[Stamford House, Chipping Campden]
I was very happy to have your dear letter this morning: but felt much chagrin that there was not a corresponding letter on your breakfast table – a letter which I cannot help hoping you expected. I did intend to write last night; butEvery, Georgesurprises TSE in London;a7 in the middle of the afternoon Brother George Every rang up to ask at what time did I expect him to dinner? I had completely forgotten having asked him to dine with me last night; I cannot even now recall having done so – though I suppose I must have done – but he is such a dear creature, and of course being a member of an order, can come to town but seldom, that in any case I would have put myself out to see him. After having had but five hours sleep, and a train journey, and a first day at the office, I hardly felt fit for an evening of intellectual conversation: but what most annoyed me was that I could not write to you, and that you could not know why I had not written until this morning. AndPerkins, Edith (EH's aunt);d4 next, I must explain that I cannot write to Mrs. Perkins tonight, because I want to send a cheque with my letter of thanks, and I find I have no cheques. ThisFaber, Thomas Erle ('Tom', TSE's godson)bought telescope;b1 morningFabers, the1938 summer holiday with;e4 Itravels, trips and plansTSE's 1938 Faber summer holiday;d2TSE's preparations for;a3 bought a pair of heavy walking shoes for Wales, and a telescope to take as a present to Tom: so I must go to the bank in the morning to get a new cheque book. I mean to write to Mrs. Perkins before I go out, and post it when I get my cheques.
Mytravels, trips and plansEH's 1938 summer in England;d1TSE's 5–21 August Campden fortnight;a9 stay at Campden seems interminably long and incredibly brief, according to the two different visions one has of any important period. WhatHale, Emilyrelationship with TSE;w9as perpetual progress and revelation;c1 is important (apart from physical and nervous benefit etc.) is that it marks another advance in our knowledge and understanding of each other: and what is wonderful to think, is that all that was best and essential in previous meetings, is continued and perpetuated and transmuted into something better. I am very glad that there is no stage at which I can say: ‘I know Emily’ – but that at every stage I can say: ‘I am getting to know Emily better’. Also, the satisfaction of becoming better known by Emily; because the feeling of being at my best with you sometimes has made me feel somewhat a humbug: and the more situations in which you can see me – as well as I see you – even if at the time they seem only interruptions by irrelevant people – the better. Incidentally, I always feel myself to be different, and more positive, with other people when you are also present, and in that way I welcome what would be otherwise annoying interruptions. – That does not apply to the two evenings of incursions of unexpected transient visitors! which for me were pure waste.
You do not know that you write letters which are not only good letters for me, but good letters (not always) and this letter would be a good letter even for a reader who knew neither who you were or who I was – though intended for me and not for any impersonal reader.
Itravels, trips and plansEH's 1938 summer in England;d1TSE's 3–6 September Campden visit;b1 cannot find that there is any practical night train from Wales; but IHale, Emilyat Campden with TSE again;k9 will find out whether any of the day trains on Saturday stops at Oxford or any junction from which I can get a connexion to Campden. I shall hope to stay at Campden until Tuesday morning, andtravels, trips and plansEH's 1938 summer in England;d1EH's September London stay;b2 Elizabeth will then expect you on Wednesday. And I shall hope to take either Thursday or Friday wholly OFF. Idogswish to buy EH dog develops;b1 am worrying about the Dog. It seems to me that if you are to take back a year-old house-trained dog, the only way is to go to a Dog Bureau and give them a list of acceptable breeds, in the hope that they may find somebody who has a dog of one of those breeds of the right age.
4.GeorgeEvery, George Every, SSM (1909–2003), historian and poet: see Biographical Register.
4.ThomasFaber, Thomas Erle ('Tom', TSE's godson) Erle Faber (1927–2004), TSE’s godson and principal dedicatee of Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats, was to become a physicist, teaching at Cambridge, first at Trinity, then for fifty years at Corpus Christi. He served too as chairman of the Geoffrey Faber holding company.