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Thanks him for his praise, which he values.

An image of St. Enodoc Church in Cornwall, which John describes as 'lovely & quiet just now tho' someone restored the church & chopped the screen in half'.

Thanks him for his plays ['The Selected Plays of Peter Shaffer'?]; both he and Elizabeth [Cavendish] look forward to reading them.

Hopes he has heard from Morris Carstairs, a professor of psychiatry who took no pleasure in recent plays except for a production of 'Shrivings', which he admired; is enjoying his new job, but is worried about job cuts; discusses a dinner with Elizabeth Cavendish and John Betjeman, who is under pressure to write something for the Queen's Jubilee; describes his joy in Christmas rituals.

29 Radnor Walk, London, SW3 4BP.—Declines his invitation to propose a toast at the annual dinner of the Housman Society.

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Transcript

29 Radnor Walk, London, SW3 $BP
9th December, 1976.

Dear Mr Hunt,

Thank you for your kind invitation to propose the toast ‘The immortal memory of A. E. Housman’, at The Housman Society’s annual dinner in Ludlow next March. I shall have to decline since my doc-tor has ordered me to take things easier for quite a while and not accept any more invitations out of London, especially those involving travelling and speaking a lot.

Yours sincerely & sadly
John Betjeman

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Typed, except the words ‘& sadly’ and the signature, which is indistinct.

Admires "Equus".

Is visiting Australia, is tired of living in hotels already; John [Betjeman] sends his love.

Derbyshire - Has been busy; Raymond Leppard is in San Francisco, was badly burgled; papers are full of Lady Antonia's elopement with Pinter, doesn't think they will be happy together; asks Peter's advice on what John should charge for a lecture on architecture in Canada; Frank is much happier in his new job.

19 Radnor Walk, SW3 - Hopes to see him soon, was in Derbyshire for a week, has been sitting on the bench five days a week for three months; has heard from Frank [Tait?] in Greece; it has not worked out with John [Betjeman] and Una [?].

She and John [Betjeman] are in Cornwall, invites him to join them.

Trebetherick, Cornwall - Is sorry to hear he is homesick; discusses the outcome of the election, didn't think Mrs Thatcher would win; had a visit from Raymond [Leppard] ; she and John [Betjeman] are enjoying Cornwall.

Could not come over in Nov. because of celebrations of John Piper's 80th birthday; describes his Christmas, cooked a goose; went to the opening of the Old Vic, which he describes; reports on John Betjeman's condition; was pleased to hear about the trip to Japan.

Derbyshire is lovely, they go to Cornwall soon.

Thanks him for writing, Andrew [Cavendish?] is back, and doesn't know what will happen now; went to see 'Otello' and admires Margaret Price's voice; had a 'very whizzy weekend with the Queen Mother', John [Betjeman] read his verse and 'everyone staying was entertaining and agreeable'; poor Frank [?] is upset about Graham Sutherland.

Hopes to see him soon, John [Betjeman] was very ill with pneumonia and doctors feared he might have cancer, but he's recovered and has no sign of cancer; had a case of 'Equus' proportions she will tell him about when he visits.

Answers PS's questions about the sentencing of convicts and visiting prisoners in detail, says the Governor of Wandsworth and his deputy are happy to help; reflects on the political climate; John [Betjeman] is going to make a film in Norfolk for 6 weeks ['A Passion for Churches'?]; have seen a lot of Raymond [Leppard] and all seems to be going much better with Peter [?].