[22 Paradise Rd., Northampton, Mass.]

T. S.Eliot
EmilyHale
TS
Shamley
Letter 100.
10 November 1941
My Dear

I have had a very short weekend in Shamley: IFabers, the;g2 staid over Thursday night in Hampstead, inEvery, George;b4 order to lunch on Friday with George Every who was passing through London on that day, and more especially to go down to spend Friday night with Leonard Woolf: so I did not get back to Shamley till Saturday afternoon, and'Duchess of Malfy, The';a2 sinceBritish Broadcasting Corporation (BBC)broadcasts Webster talk;c7 then have been writing out a draft of my 20 minute talk on ‘The Duchess of Malfy’ for the Indian short-wave on the 25th, andHawkins, A. Desmondasks TSE to godfather child;a5 have just dashed off a note to Desmond Hawkins who has asked me to be a godfather for his third, andUnderhill, Revd Francis, Bishop of Bath and Wellsadjudicates on limit to godchildren;d5 another to the Bishop of B. & W. asking him whether I ought to accept. It doesn’t seem fair that I should have to go on accumulating godchildren – four is quite enough: but Christian godparents are so scarce in these days that one hesitates to refuse without ecclesiastical backing. I am fortunate in having all the apparent qualifications for the rôle. Tomorrow I am off to London as usual, but I propose to stop in Surrey next week, because I shall probably have to be in London the whole of the following week; havingOldham, Josephconvenes education group meeting;d8 the education-group meeting in Oxford over the weekend of the 22nd, the broadcast on the 25th, andTrevelyan, Maryand Student Movement House;a2 to talk to Mary Trevelyan’s foreign students on Saturday the 29th. MrsMirrlees, Emily Lina ('Mappie', née Moncrieff)reduces TSE's rent;c1. M. hasfinances (TSE's)rent at Shamley;b7 insisted on my reducing my payments on account of my considerable absences; and I am rather glad, because travel is so large an item in expenses in my life nowadays. (Yet there is no danger of living beyond one’s income, because there are so few ways of spending money now).

IWoolf, Leonardat Rodmell alone;b1 had of course dreaded the visit to Rodmell, but it was much more fearful in anticipation than in execution. Leonard lives there by himself, coming up to London for the day several times a week – but for the winter, when the days are short, he is taking rooms in Clifford’s Inn as well – and a daily servant comes in to clean up in the morning and in the evening. She prepares a certain amount of his food and leaves it ready, and he heats it up. He seemed pretty well – I imagine that the strain had been so great that even that end to it was a kind of relief: and what would seem the hardest thing to do, to an outsider, might be the easiest thing to do. And he has no home in London: their flat (not the one where you came to tea, but that is gone too) was bombed. In the end I really enjoyed being with him very much; and certainly I should have felt uncomfortable in conscience if I had declined or postponed his invitation. YetWoolf, Virginiaher absence at Rodmell;d9 it was queer being there: not the feeling of revision [sic] which I had in advance, but just the feeling that she ought to be there too – and in some sense was – and wasn’t. And I liked it better being alone with him, thanBell, VanessaTSE relieved to be spared;a2 if the relatives from Firle (Vanessa etc.) had come over, or any other associated friends.

Your little note of the 25th (hors de série) has arrived, on Saturday: I hope that your birthday will not have been just very fatiguing. I am especially glad to know what you wore on that occasion. Now I have the photograph to look forward to.

Iappearance (TSE's)teeth;c2false upper plate;a8 have my upper teeth, but the dentist warned me that they would not be of much use until I was ready for the lower teeth as well: and indeed, without the lowers for them to bite on, I find eating with them rather more trouble than without; but I am to wear them so as to get used to them; and I am assured, by practiced false-toothers, that after a time one feels simply undressed without them. I can’t have the lowers fitted until the last bit of bone has worked its way out – as the teeth were ‘impacted’ they had to be chisled out, leaving numerous chips behind. But, as I said before, you will not notice any difference for the better in my appearance.

AChurchill, Sir Winston Leonard Spencercommendable speeches;a2 very encouraging speech by the Prime Minister to-day.

Your loving
Tom
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,
Bell, Vanessa, hosts TSE and Woolfs at Charleston, TSE relieved to be spared,
see also Stephens, the

6.VanessaBell, Vanessa Bell, née Stephen (1879–1961) – sister of Virginia Woolf; wife of Clive Bell – was an artist, illustrator and designer; member of the Bloomsbury Group. See Frances Spalding, Vanessa Bell (1979).

British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), TSE's committee service for, its future discussed, TSE working on autumn programme for, TSE on educational broadcasting in general, Barbara Burnham production of Murder, lobbies TSE for next play, 'The Need for Poetic Drama', Metaphyical poet broadcasts for, 'The Church's Message to the World', Christmas Day 'Cats' broadcast, dramatic Waste Land adaptation, which is censored for broadcast, repeats 'Cats', plays Parsifal on Good Friday, broadcasts Hawkins interview with TSE, 'Towards a Christian Britain', 1941 production of Murder, Eastern Service broadcasts East Coker, broadcasts Webster talk, Tennyson talk, Dry Salvages, Poe talk, Dryden talk, Joyce talk, European Service broadcasts TSE's talk, TSE declines Christmas broadcast for, wants to record 'Milton II', broadcasts TSE's personal poetry selection, broadcasts Gielgud's Family Reunion, marks TSE's 60th birthday, Gielgud Family Reunion repeated, solicits TSE post-Nobel Prize, TSE's EP broadcast for, records TSE reading Ash-Wednesday, floats Reith Lectures suggestion, approaches Marilyn Monroe to star in Fitts's Lysistrata,
Churchill, Sir Winston Leonard Spencer, reviews Cooper's Haig, commendable speeches, compared to Halifax as orator, as successor to Chamberlain, 'Their Finest Hour', EH attends his Harvard address, as do Henry and Theresa, remarks on Basic English, compared to Bevin, unsuited to peacetime office, broadcast on King's death, as public figure,
'Duchess of Malfy, The',
Every, George, TSE's affection for, invites TSE to Kelham, consulted on TSE's BBC talk, surprises TSE in London, possible reader of Boutwood Lectures, at Kelham,

4.GeorgeEvery, George Every, SSM (1909–2003), historian and poet: see Biographical Register.

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,
finances (TSE's), TSE's Income Tax, American income, Norton Professorship, Grenville Place rent, costs of separation, TSE's desire to pay for EH, theatrical royalties, royalties from Cats, rent at Shamley, and retirement, apropos of The Cocktail Party, and post-war capital controls,
Hawkins, A. Desmond, discusses novel with TSE, mourns The Criterion, interviews TSE for BBC, asks TSE to godfather child,

3.A. DesmondHawkins, A. Desmond Hawkins (1908–99), novelist, critic, broadcaster: see Biographical Register.

Mirrlees, Emily Lina ('Mappie', née Moncrieff), taken round the Tower, invites TSE to Shamley, described for EH, offers to house TSE gratis, her religion, as horticulturalist, concerns TSE, her distress on animals' behalf, not an irritant, secures better gardener for Shamley, circumstances in which she offered TSE refuge, indifferent to enlarging acquaintance, engineers solitude at Shamley, surprises TSE with lobster and cigars, reduces TSE's rent, celebrates 80th birthday, abed and anxious, anxious about North African campaign, going deaf, boosted by son's promotion, receives offer for Shamley, theatrical by nature, TSE prefers being alone with, TSE's sense of responsibility to, spoils TSE on his birthday, aflutter over Christmas turkey, delighted by recording at Shamley, takes in hopeless cases, collector of recipes, pleased by TSE's lawnmowing, hankers after life in Menton, dreams of leaving Shamley, pulls out of selling Shamley, as landlady, frustrations with gardener, her aura, summons TSE to Shamley, during TSE's final Shamley Christmas, dying, still just living, dies following operation, Wishful Cooking,
see also Mirrleeses, the

3.HopeMirrlees, Emily Lina ('Mappie', née Moncrieff) Mirrlees’s mother was Emily Lina Mirrlees, née Moncrieff (1862–1948) – known as ‘Mappie’ or ‘Mappy’ – see Biographical Register.

Oldham, Joseph, lunches with TSE, convenes discussion of contemporary Christianity, at the Unemployment Conference, éminence grise in Council for Life and Work, hearing improved, spearheading anti-Nazi Church movement, puts TSE up to BBC talk, sent TSE's Revelation contribution, which he prizes, organises Lambeth Council, initiates 'Moot', and the Moot, first Moot meeting, bewails mankind, anointed reader of Boutwood Lectures, founds new wartime committee, which meets, sent drafts for CNL, as editor of CNL, views diverge from those of TSE, pleased with TSE's education supplement, needs holiday, convenes education group meeting, propagates yet another religious body, his style, to meet Michael Roberts, Church, Community and State,
see also Oldhams, the

8.JosephOldham, Joseph (‘Joe’) Houldsworth Oldham (1874–1969), missionary, adviser, organiser: see Biographical Register.

Trevelyan, Mary, recalling TSE's foggy adventure, and Student Movement House, describes situation in liberated Europe, reports from liberated Belgium, returns to London, smuggles TSE's whisky into hospital, significance of VHE's death explained to, TSE describes relationship with EH to, a 'kindly thorn',

2.MaryTrevelyan, Mary Trevelyan (1897–1983), Warden of Student Movement House, worked devotedly to support the needs of overseas students in London (her institution was based at 32 Russell Square, close to the offices of F&F; later at 103 Gower Street); founder and first governor of International Students House, London. Trevelyan left an unpublished memoir of her friendship with TSE – ‘The Pope of Russell Square’ – whom she long desired to marry. See further Biographical Register.

Underhill, Revd Francis, Bishop of Bath and Wells, receives TSE's confession of love for EH, consulted on 'Thoughts After Lambeth', suggests separation from VHE is TSE's duty, confession with, introduces TSE to his cousin Evelyn, TSE's only confidant as to EH, becomes Dean of Rochester, writes to TSE about separation, against TSE shirking Oxford Movement Centenary, and TSE's 1933 return, invites TSE to school prize-day, at King's School prize-day, consulted on question of divorce, supportive over TSE's separation, his books commended to EH, visited in Rochester, and wife as TSE's Rochester hosts, and Miss O'Donovan, becomes Bishop of Bath and Wells, his consecration attended, perhaps, as Bishop, above receiving TSE's confession, takes Evelyn Underhill's funeral, visited in Wells, adjudicates on limit to godchildren, hosts Gordon George for week, dies,

2.Revd Francis UnderhillUnderhill, Revd Francis, Bishop of Bath and Wells, DD (1878–1943), TSE’s spiritual counsellor: see Biographical Register.

Woolf, Leonard, TSE's confidant in matters of mental health, and Keynes discuss Abyssinia, intimate with Labour Party divisions, described by EH, among his pets, shows TSE rings of Saturn, TSE promises article for Political Quarterly, TSE sends letter of condolence, invites TSE to Rodmell alone, at Rodmell alone,
see also Woolfs, the

13.LeonardWoolf, Leonard Woolf (1880–1969), writer and publisher; husband of Virginia Woolf: see Biographical Register.

Woolf, Virginia, the only woman TSE sees alone, characteristic letter from, her snobbery, TSE's most trusted female friend, TSE underrates, on the Eliots' Rodmell visit, as estate agent, her letters, as novelist, apparently drained by Lady Colefax, and Lytton Strachey's death, compared qua friend to OM, recounts TSE's practical jokes, her feminism, her anecdote of Bostonian snobbery, on 9 Grenville Place, TSE treasures but never reads, on TSE visiting Rodmell, EH taken to tea with, described by EH, on meeting EH, on Murder in the Cathedral, after 'long illness', represents TSE at OM's funeral, records TSE on Family Reunion, on TSE's wartime Sussex stay, on wartime dinner with TSE, her death, TSE strikes as conceited, TSE's scheduled final visit to, two journals vie for TSE's tribute to, TSE's tribute to, esteemed by Walpole, her absence at Rodmell, air-stewardess asks TSE about, A Room of One's Own, Jacob's Room, The Waves,
see also Stephens, the, Woolfs, the

1.VirginiaWoolf, Virginia Woolf (1882–1941), novelist, essayist and critic: see Biographical Register.