[22 Paradise Rd., Northampton, Mass.]
Your last letter received is that of the 17th. You should have had three notes from me from Portugal, but they may have come by very roundabout ways – there are very few vessels direct from Lisbon to New York. IRichmonds, theTSE's Netherhampton weekends with;a7 haveHerbert, Georgesubject of TSE's Salisbury address;a6 just returned from Salisbury – it went off quite well, I think – I talked to the Friends about George Herbert – and the Bishop started things off well by introducing me as Mr. Herbert – anyway, the Richmonds seemed pleased. OnSeaverns, Helen;b9 myPerkinses, the;h5 return I hear that Mrs. Seaverns rang up and asked me to dinner with the Perkins’s. I have not yet heard from them, and was waiting for a line or a call, as Mrs. Perkins had only said that they would very likely be at Aban Court. IFerro, António;a2 have had a great deal to do, and this morning toiled for an hour to compose a sufficiently enthusiastic letter, gushing enough to satisfy a Portuguese, to Senhor Ferro.1 Alas, Ferro and his wife (they are both a bit tarry) are coming to London soon:2 toWolcotts, the;a4Wolcott, Roger
I am so glad that your skin is healing, and the traces of shingles becoming fainter; and I hope that this month (I mean June) is not going to leave you exhausted and emaciated. (I shall be glad of a quiet week or so myself). The weather is dull, but still not enough rain, and I fear the country will not look its best for you. Spring clothing, but I have not yet gone out without an overcoat. I shall see you in just six weeks.
ISmith, Theodora ('Dodo') Eliot (TSE's niece)1938 visit to England;b9;a2 fear a jam of American visitors – Dodo as usual. Also the Wolcotts!
1.See TSE to Antonio Ferro, 27 May 1938.
2.TSEFerro, António;a3n sent EH a newspaper cutting (unidentified), annotated in his hand: ‘This was inspired, & drafted, by myself!’:
As Director of the Bureau of National Propaganda in Lisbon, Senhor Antonio Ferro has been largely responsible for the organisation of the “Portuguese Fortnight”, which is now being held in London. He has been a frequent visitor to this country in recent years. Slightly bald and portly, but youthful looking, he could be described as one of the busiest men in Europe.
His duties are many and varied, for he is charged not only with what can be called the publicity of his Government in Portugal, but at the same time with the direction of Portugal’s cultural relations abroad.
Lately, Senhor Ferro has spent much of his time in New York superintending the Portuguese Pavilion of the World Fair. His wife, Dona Fernanda de Castro Ferro, who is at present in London with him, is well known as a poet and has published volumes in French as well as in Portuguese.
Literature is also represented in the delegation by Senhor Eça de Queiroz, a son of the novelist. Like his father, he speaks almost perfect English.
4.AntónioFerro, António Ferro (1895–1956), Portuguese writer, journalist, politician – author of Viagem à Volta das Ditaduras (‘Journey round the Dictatorships’, 1927) and Salazar: o Homem e a Obra (‘Salazar: The Man and his Work’, 1927; eventually published in revised translation as Salazar: Portugal and Her Leader [F&F, 1939]) – was a firm supporter of the authoritarian regime of António de Oliveira Salazar (1889–1970), Prime Minister of Portugal, 1932–68. Ferro served as Director of the Secretariado de Propaganda Nacional.
3.HelenSeaverns, Helen Seaverns, widow of the American-born businessman and Liberal MP, Joel Herbert Seaverns: see Biographical Register.
2.TheodoraSmith, Theodora ('Dodo') Eliot (TSE's niece) Eliot Smith (1904–92) – ‘Dodo’ – daughter of George Lawrence and Charlotte E. Smith: see Biographical Register. Theodora’sSmith, Charlotte ('Chardy') Stearns (TSE's niece) sister was Charlotte Stearns Smith (b. 1911), known as ‘Chardy’.