[Stamford House, Chipping Campden]

T. S.Eliot
EmilyHale
TS
The Criterion
July 19, 1938
Dearest,

YourSmith, Theodora ('Dodo') Eliot (TSE's niece)1938 visit to England;b9;a4 word of greeting was here when I returned from dining with Dodo, and very pleasant it was to see and read, and you may be sure that it performed the function for which it was designed. YourEliot, Vivien (TSE's first wife, née Haigh-Wood)mental state;e8prompts institutionalisation crisis-meeting;b1 support and advice had strengthened me the day before. I had a very full day: andSpens, Will;a7 IHigginson, G. F.deputed to VHE crisis-talks;a1 leftHaigh-Wood, Mauriceat crisis-meeting about VHE;b1 theMiller, Dr Reginaldat crisis-meeting about VHE;a2 Spens conference in time to pick up Higginson (Bird was engaged) at Grays Inn1 and explain the situation to him before we started. I was very glad to have him, not that he took a leading part in the discussion (that was not necessary or desirable) but as a reminder and emphasis of my own position in the affair. The meeting lasted for an hour and a quarter, with a good deal of circling about. I assumed no extra responsibility, of course; and although I am very sorry for Maurice having this on his hands when he has so much else to worry about, still it seemed right that he should take the initiative. Dr. M.2 stated the alternative as that of waiting until she was taken up by the police again, which would make certification possible, or persuading her to go into a home where she could be certified if she attempted to leave. No one relished the first alternative. The upshot was that Dr. M. and M. should go to see a great specialist, some day this week if it could be arranged, as it was felt that something ought to be settled before the holidays when everyone might be out of town. So I have nothing to do but wait.

I felt exhausted by the end of the evening, and your letter was very helpful. It is odd that with all this I should have felt a particular happiness these last two days, in having you by to share these difficulties with. It is a blessing to me that this should have happened just now. AndRossetti, ChristinaEH sends TSE prayer of;a6 how very appropriate your prayer of Christina Rossetti was!3

Lovingly and devotedly
Tom

1.TSE’s solicitor, G. F. HigginsonHigginson, G. F. of Bird & Bird, Gray’s Inn Square, London.

2.Dr Reginald Miller (1879–1948) of 110 Harley Street, London, W.1; Consulting Physician to St Mary’s Hospital and to Paddington Green Children’s Hospital, London; a general physician with a special interest in children, he was expert in the problems of mental deficiency in children and in rheumatic diseases and heart diseases in childhood (on which he wrote several articles). He was the first editor, with Dr. Hugh Thursfield, of the Archives on Disease in Childhood. Brought up in Hampstead, it is probable that he was an early friend of the Haigh-Wood family.

3.It is not known which of Christina Rossetti’s religious poems EH had addressed to TSE.

Eliot, Vivien (TSE's first wife, née Haigh-Wood), takes a liking to EH, EH urged not to blame, relations with Charles Buckle, unbearable to holiday with, takes to Margaret Thorp, accompanies TSE to Poetry Bookshop, and 57 Chester Terrace, on TSE's religion, TSE declines invitations excluding, her driving, hosts various writers to tea, considers flat in Gordon Square, arranges large tea-party, as theatregoer, declares desire to make confession, taken to Eastbourne, recalls the Eliots' visit to Rodmell, Alida Monro reports on, in Alida Monro's opinion, falls out with Lucy Thayer, meets TSE for last time at solicitors, seeks TSE's whereabouts, haunts TSE in London, such that he forgoes the theatre, news of, inquires after Man Ray portrait, harries F&F office, on Mosley Albert Hall rally, dies, her funeral, Requiem Mass for, Theresa remembers, marriage to, TSE on entering into, alleged affair with Bertrand Russell, sexual relations, its morbidity, TSE on his own incapacity, its torments providential on reflection, in OM's opinion, its lessons, humiliating, TSE's father's reaction, unrecognised by TSE, to outsiders, TSE reflects on, painful yet stimulating, as an act of self-rupture, drug habits, sleeping draughts, in TSE's absence, 1926 bromidia delusions, mental state, childlike, benefits from active social life, compared to EH's mother's, at the Malmaison sanatorium, and dining in public, TSE's influence on, post-separation, the prospect of institutionalising, prompts institutionalisation crisis-meeting, and TSE's departure for America, against TSE going, adjusting to the prospect, might coordinate with a return to Malmaison, in denial as to, threatens to come, from which TSE tries to dissuade her, aggrieved at being left, possible arrangements in TSE's absence, still in denial as to, TSE dreads scene of departure, possibly beneficial to VHE, TSE describes the moment of departure, separation from, TSE, for and against, out of the question, obstructed by self-deception and responsibility, reasons for not having happened, Dr Miller's opinion on, contemplated, plotted, would necessitate TSE's sequestration, TSE encouraged in his determination, Alida Monro independently suggests, communication with solicitors on, TSE describes going through with, VHE's response before and after meeting at solicitors, impasse over financial settlement, which VHE misrepresents to friends, VHE in denial over, separation deed drawn up, which is yet unsigned, delayed by death of lawyer, general impasse, financial settlement put into force, complicated by VHE renewing lease on flat, efforts to retrieve TSE's property, which is eventually recovered, financial consequences, the possibility of divorcing, TSE's objections to, against what TSE symbolises, likened to Newman's conversion, in common and canon law, in Ada's opinion, how TSE's attitude might seem, would involve permanent division from Church, inimical to future TSE's happiness, her death, and Theresa on TSE remarrying, TSE's shifting response to, formerly wished for, EH reflects on,
see also Eliots, the T. S.
Haigh-Wood, Maurice, shilling life of, and Ahmé dine chez Eliot, facilitate TSE's leave-taking, on TSE's departure for America, blamed by VHE during separation, negotiates separation, at crisis-meeting about VHE, and VHE's death, at VHE's funeral,

5.MauriceHaigh-Wood, Maurice Haigh-Wood was eight years younger than his sister Vivien. InHaigh-Wood, Emily ('Ahmé') Cleveland (TSE's sister-in-law, née Hoagland) 1930 he married a 25-year-old American dancer, Emily Cleveland Hoagland – known as known as ‘Ahmé’ (she was one of the Hoagland Sisters, who had danced at Monte Carlo) – and they were to have two children.

Higginson, G. F., deputed to VHE crisis-talks, issues formal reprimand on TSE's behalf,

1.TSE’s solicitor, G. F. HigginsonHigginson, G. F. of Bird & Bird, Gray’s Inn Square, London.

Miller, Dr Reginald, counsels separation between the Eliots, at crisis-meeting about VHE,

5.DrMiller, Dr Reginald Reginald Miller (1879–1948) of 110 Harley Street, London, W.1.; Consulting Physician to St Mary’s Hospital and to Paddington Green Children’s Hospital, London; a general physician with a special interest in children, he was expert in the problems of mental deficiency in children and in rheumatic diseases and heart diseases in childhood (on which he wrote several articles). He was the first editor, with Dr Hugh Thursfield, of the Archives on Disease in Childhood. Brought up in Hampstead, it is probable that he was an early friend of the Haigh-Wood family.

Rossetti, Christina, quoted by a maudlin TSE, recited at Poetry Bookshop, admired by TSE, worshipper at Christ Church, Woburn Square, Virginia Woolf's hairstyle likened to, EH sends TSE prayer of,
Smith, Theodora ('Dodo') Eliot (TSE's niece), 1931 visit to England, described, to lunch with Lucia Joyce and Barbara Hutchinson, TSE's almost fatherly affection for, in contrast to her sister, at Eliot family Thanksgiving, attends second Norton lecture, TSE reports on from Boston, TSE cultivates, and Marion's 1934 visit to England, visit to Chipping Campden, visit to Salisbury, walk with TSE to Kelmscott, Regent's Park visit, TSE on, 1935 visit to England, taken to the ballet, at the Russian ballet's Aurore, to tea with cousins, her way of addressing relations, TSE tells Trevelyan about, 1936 visit to England, ballet outing, taken to Cheetham's pageant, taken to Kensington Gardens, returns to America with TSE, 1938 visit to England, with Chardy, and Marion's 1939 visit to England, in doubt, Southwold week, taken to Dulwich, taken to ballet and dinner, writes to TSE, visited in Baltimore, 1949 visit to England, taken to Cambridge, then to Southwold, tours the Borders with TSE, 1950 visit to England, taken to The Cocktail Party, due for the summer, recovering from operation, arrives from Scotland, 1953 visit to England, in Edinburgh for Confidential Clerk, 1954 visit to England, 1955 visit to England, reports on the American weather, 1956 visit to England,

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’.

Spens, Will, among TSE's Corpus 'friends', described for EH, hosts TSE for degree, and the Boutwood Lectures, and 'A Liberal Manifesto',

7.WillSpens, Will Spens (1882–1962), educator and scientist; Master of Corpus Christi College, Cambridge: see Biographical Register.