[c/o Perkins, 90 Commonwealth Ave., Boston]

T. S.Eliot
EmilyHale
TS
Faber & Faber Ltd
[Shamley]
Letter 9.
4 March 1944
Dearest Emily,

I am again writing into the dark, and again to Commonwealth Avenue, until I get your full Millbrook address, written out plain and clear. No doubt you are very busy and very tired. IPerkins, Edith (EH's aunt);g1 hope that Mrs. Perkins was right when she said that you were (just before Christmas) looking very well as well as lovely; but you will need a good holiday this summer if ever. ABowen, Henry S.;a1 cousin of yours (whom I don’t think you have ever mentioned, but he didn’t seem very intimate with you or your immediate relatives, and had no news to give me) came, with a silent friend, to see me the other morning: it was his first visit to London, as he had been in the same camp ever since disembarcation. He was introduced by Mrs. Perkins, and I therefore regretted that I could not do more for him than three quarters of an hour’s talk: the trouble is that these soldiers in the country don’t know when they are going to get their 48 hours or so leave, and can only turn up without warning. So it is impossible to save any time for them; if I knew when he could come again I should ask him to lunch or dine or go to the theatre. His name was Bowen. All I could do was to give him some good advice about not trying to see too much of London in one day, and express sympathy with him for having had his first experience of an English winter in a particularly severe part of the country.

IBooks Across the Seaexhibition;a7 got through the Exhibition of Books Across the Sea without any slips – suchNorwood, Sir Cyrilgives feeble speech at exhibition;a2 as calling Sir Cyril Norwood Sir Cecil Norton, and I remembered which college he was head of; and he was a very poor speaker indeed and a very depressing one. He ended up by remarking that these poor little children’s ‘scrap books’ (most of them are American but some English schools have done them too) ‘might do a little good; and could do no harm’ – a singularly dampening note to end on.1 AfterStreet, Alicia;a4 thatMayer, Sir Robert;a1 I lunched at the Waldorf with Mrs. Street, a strange Sir Robert Mayer (an Anglo American philanthropist)2 and several American ladies whose names I did not get.3 I then spent some time getting my hair cut (my regular barber having been temporarily put out of action by the bombs) andUniversity College of North Walesfinal preparations for trip to;a5 retired to the country for two days rest before Bangor, which begins, tomorrow, with a night at the dreary Russell Hotel. Thetravels, trips and plansTSE's abortive 1944 North Africa mission;f3;a1 possibility of a piece of work further afield than Bangor (though, alas, not so far afield as New York) is still before me for April, ‘if conditions permit’: I shall say no more of it at present, but I do not think, when and if the time comes, that I shall need to be so secretive as when I went to Stockholm, and everybody heard about it from other sources. But what I really crave is to be able to stop indefinitely in one place; and perpetual motion has no charm for me, and I cannot believe that it ever will. HettyShamley Wood, Surreydramatis personae;a4 (the perfect parlour maid, I never feel that I can live up to her standards – when she is absent-minded and sometimes addresses one as ‘my lord’ or ‘my lady’ – which just shows what she is used to) has just announced that after this the laundry will only call once a fortnight, and that it will only handle a week’s washing when it does call – i.e. one must wear every garment twice as long before sending it. But Hetty has nobly volunteered to wash my socks.

So no more for the present: but I do hope that there will be a letter from you on my return – I have learned not to expect one a week, but three weeks without is making me fretful.

Your devoted
Tom

1.TSEBooks Across the Seaexhibition;a7 to Hayward, 3 Mar. 1944: ‘Speaking of Activities, the Books Across the Sea exhibition of American and English children’s “scrapbooks” (there was one from the Girls School associated with Milton – one of the worst – but I am glad to say none from Milton itself) opened quietly but not too badly. I managed to introduce Sir Cyril Norwood without calling him Sir Cecil Norton, or speaking of him as the Master, instead of the president, of John’s, as (being ever an apprehensive person) I feared I should: and I can tell you that he is one of the dreariest drearies, and worst public speakings [sic], I have ever coped with. He referred at the end to this exhibition as being “one of those things which may do a little good, and no harm: and of how much in the political world can we say that?” No one tried to answer this question; and after this damper we dispersed.’

2.SirMayer, Sir Robert Robert Mayer (1879–1985), German-born British businessman (not Anglo-American) and philanthropist; musicophile and supporter of young musicians; founder of the Robert Mayer Concerts for Children, 1923; co-founder of the London Philharmonic Orchestra, 1932. Appointed CH, 1973; KCVO, 1979.

3.TSE to Hayward, 3 Mar. 1944: ‘I had to lunch at the Waldorf with Mrs. Street, Sir Robert Mayer (odd, but boring) and a couple of unknown American ladies of the brisk clubwoman suffragette type.’

Books Across the Sea, TSE unwillingly president of, AGM, letter to The Times for, exhibition, reception for Beatrice Warde, The Times reports on, TSE trumpets in TES, 'Bridgebuilders', TLS reports on, and South Audley Street library, absorbed into English Speaking Union, final meeting of,
Bowen, Henry S.,
Mayer, Sir Robert,

2.SirMayer, Sir Robert Robert Mayer (1879–1985), German-born British businessman (not Anglo-American) and philanthropist; musicophile and supporter of young musicians; founder of the Robert Mayer Concerts for Children, 1923; co-founder of the London Philharmonic Orchestra, 1932. Appointed CH, 1973; KCVO, 1979.

Norwood, Sir Cyril, gives feeble speech at exhibition,

4.SirNorwood, Sir Cyril Cyril Norwood (1875–1956), educationalist; Head of Bristol Grammar School, 1906–16; Master of Marlborough College, 1917–25; Headmaster of Harrow, 1926–34; President of St John’s College, Oxford, 1934–46. Norwood headed the Board of Education Committee of the Secondary School Examinations Council, which produced Curriculum and Examinations in Secondary Schools (1941); and in 1943 the Norwood Report on secondary education provided for the separation of secondary schools in England and Wales into grammar, technical and secondary modern.

Perkins, Edith (EH's aunt), her relationship to EH queried, to accompany EH to Scripps, asks TSE to dinner, at first Norton lecture, shares pew with TSE, accompanies TSE to Symphony Concert, in audience at Milton Academy, catches cold in Florence, in TSE's private opinion, TSE's occasional poem for, her relationship with EH analysed, dislikes Jeanette McPherrin, explains EH's breakdown to TSE, on the Harvard Murder, as Campden hostess, and TSE's wartime instructions to EH, gives lunch at American Women's Club, gives TSE balsam pillow, requests English edition of Cats, as horticulturalist, without Campden garden, compared to Irene Hale, gives TSE photograph of EH, attends Ada's funeral, reports on EH's Millbrook situation, pressed for ham and pineapple recipe, sight affected in one eye, gives lecture, sight failing, sight deteriorates in other eye, thanked for 1946 hospitality, gives to Books Across the Sea, according to EH, asks TSE to present slides to RHS, which TSE does, on EH and TSE's relationship, and Hidcote House, friendly with Marion, TSE pitches her book to publishers, depressed by the heat, somewhat recovered, approaching 80th, faced with husband's death, letter of condolence to, sent birthday poem, visited in Boston, has sciatica, reports on EH's dramatic activities, Miss Lavorgna on, in her old-age infirmity, suffers 'shock', sacks nurse, EH preserved from, sends funeral tribute to Cousin Will, and the Hale letters, nursing home sought for, moved into nursing home, where TSE writes to her, suffers stroke, deteriorating, relations with EH, her legacy to EH,
see also Perkinses, the
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,
Street, Alicia,

2.AliciaStreet, Alicia Street, author and lecturer.

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,
University College of North Wales, TSE considers lecturing 'Development of Shakespeare's Verse' for, but subsequently prepares lectures on Dr Johnson, lectures drafted for, itinerary for visit to, final preparations for trip to, TSE's adventure to, photograph of TSE's visit,