[Bennett Junior College, Millbrook, New York]
Letter 11.
Your two cheerful and informative letters, of the 29th January and the 18th February, arrived, in order, during this past week: about what one would expect for the first, and surprisingly quick for the second. It may be a better choice, at present: I dare say more and more letters go by air, and fewer by sea. However, I think I will send this as usual, and I am glad to have the authenticated address (but I wish they would drop the Junior, if it means the same as ‘Leland Stanford Jr.’: or does it mean ‘junior college’? and if so, what is a junior college?) I am very glad indeed to know that you have such satisfactory lodgings with pleasant women. AsHale, Emilyas teacher;w1appointed to post at Bennett Junior College, Millbrook;d4 for the classes, I can understand the difficulties, and the patience and tact needed in succeeding someone who was an indifferent teacher and poor disciplinarian; as you say, you cannot afford to make the difference of standard too manifest at first; but I have no doubt whatever that you will manage this successfully; and when they get used to it, they will prefer your way. But I hope that there will be some dramatic work too. As for your looking better than between 1935–39, well, I should like to see for myself. Butdogs'Boerre' (Norwegian Elkhound);b7EH decides to give up;e1 to learn that you had decided to part for good with Børre did give me a pang; it did have a symbolic value for me, and I regretted the long periods when you had to send him away from you. But I have no doubt you are right, and for his sake too. A dog like that needs a settled home, to be always with the same people, and to get plenty of exercise, and pursue some useful occupation; and when you are settled enough to have another, it should be a smaller and less active animal – butdogsPekingese;c5TSE averse to;a1 not, please, a peke or a tiny yapping creature, butdogsJack Russell;c2possible replacement for Boerre;a2 a practical useful small terrier like a Parson Jack Russell. Only, I hope I may be able to have something to do with his choice and purchase.
ByUniversity College of North WalesTSE's adventure to;a6 this time you will have had my full account of the Johnson lectures, and Bangor; and'Johnson as Critic and Poet'described for EH;a5 I trust that I made clear at some stage, that the two lectures were chiefly concerned with Johnson’s ‘Lives of the Poets’. ISt. John's Catholic Seminary, Wonershand 'Johnson as Critic and Poet';a1 have to deliver them again, at the local Roman seminary in Wonersh, this weekend; and (especially as London nights have been somewhat more animated lately) I am rather tired in consequence. It was, however, unavoidable; but it meant going to supper with the priests each of two nights, lecturing to the students afterwards, then having a brief discussion (fortunately it had to end at 9.20 as they had to go to compline then), a chat with one of the priests over a glass of lemon-juice essence and water, and then walk home (a mile and a half or so) in the dark. Some of the students asked quite intelligent questions.
Last week two more Americans asked me to dinner – strangersMiller, Perry;a3 to me, as the man who had asked me, a certain Perry Miller of Harvard, had to be absent, and left his friends to look after me; these were young civilians, for a change, and rather particularly cultivated ones. This week I have no special engagements; nextHoellering, George M.accompanies TSE on Canterbury recce;a7 week I have promised to go down to Canterbury for the night, with my film-producer acquaintance George Hoellering, to consider the suitability of the cathedral for a film, and discuss the matter with the dean and some of the chapter. It is years now, since I have been in Canterbury.
AsSheffield, Alfred Dwight ('Shef' or 'Sheff')which instances his jargon;c2 I think I said, I was sure that the ‘creed’ for Ada’s funeral was really composed by Sheff, as his style is so peculiar. With regard to my pamphlet (about which, I must tell you, I am very grateful for your kind remarks) I have had a letter from him. He was interested in the distinction, which seems to be new to him, although it is a theological commonplace, betweenChristianityChristendom;b2the Church Visible and Invisible;a4religion, religious beliefs
3.GeorgeHoellering, George M. M. Hoellering (1898–1980), Austrian-born filmmaker and cinema manager: see Biographical Register.
4.PerryMiller, Perry Miller (1905–63), American historian, taught at Harvard University from 1931, but spent the years 1942–5 working for the Office of Strategic Services in London. Works include The New England Mind: The Seventeenth Century (1939) and Jonathan Edwards (1949).
8.AlfredSheffield, Alfred Dwight ('Shef' or 'Sheff') Dwight Sheffield (1871–1961) – ‘Shef’ or ‘Sheff’ – husband of TSE’s eldest sister, taught English at University School, Cleveland, Ohio, and was an English instructor, later Professor, of Group Work at Wellesley College. His publications include Lectures on the Harvard Classics: Confucianism (1909) and Grammar and Thinking: a study of the working conceptions in syntax (1912).