Showing 23 results

37A Gordon Square, London, W.C.1.—‘I hope you are feeling better by now—and have not developed Gwenda David’s uterine haemorrhage.’ Asks for Smith’s Sheffield address. Cites some propositions in set theory and contrasts Fraenkel’s approach to the subject with those of Russell and Ramsey.

59 Redcliffe Road, London, S.W.10.—Did not find about half the authors Smith mentioned among his father’s books, but has included some oddities to make up for them. Has arranged for them to be sent direct. Sybil was sorry she could not see more of him at the weekend, as he was so busy.

59 Redcliffe Road, London, S.W.10.—They [he and Sybil] have been thinking of moving to Cambridge and ‘scraping a living’ there by coaching. J. E. Littlewood says there is little coaching work available, but his idea of ‘a living’ may be different from theirs. Asks whether they might stay with Smith for a weekend to investigate ‘the mathematical economic situation’.

59 Redcliffe Road, London, SW10.—Is hoping to get coaching work at Cambridge, with help from Littlewood and other mathematical dons. Coaching would have to be very bad to compare unfavourably with the situation in London since the September Crisis. He did not know that Wittgenstein had succeeded Moore [as Professor of Mental Philosophy and Logic at Cambridge]. ‘One feels that, but for [F. P.] Ramsey’s death, W. would have been confined to his proper sphere.’

The Old Barn, Tresowas Hill, Ashton, Helston, Cornwall.—Plans to arrive in Cambridge on the 24th and stay with Smith for a few days while he sees [H. A.] Webb and tries to get Trinity to give him a room for a month, ‘that being obviously a good coaching start’. Then after about a fortnight Sybil will come up and they will look for a house or a flat.

4 Belmont Villas, Donnybrook, Dublin.—He and Sybil had a safe journey from Penzance. Thanks Smith and his aunt for their kindness during his eight days in Cambridge, as his prospects were ‘gradually being diminished to nil’. Will make inquiries at the Dublin Customs before asking for his trunk to be sent over.

4 Belmont Villas, Donnybrook, Dublin.—Thanks him for his letter and for seeing to the trunk, which they [he and Sybil] do not expect to arrive yet. Has seen Professor Ditchburn and some other mathematical staff, and written to the tutors, in the hope of getting coaching work at Trinity College, Dublin. His sister Ruth, who is in the Library, knows some of them, and his relationship to Creed Meredith may also prove useful. They will be more comfortable when their trunks arrive. Is glad to hear that Smith has been moderately fortunate in the person billeted on him. He and Sybil have found some useful methods of blackout. Smith’s ‘Dominican suggestion’ sounds good. The atmosphere in Dublin is ‘untotalitarian’ and though there are many strong opinions there is no uniformity. Smith’s learning of Czech may stimulate Meredith to start on Irish. Aubrey [Clark] is prospering but busy. They have not heard from Bullard, but his way of life will probably not have altered much, ‘apart from having fewer god children to call on, and fewer female friends to advise on dress’.

4 Belmont Villas, Donnybrook, Dublin.—The LMS [railway company] expect the traffic stoppage to be temporary, and suggest that if Smith called [with the trunk] again things would probably be alright. Sends another customs slip and asks him to take a sports-coat out of the trunk and send it by post. Has had replies to most of his letters [soliciting coaching work].

8 Upper Leeson Street, Dublin.—‘It must be a great relief to have evacuated your evacuee – not to mention throwing pepper at the ministry of health.’ Is glad Cambridge is ‘still working’, though he does not regret having moved to a place ‘where the state is at most 3,000,000 to 2 against us’. Bullard has moved, ‘for greater convenience in the war, when the war comes’. His sister Una visited at Christmas. Trinity has no work for him for next term yet, so he relies on casual coaching. Sybil has recovered her interest in short-story writing since the War Office re-turned some of the papers removed from her trunk. Thanks him for arranging to sell a book for them, and refers to Smith’s way of calculating profit ‘in school text book fashion’.

Richmond Lodge, Richmond Avenue, Milltown, Dublin.—Refers to the interruption in their correspondence. Asks how long he will be in England and whether he intends to return to Venezuela. Asks whether he still finds comfort from the Christian religion, his own opposition to which has increased. Is still working at Trinity College and will earn a little more this year by setting examination papers. Offers to put him up if he comes to Dublin.

59 Redcliffe Road, S.W.10.—Thanks Aunt Hannah for a cake. Carew is almost well now, though he was very ill. Trevena Cottage is to be lived in by her mother, though she and Carew will use it sometimes. ‘However you have gone one better. A palace.’ They have not heard from Bullard, but Aubrey may have told him that they have mumps in the house. Asks him for his new address.

59 Redcliffe Road, S.W.10.—Thanks him for his offer to accommodate them [Carew and herself] if London was evacuated. They have always said they would go to Ireland but as they could not leave ‘GandP.’ till war was declared they would probably not be able to get there. ‘It has been unpleasant in London. Panic, Gas Masks, trenches, stretchers and food hoarding.’ Political affiliations seem more confused than ever and Ina [Una?] is ‘absolutely on the war path’.

Richmond Lodge, Richmond Avenue, Milltown, Dublin.—His sweet letter almost made up for the fact that he is not coming. Offers herself as his ‘Irish Pen Pal’, as Carew is too busy to write. Discusses the work they have done in the house and garden. Łukasiewicz she thinks ‘a very nice man’. His much-younger wife [Regina] was in the bombing of Poland and Germany and lost most of her friends and relations in the war, while her favourite nephew recently died from the effects of being in a concentration camp. She is therefore in a bad mental state and her only relief seems to be to drink whisky at the Shelburne Hotel, where Sybil has occasionally accom-panied her. If Smith decides to settle in Switzerland, the climate will be good for his asthma. Carew says mathematical logic ‘shows the same fishiness’ as mathematics, and says that he has heard of Bochensky [Joseph Bocheński], who was a pupil of Łukasiewicz. Aubrey is coming, but without his ‘young woman’ [Josephine Tweedy], as a room could not be found for her. Aubrey wants Sybil to take her to Cornwall this year, and they [Aubrey and Josephine] are going to Italy in the autumn. The young woman is very young, beautiful, and amusing. She has been acting for some time, but has recently been left some money and is thinking of becoming a doctor. She (Sybil Meredith) will be coming over alone in September, as Carew has neither the money nor the time. Hopes to see him then.

Richmond Lodge, Richmond Avenue, Milltown, Dublin.—Carew is still immersed in logic. He should to be preparing something for publication, but has apparently moved on to something new. He is going to publish something with the professor [Łukasiewicz], which is gratifying. Asks what Smith is working on. She herself has a cupboard of unfinished plays, but is going to try and finish her latest one. Aubrey enjoyed his visit, and, as he was without Josephine [Tweedy] this time, she saw more of him. ‘Apparently he shared a flat for some time with Angus and a woman called Marjorie Baron Russell who is an excellent cook and dedicated a cookery book to Aubrey.’ Discusses her crop of peas and her visit to the Sadlers Wells Ballet. Wishes to have his private address. The garden has been neglected, but she has been making clothes. Has been feeding the birds, and she shocked some visitors by referring to her ‘two dear little tits’.

Richmond Lodge, Richmond Avenue, Milltown, Dublin.—She supposes that Smith is still in Cambridge, but expects that he will have gone [back to Switzerland] by the time she comes to England in October. Her mother has not been well. Is planning to visit Sophie, Oli Doveton, Michael Fordham, and Bullard. The professor [Łukasiewicz] told her yesterday that she was ‘always right’. She and Carew dined together at Jemmets, where Carew recalled a time when he and Smith drank a bottle of Benedictine together after working twenty-five hours on end. Discusses her work in the garden. Hopes Smith is finding lecturing easier, though she expects he wishes he had a small private income. ‘Aubrey says that Bullard must be the richest man in London now.’ For the first time in their lives she and Carew have enough to pay their bills. Asks for his address in Switzerland.

Richmond Lodge, Richmond Avenue, Milltown, Dublin.—It was kind of Aunt Hannah to invite her to stay, but she had to come home as she and Carew were missing each other. She met Bullard, and liked him as much as always, but was more terrified of him, as he ‘is always so right’. Refers to her awkward attempts to talk to him about logic and her own plays. The professor [Łukasiewicz] is recovering from a heart attack (‘The pity of it is that I believe that Ox-ford has been trying to get in touch with him’), and, as ‘Madame’ [his wife] is also ill, Sybil is going to do some cleaning for them. ‘Aubrey had a party for me on my way back from Cornwall. A chorus boy, Josephine Tweedy and her mother.’ Term starts today. ‘I ought to be weeding the garden, patching the sheets and getting on with my latest play.’

Richmond Lodge, Richmond Avenue, Milltown, Dublin.—Aunt Hannah has written to tell her how much she and her companions enjoyed their holiday with Smith in Switzerland. Bullard sent her ‘a sweet and daring card’, saying that William Empson is publishing a book on logic which has alarmed the publisher by its length. Has worked hard in the garden, but suspects that Aubrey, when he comes in the spring, will not notice. They drink beer in the garden every night, and she listens to witty conversations there, but can never think of anything to say herself. ‘Carew informed me a few days ago that there is only Right and Wrong in Mathematics.’ Sends Christmas greetings.