[c/o Mrs Mears, 116 East Gilman St., Madison, Wisc.]

T. S.Eliot
EmilyHale
TS
Shamley Wood
Letter 87
14 July 1941
Dearest,

No letter this week, but I am not surprised: you have been moving about, if you had got to Madison you might not have time to write at first, and letters will take longer. I do hope that you find lodgings satisfactory, that you are well fed, that the course is not a disappointment, and that it is not too hot. I am sorry that you should have to plunge into lectures immediately after the visit to Boston, which is always tiring, and without having had any time for relaxation. I have still been enjoying the summer in the country, and last week in town was enlivened by our having three people to dinner on one evening, andFabers, theand TSE attend musical revue;f7 going to a revue (not at all bad, as revues go) on the other. London is very quiet at present, andappearance (TSE's)teeth;c2blamed for rheumatism;a7 I may have to stop a third night this week, as I am to have three teeth out! and four more in three weeks’ time. I am afraid, however, that it will not improve my appearance much, as they are all back grinders – mostly dead ones – which the X ray has shown to be poisonous. They may be the cause of this year’s rheumatism in my shoulder. I expect it will need a number of supplementary visits, for fitting plates top and bottom as well as for sundries; andFabers, the1941 summer holiday with;f8 Itravels, trips and plansTSE's 1941 Faber summer holiday;e2;a2 shall not be able to get to Wales until after the middle of August – not that that matters, with so much country life anyway. I am, fortunately, well supplied with clothes, and shall not have to use any coupons for some time to come, in the normal way. ThisMoncrieff, Constance ('Cocky');a5 weekend has been varied by a visitor, a friend of Miss Moncrieff who was also a resident of Pau, and who returned on the same boat with her: she told me some interesting tales of nursing Spanish soldiers in the hospital in Pau: she is a Catholic and the soldiers of course were Republicans, but she got on very well with them – they asked to have her go back to Spain with them to ensure their being treated well there. All this although she did not know Spanish. WhichGeorge, Robert Esmonde Gordon ('Robert Sencourt');c5 reminds me that Robert Sencourt turned up, as odd as ever, on Sunday, andFaló, Jacobo Fitz-James Stuart y, 17th Duke of Alba;a1 whisked me off to tea at the house of his host, who proved, as you might guess, to be the Duke of Alba (the Spanish Ambassador) but was not there.1 NoBryant, Arthur;a1 onePhipps, Sir Eric;a1 was there except Arthur Bryant (tapping out a book on the terrace) and his wife,2 and later Sir Eric Phipps,3 who was a guest in the same house. I was returned in an immense American car, so big that it had to go round about to avoid the narrow lanes. AlsoLittle Giddingfirst draft finished;b1, I have finished the poem, but am very doubtful about it: doesn’t strike me as up to the others, though I want it to complete the form of the set. IHayward, John'my best critic';k4 shall try it on John Hayward first, who is my best critic; and if I don’t like it after a few weeks, I shall simply put it away and return to the attempt in several months. But I found I couldn’t apply my mind to other things while it was sticking inside me, so I thought it best to get it written out and put it away. My'Preface' (to The Little Book of Modern Verse);a1 immediate jobs are to write an introduction for a miniature anthology of modern poetry that we are publishing,4 andChoice of Kipling's Verse, A;a4 to outline the Kipling – I have made a selection, and am waiting to find out whether it makes a book of the right length. IChristian News-Letter (CNL)first number;a4 don’t have to go to Oxford this week, as we are meeting in London.

I did not thank you for the stamps, which come in useful for supplements, as there are no threehalfpenny stamps in the books. One of them was Canadian, and I put it out to return to you, as I don’t know anybody in Canada to send it to, but it seems to have blown off my table.

I believe that one feels very seedy for a few days after having poisonous teeth out, but much better afterwards. If I am feeling low, I shall take a week off.

I am anxious for news from Madison.

Your loving
Tom

1.JacoboFaló, Jacobo Fitz-James Stuart y, 17th Duke of Alba Fitz-James Stuart y Faló, 17th Duke of Alba (1878–1953), Spanish nobleman, diplomat and politician, held among other titles the dukedoms of Alba de Tormes and Berwick.

2.ArthurBryant, Arthur Bryant (1899–1985), English historian and columnist; author of The Spirit of Conservatism (1929), Macaulay (1932), and a three-volume biography of Samuel Pepys (1933–4). Bryant’s second wife, from 1941, was Anne Elaine Brooke (1910–93), daughter of Bertram Willes Dayrell Brooke, one of the White Rajahs of Sarawak. See Andrew Roberts, Eminent Churchillians (1994; 2010), ch. 6: ‘Patriotism: The Last Refuge of Sir Arthur Bryant’; W. Sydney Robinson, Historic Affairs: The Muses of Sir Arthur Bryant (2021).

3.SirPhipps, Sir Eric Eric Phipps (1875–1945), distinguished diplomat; Ambassador to Germany, 1933–7; Ambassador to France from 1937 until his retirement (on grounds of ill health) in Nov. 1939.

4.The Little Book of Modern Verse, chosen by Anne Ridler, with a preface by T. S. Eliot (1942).

appearance (TSE's), 'pudding-faced', TSE remembers wearing make-up, of a third-rate actor, likened to a crook, of a Chicago magnate, of a dissipated movie actor, of a debauched British statesman, hair-style, lobster-skinned, of a brutal Roman emperor, of a superior comic actor, of Maurice Evans, proud of his legs, wart on scalp, baldness, 'in spots', unlikely treatment for, 'as a bat', worsened by travel, due to worry, may require wig, in retreat, reasserts itself, confines TSE to single barber, eyes, dark, damaged by teeth-poisoning, figure, 'obese', altered by war, hernia, described, deferred operation for, recovery from, nose, the Eliot nostril, a Norman nose, too thin for pince-nez, teeth, 'nothing but chalk', EH severe on the state of, 'stumps', blamed for hair-loss, liable to be removed, blamed for rheumatism, false upper plate, plate reconstructed, state of, new false teeth, keystone tooth removed, remaining upper teeth removed, new plate,
Bryant, Arthur,

2.ArthurBryant, Arthur Bryant (1899–1985), English historian and columnist; author of The Spirit of Conservatism (1929), Macaulay (1932), and a three-volume biography of Samuel Pepys (1933–4). Bryant’s second wife, from 1941, was Anne Elaine Brooke (1910–93), daughter of Bertram Willes Dayrell Brooke, one of the White Rajahs of Sarawak. See Andrew Roberts, Eminent Churchillians (1994; 2010), ch. 6: ‘Patriotism: The Last Refuge of Sir Arthur Bryant’; W. Sydney Robinson, Historic Affairs: The Muses of Sir Arthur Bryant (2021).

Choice of Kipling's Verse, A, TSE's high and low motives for undertaking, selection made on rereading Kipling, approved by Kipling's daughter, delayed, TSE paid £250 for, sold out but unreviewed, sent to EH, reviewed,
Christian News-Letter (CNL), TSE's way of writing for, described, first number, TSE's commitment to as war work, TSE on Papal Encyclical, TSE's colleagues not quite friends, becoming too politic for TSE, features TSE on Wells's New World Order, 'Education in a Mass Society', TSE's guest-editorship of, TSE gives talk for, relocates to Oxford, 'Responsibility and Power', TSE, Hambleden and Mrs Bliss discuss,
Fabers, the, model of happiness and respectability, their domestic situation, Faber children to tea chez Eliot, visit TSE at Pike's Farm, compared to the Morleys, closer to TSE than to VHE, 1933 summer holiday with, Ty Glyn Aeron described, request TSE to write play, too absorbed in their children, at the Morleys' party, give anti-Nazi party for author, host poker party, 1934 summer holiday with, take TSE to lunch in Oxford, 1935 summer holiday with, for which the children are bought tent, give party, 1936 summer holiday with, at Morleys' Thanksgiving Day party, sail model boats with TSE, and TSE's foggy adventure, cinema-going with TSE, take TSE to Witch of Edmonton, and Morleys take TSE to pantomime, and TSE attend opening of Ascent of F6, 1937 summer holiday with, and the Bradfield Greek play, School for Scandal with, take TSE to pantomime again, 1938 summer holiday with, 1939 summer holiday with, offer possible wartime refuge, 1940 summer holiday with, host TSE in Hampstead during war, TSE makes bread sauce for, brought vegetables from Shamley, move to Minsted, and TSE attend musical revue, 1941 summer holiday with, Minsted as substitute for nursing-home, trying to sell Welsh home, take TSE to International Squadron, invite TSE to Wales for Christmas, host TSE at Minsted, away fishing in Scotland, mourn TSE's post-war independence, 1947 Minsted summer stay, 1948 Minsted summer stay, host TSE for weekend, on 1950 South Africa trip, on TSE's 1951 Spain trip, 1951 Minsted summer stay, 1952 Minsted summer stay, 1953 Minsted summer stay, on 1953–4 South Africa trip, 35th wedding anniversary weekend,
Faló, Jacobo Fitz-James Stuart y, 17th Duke of Alba,

1.JacoboFaló, Jacobo Fitz-James Stuart y, 17th Duke of Alba Fitz-James Stuart y Faló, 17th Duke of Alba (1878–1953), Spanish nobleman, diplomat and politician, held among other titles the dukedoms of Alba de Tormes and Berwick.

George, Robert Esmonde Gordon ('Robert Sencourt'), in thumbnail, staying with the Eliots, records TSE's argument with Koteliansky, recites chapter from new book, creates harmony between the Eliots, offers to lend TSE fur coat, relays gossip about VHE, stirs up situation, extends invitation to Cairo, and Stead visit Campden, forces himself on TSE, TSE's mixed feelings toward, The Life of Newman,

3.RobertGeorge, Robert Esmonde Gordon ('Robert Sencourt') Esmonde Gordon George – Robert Sencourt (1890–1969) – critic, historian, biographer: see Biographical Register.

Hayward, John, in TSE's thumbnail description, his condition and character, what TSE represents to, VHE complains about TSE to, TSE's new chess-playing neighbour, meets EH over tea, hosts TSE, GCF and de la Mare, on EH, on EH (to TSE), gives TSE cigars for Christmas, calls EH TSE's 'sister', and the Dobrées on Boxing Day, and TSE play a prank on guests, backstage at The Times, taken for walk, on Jenny de Margerie, Empson, TSE and Sansoms call on, evening with Spender, Jennings and, exchanges Christmas presents with TSE, exchanges rare books with TSE, sends luxuries to convalescent TSE, TSE's only regular acquaintance, dines with TSE and Camerons, lent Williams's Cranmer, accompanied to the Fabers' party, hosts discussion about Parisian Murder, inspects French translation of Murder, and TSE's Old Buffers' Dinner, gives TSE bath-mitts, given wine for Christmas, one of TSE's dependents, at Savile Club Murder dinner, Empson takes TSE on to see, possible housemate, in second line of play-readers, walked round Earl's Court, and Bradfield Greek play, and TSE drive to Tandys, and TSE give another party, corrects TSE's Anabase translation, watches television with TSE, Christmas Day with, introduced to Djuna Barnes, meets Christina Morley, walk round Brompton Cemetery with, Hyde Park excursion with, moving house, at his birthday-party, honoured at F&F, displaced to the Rothschilds, where TSE visits him, among TSE's closest friends, his conversation missed, the prospect of Christmas without, excursions to Cambridge to visit, 'my best critic', gives TSE American toilet-paper, helps TSE finish Little Gidding, possible post-war housemate, protector of TSE's literary remains, foreseeably at Merton Hall, discusses plays with TSE, flat-hunting with, and Carlyle Mansions, his furniture, installed at Carlyle Mansions, further handicapped without telephone, undermines TSE's aura of poetic facility, irritates except in small doses, helps with adjustment of TSE's OM medal, at the Brighton Cocktail Party, hounded by Time, quid pro quo with TSE, arranges first-night party for Cocktail Party, arranges Confidential Clerk cast dinner, and TSE's Selected Prose, and TSE entertained by Yehudi Menuhin,

11.JohnHayward, John Davy Hayward (1905–65), editor and critic: see Biographical Register.

Little Gidding, things 'done to others' harm', and TSE's St. Kevin's cave excursion, TSE's pilgrimage to the eponymous, and John Inglesant, in the Four Quartets scheme, as TSE's war work, latent within TSE, being drafted, first draft finished, suspended, to be taken up again, partly redrafted at Buckler's Hard, further redrafting, seven lines from completion, redrafting finished, in which JDH proved indispensable, NEW version sent to EH, published, sales, ends hopefully,
Moncrieff, Constance ('Cocky'), resident at Shamley, used to a Riviera winter, as quondam resident of Pau, in London for bridge and Mass, taken to theatre by TSE, chaperoned in London, given to grievances, dispenses fragment of Lourdes grotto, has hair waved, dreams of returning to Pau, peremptory presence at Shamley,
Phipps, Sir Eric,

3.SirPhipps, Sir Eric Eric Phipps (1875–1945), distinguished diplomat; Ambassador to Germany, 1933–7; Ambassador to France from 1937 until his retirement (on grounds of ill health) in Nov. 1939.

'Preface' (to The Little Book of Modern Verse),
travels, trips and plans, EH's 1930 trip to England, EH's proposed 1931 England visit, called off, EH's 1932 summer holidays, the Eliots' Derby Day excursion, related, the Eliots' July 1932 Hindhead visit, the Eliots' August 1932 Eastbourne holiday, described, TSE's 1932–3 year in America, Norton Professorship offered to TSE, and the prospect of reunion with EH, which TSE refuses to see as decisive, which angers EH, who writes and destroys a response, TSE's financial imperatives, TSE's itinerary, and the question of discretion, opportunity for adventurous lecture-tours, TSE speculates on attendant feelings, TSE on the voyage over, TSE reflects on, TSE's return from, the Eliot family's Randolph holiday, TSE's 1933 westward tour to Scripps, proposed to EH, and TSE's need to lecture, possibly via St. Louis, TSE's itinerary, possible stopover in Seattle, a shameful source of happiness, still a happy thought, described by Havens and others, TSE reflects on, TSE's return from, TSE wonders at after-effect on EH, EH urged to reflect honestly on, Ada on, and a conversation about divorce, in EH's recollection, possible EH 1933 summer in England, TSE's 1933 Faber summer holiday, set for mid-August, postponed, rearranged, TSE buys summer outfits for, described, TSE's 1933 tour of Scotland, possible itinerary, Morley's preparations for, described for EH, TSE's 1933 trip to Paris, mooted, described, EH's 1934–5 year in Europe, TSE delighted at the prospect, attempts to coordinate with TSE's 1934 summer plans, the Perkinses due in Chipping Camden, EH's itinerary, TSE's initial weekend at Chipping Campden, TSE books rooms in Lechlade, TSE visits Campden again with family, and again alone, which visit TSE reflects on, TSE's plans to entertain EH en route to Europe, EH's continental itinerary, VHE and propriety inhibit pre-Paris arrangements, L'Escargot lunch, weekend in Sussex for EH's birthday, possible London tea-party, second lunch at L'Escargot, EH and TSE's November excursions, a month which TSE reflects happily on, EH's summer 1935 plans, EH departs England, EH in Florence, arrived in Rome, TSE coordinating with EH's return, TSE recommends Siena, EH returns to Florence, EH sails for Riviera, EH returns from France, L'Escargot lunch on EH's return, EH sails for Guernsey, May 1935, EH's June 1935 London sortie, TSE attends Dr Perkins's birthday, TSE's July 1935 Campden week, TSE offers to fund EH in London, where EH joins Jeanie McPherrin, TSE's Campden birthday weekend, prospect of EH spending month at Blomfield Terrace, Thorp theatre outing, TSE's 6–8 September Campden weekend, EH staying at 19 Rosary Gardens, EH to Campden for 15–17 November, EH sails for Boston, EH and TSE's final farewell, TSE and EH's final weeks in London, their excursion to Finchampstead, TSE reflects on, excursion to Greenwich, EH reflects on the final weeks of, TSE's 1934 Faber summer holiday, described, TSE's dream of Cairo, TSE's invitation to Finland, palmed off on Robert Nichols, TSE's 1935 tour of Scotland, proposed by Blake, attempts to coordinate with EH, TSE's itinerary, TSE's 1935 Faber summer holiday, TSE writes from, described, TSE's 1936 visit to Ireland, TSE's itinerary, recounted, TSE's spring/summer 1936 trip to Paris, first contemplated, date fixed, Morleys invited, TSE's itinerary, recounted, TSE's 1936 Faber summer holiday, TSE writes from, TSE's 1936 American trip, spring arrival dependent on New York Murder, if not spring, then autumn, possible excursions, autumn better for seeing EH, and possible Princeton offer, and possible Smith visit, efforts to coordinate with EH, passage on Alaunia booked, TSE's itinerary, Murder to pay for, coordinating with Eliot Randolph holiday, the moment of parting from EH, TSE's birthday during, TSE reflects on, TSE's 1937 tour of Scotland, itinerary, recounted, the Morley–Eliot 1937 trip to Salzburg, contemplated, itinerary, EH receives postcard from, described, as relayed to OM, EH's 1937 summer in England, and Mrs Seaverns, EH accompanies TSE to Edinburgh, itinerary coordinated with EH, dinner at L'Escargot, TSE's 10–11 July Campden visit, TSE's 17–22 July Campden visit, TSE's 21 August Campden visit, EH travels to Yorkshire, TSE reminisces about, TSE's 1937 Faber summer holiday, TSE reports from, leaves TSE sunburnt, TSE's 1938 trip to Lisbon, outlined to EH, TSE advised on, travel arrangements, the voyage out, described, EH's 1938 summer in England, and whether EH should spend it at Campden, EH's arrival confirmed, TSE's July Campden visit, EH's late-July London stay, TSE's 5–21 August Campden fortnight, TSE's 3–6 September Campden visit, EH's September London stay, TSE reflects on, TSE's 1938 Faber summer holiday, TSE's preparations for, TSE reports from, possible EH England Christmas 1938 visit, possible TSE 1939 visit to America, mooted for spring, complicated by Marion and Dodo's trip, shifted to autumn, threatened by war, made impossible, EH's 1939 England visit, TSE's efforts to coordinate with, threatened by war, complicated by Marion's arrival, EH's itinerary, EH's initial London stay, TSE's 7–20 July Campden visit, TSE's 22–30 August Campden visit, TSE's 2–4 September Campden visit, EH again London, EH and TSE's parting moments, in TSE's memory, memory vitiated by EH's subsequent letter, TSE's 1939 Faber summer holiday, TSE writes from, possible wartime transatlantic crossings, contingencies, in case of EH being ill, TSE's reasons for and against, and TSE's New York proposition, following invasion Denmark and Norway, impossible for TSE unless official, TSE's desire to remain in England, TSE's reasons for and against accepting lectureship, given Ada's impending death, TSE's abortive 1940 Italian mission, possible but confidential, lectures prepared for, and the prospect of seeing EP, might include Paris, itinerary, in jeopardy, final preparations for, cancelled, TSE's 1940 visit to Dublin, approved by Foreign Office, in national interest, itinerary, recounted, involves TSE's first plane-journey, TSE's 1940 Faber summer holiday, TSE reports from, TSE's 1941 Faber summer holiday, Kipling and fishing-rod packed for, TSE reports from, TSE's 1941 Northern tour, proposed by the Christendom group, arranged with Demant, itinerary, recounted, TSE's 1942 British Council mission to Sweden, TSE makes cryptic allusion to, as recounted to EH, as recounted to JDH, return leg in London, as war-work, TSE's 1942 New Forest holiday, described, TSE's 1942 week in Scotland, recounted, TSE's abortive 1942 Iceland mission, TSE's 1943 trip to Edinburgh, recounted, TSE's abortive 1943 Iceland mission, TSE's 1943 New Forest holiday, TSE's 1944 trip to Edinburgh, TSE's abortive 1944 North Africa mission, TSE's May 1945 trip to Paris, described, TSE's June 1945 trip to Paris, recounted, possible post-war American visit, and Henry's impending death, ideally ancillary to work, possibly as F&F's representative, waits on TSE's health and Carlyle Mansions, TSE's 1945 September fortnight in Lee, described, TSE's 1945 Christmas in Lee, described, TSE's 1946 summer in America, date for passage fixed, paperwork for, TSE's itinerary, its aftermath, recounted, TSE's 1947 summer in America, dependent on lecture engagements, TSE seeks to bring forward, Henry's condition brings further forward, set for April, itinerary, EH reflects on, TSE's scheduled December 1947 visit to Marseilles and Rome, itinerary, TSE's preparations for, dreaded, Roman leg described by Roger Hinks, EH's hypothetical March 1948 visit to England, TSE's postponed 1948 trip to Aix, itinerary, recounted, home via Paris, TSE's 1948 trip to America, itinerary, TSE's visit to EH in Andover, disrupted by Nobel Prize, TSE's 1948 Nobel Prize visit to Stockholm, itinerary, recounted, TSE's 1949 family motor-tour of Scotland, described, TSE's October–November 1949 trip to Germany, possible itinerary, preparations for, final itinerary, TSE's account of, the return via Belgium, TSE's January 1950 voyage to South Africa, all but fixed, itinerary, described by TSE, recounted by Faber, EH's 1950 summer in England, TSE books EH's hotel room for, TSE's efforts to coordinate with EH's movements, EH in Campden, TSE reports to Aunt Edith on, TSE's 1950 visit to America, and TSE's possible Chicago post, the Chicago leg, November itinerary, TSE's spring 1951 trip to Spain, itinerary, recounted, TSE's September 1951 Geneva stay, itinerary, recounted, TSE's 1951 British Council mission to Paris, recounted, TSE's second 1951 British Council mission to Paris, recounted, TSE's 1952 visit to Rennes and the Riviera, itinerary, recounted, TSE's 1952 visit to America, itinerary, efforts to coordinate with EH's summer, TSE on meeting with EH, TSE's 1952 rest cure in Switzerland, TSE's 1953 visit to St. Louis and America, set for June, to include fortnight in Cambridge, itinerary, EH's 1953 trip to England, EH's Alnwick plans, TSE books hotel for EH, and EH's ticket to Confidential Clerk, TSE's 1953 visit to Geneva, TSE's 1953–4 trip to South Africa, itinerary, described, arrival described to JDH, GCF on, TSE's 1954 Geneva rest cure, Geneva preferred to Paris, TSE's deferred 1955 visit to Hamburg, prospect inspires reluctance in TSE, proposed for spring 1955, dreaded, TSE now returned from, TSE's 1955 visit to America, and contingent speaking engagements, foreshortened, itinerary, Washington described, TSE's return from, TSE's 1955 Geneva rest cure, TSE's 1956 visit to America, passage fixed for April, itinerary, TSE in the midst of, TSE reflects on, TSE's 1956 Geneva rest cure, itinerary, recounted, illness during, EH's 1957 visit to England, TSE and EVE invited to Campden, TSE reciprocates with London invitation, but EH leaves England abruptly, which TSE consults Eleanor Hinkley over, who duly explains, TSE and EVE's 1958 trip to America, as rumoured to EH, EH's 1959 tour of Scandinavia, funded by bequest from cousin, TSE and EVE's 1959 trip to America, TSE and EVE's 1963 trip to America,