[41 Brimmer St., Boston]
WellBritish General Election1931;a2England
Your letter of the 15th, the first from Boston, came this morning. I am glad, in a selfish way, that you are back; though I know what a dismalness it seems at first to come back to. Perhaps I too should like the west, or parts of it, better. AsHinkley, Susan Heywood (TSE's aunt, née Stearns);a3 for news – I had an enthusiastic letter from Aunt Susie.2 I am glad to hear what you can tell me about the Danes. IHinkley, Barbara (TSE's first cousin)not an intimate;a2 have only seen young Barbara once or twice, and can hardly feel any close relationship with her; but I am glad if it is altogether a suitable match. And money often seems to join with money. MeanwhileSmith, Charlotte ('Chardy') Stearns (TSE's niece);a4 my younger niece, Charlotte, or Chardy, is being married on Friday3 – herSmith, George Lawrence (TSE's brother-in-law)remarries;a1 father has just married a Mrs. Blake who seems a very charming person – theyEliots, the T. S.;b4 came to dinner with us here a few weeks ago. No one seems to know very much about Chardy’s young man, but they have known each other for two years, I am told. She is only twenty, and he I think twenty three.
TheEliots, the T. S.host the Thorps to tea;b5 ThorpsEliot, Vivien (TSE's first wife, née Haigh-Wood)takes to Margaret Thorp;a5 cameThorps, theto tea chez Eliot;a4 to tea on Friday, and I think it went off very well. VivienneThorp, Margaret (née Farrand)VHE's liking for;a2 likes Mrs. Thorp particularly, and seemed to get on with her. TheWilliamson, George;a1 following day we had two young people from Oregon to tea, and that was not so happy) [sic] a Professor Williamson and his wife, a rather beautiful but I thought not particularly attractive-natured young woman – certainly they seemed uncouth in comparison. IThorps, thetake flat in Lincoln's Inn;a5 am glad that the Thorps have got a flat in Lincoln’s Inn, which is a very desirable place to be; though they are unlikely to get into it before Christmas.
WhatCharles Eliot Norton Professorship of PoetryTSE ruminates on offer of;a1 I had in mind, but did not have time to write about, on Friday, is this. I suddenly received a cable from one Paul J. Sachs, in Cambridge, of whom I have never heard, but who purports to be the secretary of the committee of the Charles Eliot Norton professorship.4
Ittravels, trips and plansTSE's 1932–3 year in America;a7Norton Professorship offered to TSE;a1 seems to be a definite invitation to the Professorship for the year 1932–33. Anyway, he asked me to cable the word ‘Interested’ unless I was definitely unable to accept. Which I have done.
The tenure of residence is Oct. 1932 to May 1933. Sofinances (TSE's)Norton Professorship;a4 far as business here goes, I could accept, andFaber, Geoffreyfavours TSE taking Norton Professorship;b2 Geoffrey is very much in favour of my taking the job. The pay is $10,000 which is a larger sum than I have ever seen in my life; and in my embarrassed financial position is a very strong inducement. I ought to be able to save part of that sum, I think! TheAmericaSt. Louis, Missouri;h4TSE's homesickness for;a2 other inducements are theseAmericaBoston, Massachusetts;d1inspires homesickness;a4: first, thatAmericaNew England;f9TSE homesick for;a3 I am very homesick to see Boston and St. Louis and New England again before I die; and if I do not accept this opportunity I may never again have the excuse or the money to come. The future of England is very uncertain. Last and least, of course, it is a distinction which might be of future advantage to me.
AsEliot, Vivien (TSE's first wife, née Haigh-Wood)and TSE's departure for America;e9against TSE going;a1 for Vivienne, she is very much against it; because she is frightened to come herself, and because she is frightened at being left. I do not think that in the end she would come; and admittedly it would be very much more of a rest and pleasure to me, so far as a pleasure at all, if she did not. It would make a break to the present situation, and it is partly on that ground that Geoffrey is in favour of it, but it might mean her having to retire to a sanatorium, or at least to have a resident trained nurse, for that period. The question is first, what is the right step for me to take?
NowHale, Emilyconsulted over TSE's Norton Professorship;b2, as for ourselves, you know of course, how I long to see you again; but at the same time I might as well admit that it will not be easy to be for any length of time so close at hand. If I do decide to come – it would be difficult for you to advise me, I do not ask this, and in any case there is hardly time, – I should no doubt see very little of you; and I think we could probably adapt ourselves to the situation. It is difficult to ask you to say frankly whether you would prefer me not to be in Cambridge for so long as that; because I know how difficult it would be for you to answer: but, in the possibility that I may accept, I want to discuss the whole matter with you without reserve or dissimulation on either side.
I will write more this week. IHale, Emily Jose Milliken (EH's mother)EH's frequent visits to;a3 am so terribly sorry for you. Do do [sic] try to steel yourself not to be exhausted and shaken by these visits – I think it is beyond your strength to visit your mother so often; but one really must cultivate a kind of insensibility, and separate the phenomena one sees from the idea of the person one loves.
1.On Tues., 27 Oct. 1931, the General Election saw the National Government – established after the collapse of the Labour Government just two months earlier – returned with a greatly increased majority, winning 554 seats out of 615 (with 470 seats taken by the Conservatives). The Labour Party suffered a heavy loss. (Since 1931, General Elections have always been held on a Thursday.)
2.Not traced.
3.CharlotteTalcott, Agnew Allen Stearns Smith married Agnew Allen Talcott on 30 Oct. 1931. Henry Eliot to TSE, 14 Dec. 1931: ‘Chardy and Agnew are a charming couple; he is a fine young chap, in my opinion, and they seem admirably suited.’
4.Paul J. Sachs (1878–1965) – businessman, investor; Professor of Fine Arts, Harvard, and a director of the Fogg Art Museum; co-founder of the Museum of Modern Art – was chair of the Charles Eliot Norton Chair Committee.
11.GeoffreyFaber, Geoffrey Faber (1889–1961), publisher and poet: see Biographical Register.
6.BarbaraHinkley, Barbara (TSE's first cousin) Hinkley (1889–1958) was married in July 1928 to Roger Wolcott (1877–1965), an attorney; they lived at 125 Beacon Hill, Boston, and at 1733 Canton Avenue, Milton, Mass.
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’.
3.CharlotteTalcott, Agnew Allen Stearns Smith married Agnew Allen Talcott on 30 Oct. 1931. Henry Eliot to TSE, 14 Dec. 1931: ‘Chardy and Agnew are a charming couple; he is a fine young chap, in my opinion, and they seem admirably suited.’
16.MargaretThorp, Margaret (née Farrand) Farrand (1891–1970), author and journalist – see Margaret Thorp in Biographical Register.