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West Hackhurst, Abinger Hammer, Dorking. - Has refused to take the pledge [committing members of the National Council of Civil Liberties to distribute 'seditious' speeches made by Ramsay MacDonald during the First World War and the 1926 General Strike at Aldershot army camp in protest against the Sedition Bill] and offered to resign from the presidency. Asks if she knows of a short-hand typist. Had a good lunch with Wells and persuaded him to speak at the meeting [of the NCCL] on the 18th. Gives the address for Bob to send a donation to the Council, though he may share the scepticism of C.A. [Clifford Allen].

West Hackhurst, Abinger Hammer, Dorking. - His mother wishes him to be in on Wednesday night, so cannot meet then: will ring up tomorrow. Has written to C.A. (Clifford Allen) about his difficulty [with the National Council for Civil Liberties, see 3/63?]; likes him, though 'his persuasiveness has too much of the politician in it', and it is kind of him to take the trouble. Has had a 'distressed letter from mumpy McMillan at Mrs Gadd's' and may 'hail him from the window' while at the Trevelyans'.

West Hackhurst, Abinger Hammer, Dorking. - Will try to ring up on Friday or Saturday to see how the visit to Whiting [see also 3/167] has gone. Is going to Knole for the weekend [to see Eddy Sackville-West?]. Encloses his article and one on him. The committee meeting [NCCL?] was 'interesting and polite', Virginia's play ["Freshwater", by Virginia Woolf"] 'interesting and funny', "[The Marriage of] Figaro" 'funny and polite. Bob Buckingham came with him to "Figaro". Forster's mother seems well.

West Hackhurst, Abinger Hammer, Dorking. - Will not be able to lunch tomorrow due to quantity of correspondence: should be freer after the 18th. Was pleased to see Bessie yesterday; his mother sends thanks for asking after her. Postscript: has just heard that the Pledge [committing members of the National Council of Civil Liberties to distribute 'seditious' speeches made by Ramsay MacDonald during the First World War and the 1926 General Strike at Aldershot army camp in protest against the Sedition Bill] has been dropped, and hopes C.A. [Clifford Allen] will now be able to give support.

W[est] H[ackhurst]. - Meant to answer Bessie's 'kind letter' before, but 'these are paralysing days, and it is impossible to write with one's old gaiety, nor has one time to create a new sort'. Went to the London Library the morning after the bombing, and 'saw Carlyle's head stricken from his shoulders, and the theological section ruining [?] through the ceiling of the Reading Room'; wonders whether 'poor Bob has looked in'. Meant to 'do half a days salvaging there, but had to go numbering up all my aunts in Putney. All were intact'. Now he is back home, 'combatting a sore throat and cough with prudence and success'; would like to come over next month, and perhaps as the evenings get lighter she will get to visit them.

Should have 'taken chair for Hsiao Chien on Tuesday', and is disappointed that he cannot; has not seen him recently, but has 'been blessed with an American charmer [William Roerick], a friend of Christopher Isherwood, who has now gone off to Africa'. He was acting in This is the Army [by Irving Berlin], perhaps not known to Bessie 'even by name!', and took Forster a few times to the Churchill Club [at Ashburnham House]. There was a '"musical brains trust" there , Ralph V[aughan] W[illiams], acquitting himself very well, Malcolm Sargent - glib, Wm Walton smartibootified, and Alan Rawsthorne a little drunk'.

Thanks Bessie for the 'cutting for [the National Council for? Civil Liberties'; thinks they are 'a little nervous of adding education to their activities'. His mother seems fairly well, and sends love. 'Bob (policeman) [Buckingham] has been over here mending pokers, window sashes etc. He has had a grim time during the raids'; Forster hears '(from another source) that many more planes come over than we are allowed to know'. Hopes the news of [her daughter in law?] Ursula and family is good.