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Thorpeness, Suffolk. - Robert's poems ["From the Shiffolds"] were a 'delightful surprise': it is a great 'comfort... to turn away from the utterly beastly war to poetry, or music or the like'. The world is 'nearly intolerable' and the war 'seems quite interminable'; hopes it has not treated Robert 'too cruelly' and that he has not had too many doodlebugs. They [she and her friend Lady Dorothea Gibb] were 'on their route for many nights', and the guns against them 'made a devil of a row', but it has been more peaceful recently; she sees however that the death toll from the doodlebugs was 'dreadfully high' last month. Is glad Roger [her brother] is not here to 'endure it'. 'Poor Holland must be suffering terribly': expects the Trevelyans are 'longing for news', as she is herself of 'one dear friend there'. Sends some of her 'own products', though quite different to Robert's; he need not read or acknowledge them. Her anthology, "Ruth's Gleanings", is 'obstinately out of print like most books'. Hopes next year will bring 'a happier world in every sort of way'.

Thorpeness, Suffolk. - Wanted to write to Robert with but could not remember his address, and her 'invaluable card-index' let her down; she is therefore 'extra pleased' to receive his poems [this year's "From the Shiffolds"] today. It is a 'mercy to get away from thoughts of the war', as she sees Robert does, as in his 'charming poem' to his kitten ["Pusska"]; wishes he were here to write one about their 'very dear Peke'. Wonders whether the people of the earth will 'learn anything from these awful years', or whether they will just 'commit planet suicide'; feels 'much more hope with Labour than the Tories, at all events', and it is good not to have 'any fear from the skies' and feel that the 'devilish destruction is over', at least.