[22 Paradise Rd., Northampton, Mass.]

T. S.Eliot
EmilyHale
TS
The Criterion
[Shamley Wood]
Easter Monday 1942
[6 April]
Dearest Emily,

YourShamley Wood, Surreyits melodramas;b2 dear cable was a very welcome surprise, arriving on Easter day, on my return from early communion, before breakfast – that is to say, it was telephoned, being Sunday, received by the housekeeper Miss James (known as Jimmie) and correctly taken down after she had grasped the fact that it was not from Lily Hole, a housemaid with adenoids who has left in order to do war work at a crèche. I have also two letters, 116 and 118 to acknowledge: and am myself a week late in writing – because I have stayed away from town this last week in order to get two pieces of writing done (andIntroducing James JoyceTSE's prefatory note completed;a2 have done them, and also a prefatory note for my little book of selections from the work of James Joyce). When I have to do writing under pressure I am apt to neglect all correspondence, because it interrupts the continuity and takes my mind off: so now I have a number of letters to write. ThereClassical AssociationPresidential Address for;a4 have been also aMagdalene College, Cambridge;a8 number of details to arrange about the Classical Association meeting in Cambridge next week: to secure rooms for myself at Magdalene, to make sure that my black gown can be found (for the dinner), to order a scarlet gown (for giving the address in), to find out whether there will be an ecclesiastic present at the dinner (to say grace: otherwise I have got the Magdalene Latin grace to memorise), to think of the appropriate words in which to introduce the Guest of the Evening – the Provost of King’s – who is also to be the next president, only the election hasn’t taken place yet, toHayward, John;k7 arrange with John Hayward when to see him. ThisHutchinsons, theas friends;c3 last is not so simple as it was, because the Hutchinsons are living at Merton Hall now: I have an affection for them as old friends, but as old friends whom I have rather outgrown; andHutchinson, St. Johnrecovering from stroke;a8 St. John has had a stroke and is having to try to learn to read all over again, and his memory fluctuates.

I was very glad of all your news. (I thought Edward Everett died long before you were born: and as for the Battle of Manilla [sic] Bay – that battle – I was keeping a scrapbook of the Spanish War, but was not yet of years when I could handle even a catboat).1 IbirdsEvening grosbeak;b6;a1 should like to have seen the evening grosbeaks, a beautiful bird. IPerkins, Dr John Carroll (EH's uncle)more remote with age;e5 grieve to hear of Uncle John fading away from you in this way, apart from its being simply a symptom of a less vigorous hold on life: the time does come, I suppose, in one’s relations with any person much older than oneself, when one has to keep in mind that the person one knew in the past is the real person, and now, at best, only partly present. And that past is more real than the present. Our generation has all the usual normal adjustments to face, in getting older (part of which is other people’s getting still older) and perhaps a greater adjustment to a changing world than any generation before us – not merely the adaptation to changed conditions in one particular place (which is of course the more violent and cruel, as for the Poles) but to a change of conditions of the whole world. How far this affects, not only one’s general way of life, but one’s actual function in the world, I cannot yet see: but I must go on as long as possible believing that the sort of thing which I have proved to be best in the past, is the sort of thing which I should still aim to do. AfterLittle Giddingto be taken up again;b3 this rush is over I shall take up my Little Gidding again: meanwhile'To the Indians Who Died in Africa by T. S. Eliot'whom his verses please;a4 I cannot tell you how happy I am in your liking the verses for the Indian Troops. (I have made a few changes, in deference to the prejudice and beliefs of the possible Indian audience: removed the dog, and changed ‘graveyard’ to ‘memories’ as a good Moslem would not like the idea of being buried side by side with an unbeliever in his faith – changes for the worse, but the point is not to write a poem but to please the Indians in a dignified way). IfChoice of Kipling's Verse, A;b1 the Kipling has not reached you by the time you get this, tell me and I will send another.

I look forward to the socks. I had a nice letter from Uncle John, quite in his usual style, concerning Edward Everett (who this man in Cambridge is, or what he is doing, I don’t know).2 I shall write again on Thursday – as after that I go up to town (theMirrleeses, the;a9 Mirrlees are going away for a change while the house is spring cleaned) and then to Cambridge: andtravels, trips and plansTSE's 1942 British Council mission to Sweden;e4TSE makes cryptic allusion to;a1 it is likely that from Cambridge I may have to go direct to the retired place where I am to be doing two or three weeks of special work, which I am not supposed to mention at present, but will tell you about afterwards. And I am afraid that part of the conditions is that I shall be unable to write any letters while I am there: but I will send you a cable when I return to life. Meanwhile, till Thursday. No mumps. My jaw very comfortable, but not quite ready for the extra tooth to be attached to my plate.

Your loving
Tom

1.The Battle of Manila Bay, during the Spanish–American War, took place on 1 May 1898, when an American squadron commanded by Commodore George Dewey surprised and destroyed the Spanish Pacific Squadron. See TSE to Pound, 22 Oct. 1922: ‘In old Manila harbour, the Yankee wardogs lay …’, Poems II, 254. A catboat is a small boat with a single mast and sail.

2.See letter of 16 Feb. 1942, above.

birds, TSE reading Birds of the Countryside, American Yellow warbler ('Summer Yellowbird'), fellow passenger on the Laetitia, Baltimore Oriole, spotted in Maine, blackbird, more innocent singer than nightingale, Blue Heron, spotted in Maine, blue tits, at Pike's Farm, budgerigar, belonging to Mrs Behrens, cardinals, spotted near Charlottesville, chaffinch, at Pike's Farm, Chestnut-sided warbler, spotted in Maine, chiffchaff, more piping than the nightingale, in Shamley woods, Common whitethroat, identified in Winchester, cuckoo, compared to nightingale, as herald of spring, its song, dove, EH as TSE's, Evening grosbeak, finches, at autumntide, more piping than the nightingale, swarm at Shamley, geese, slaughtered at autumntide, hermit thrush, TSE's personal poetic bird, heron, at Shamley, House Sparrow ('English Sparrow'), fellow passenger on the Laetitia, kestrels, over the Surrey fields, lapwings, in the Surrey fields, Longbilled Marsh Wren, spotted in Maine, magpies, in the fields of Surrey, mockingbird, TSE 'the Missouri Mockingbird', and Walt Whitman, nightingale, EH addressed as, 'clanging' at Pike's Farm, and Sophocles, associated with Pike's Farm, hoped for at Herbert Read's, Pied Wagtail, on lawn at Pike's Farm, songbirds, TSE and Hodgson discuss, tanagers, spotted near Charlottesville, thrush, inspires humility in TSE, more innocent singer than the nightingale, wagtails, on the lawn at Shamley, Willow Warbler ('Willow Wren'), identified in Winchester, wren, more piping than the nightingale,
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,
Classical Association, TSE disqualifies himself for presidency, Livingstone confers Presidency on TSE, TSE's communiqué to Greek Minister, Presidential Address for,
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.

Hutchinson, St. John, cordial with TSE, urged by VHE to approach police, helps TSE over separation settlement, made KC, abducts TSE for tea, looking ill, removed to Cambridge post-stroke, recovering from stroke, dies,
Hutchinsons, the, dine chez Eliot, questioned by VHE as to TSE's whereabouts, dine in company with TSE, give TSE Bath Olivers, as friends,
Introducing James Joyce, TSE rereading Joyce in preparation, TSE's prefatory note completed,
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,
Magdalene College, Cambridge, claret discussed at, annual Pepys Dinner, makes TSE an Honorary Fellow, feast of St. Mary Magdalen at, Whitsun feast at, TSE's guest rooms at, repository for Eliotana, sermon preached at, houses Lewis portrait of TSE, which TSE pays for,
Mirrleeses, the, pre-war weekend in Surrey with, host TSE during Blitz, subsequently issue standing invitation, six days a week with, set their hearts on the Riviera, mourn prospect of TSE's departure, invite TSE for Christmas, nurse TSE post-operation, their family estate in South Africa,
Perkins, Dr John Carroll (EH's uncle), wished speedy recovery, Perkins household apparently restored, and TSE's King's Chapel address, at first Norton lecture, writes about second Norton lecture, supplied with tobacco, unused to intelligent opposition, suggests title for Murder, recommended Endless Adventure, TSE on, novelty birthday-present suggested for, comes by The Achievement of T. S. Eliot, once again preaching, his accent, his versus Eliot-family Unitarianism, reports on TSE from Aban Court, remarks on photograph of TSE, his Pastor Emeritus position endangered, starved of male company, more remote with age, donates Eliotana to Henry's collection, relations with Aunt Edith, ailing, altered with age, and Campden memories, sends photograph of EH portrait, on 1946 reunion with TSE, withdrawn, according to EH, honoured by bas-relief, celebrates 86th birthday, feared for, celebrates 87th birthday, thanks EH for her help, his final illness, dies, elegised by TSE, funeral, obituary and funeral, obituary, TSE receives old clothes of, Miss Lavorgna on, apparently communicated in Anglican churches, Annals of King's Chapel,
see also Perkinses, the

3.DrPerkins, Dr John Carroll (EH's uncle) John Carroll Perkins (1862–1950), Minister of King’s Chapel, Boston: see Biographical Register.

Shamley Wood, Surrey, TSE issued standing invitation to, his situation as paying guest, daily and weekly life at, dramatis personae, Christmas at, ideal situation for illness, overheated, depressingly female, TSE leads fire practice at, TSE takes week's rest from, its melodramas, TSE quarantined from, its lack of music, and Reay's homecoming, TSE distributes food parcels at, TSE's gradual removal from, TSE's post-war week's holiday at, post-hernia convalescence at,
'To the Indians Who Died in Africa by T. S. Eliot', conceived as epigram, TSE sits on his verses, copied for EH, whom his verses please,
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,