona, Óscar Carmona (1868–1951), army officer; politician; 11th President of Portugal, 1926–51.
1.ÓscarCarmona, Óscar Carmona (1868–1951), army officer; politician; 11th President of Portugal, 1926–51.
7.WyndhamLewis, Wyndham Lewis (1882–1957), painter, novelist, philosopher, critic: see Biographical Register.
4.AntónioSalazar, António de Oliveira de Oliveira Salazar (1889–1970), leader of the authoritarian government of Portugal. F&F was to publish books by and about him.