Showing 9 results

I Tatti, Settignano, Florence. - Knows Julian's birthday was three days ago, but this will 'serve to revive the pleasant feeling of being 18'; not until after the age of thirty that 'birthdays become unpleasant, and one is sad to be a year older. Going to [Umberto] Morra's house at Cortona for a few days tomorrow, then will join C[lifford] A[llen] and Joan at Naples, and go on to Ravello with them. The people here -[Bernard] Berenson, Nicky [Mariano] and her sister [Alda von Anrep] who know Germany very well, all say that if Julian goes to Hamburg he will like it, and that all building there has to be approved by the municipal architects so it is all ' if not very good, at least never bad'; they also say 'Munich is not what it was before the war for music and the theatre', with Vienna, Dresden and Berlin being much better, though he does not think this makes much difference and Julian will probably go to Vienna for part of the time.

Saw Chartres Cathedral with Desmond and Michael MacCarthy on his way through France, and thought it 'easily the finest' he had ever seen. Is rather sleepy as there 'has been a Rothschild to lunch, and we all ate a lot. He was much like other people, and quite nice'. Expects Elizabeth will be visiting Julian soon. Hopes Julian does not 'find the Logie book too dull'; quotes Milton's "Comus" on 'divine philosophy'; Julian will anyway 'know the worst', and it gets much more interesting once through the 'elementary part', but he can always study English Literature [at Cambridge] if he thinks 'Moral Science would become distasteful'; however, he should give it a 'good try', and the psychology part ought to be interesting. Hopes he has good luck in the King's [College] exam: Nicky sends best wishes, and Berenson would too if he were not 'sleeping off his lunch'.

Was sorry to miss seeing Julian at the concert; hopes he will be out of quarantine next Saturday when he comes with Bessie. They are going to hear [Pablo] Casals conduct in London if Bessie is well enough (she has a cold). Inviting Michael MacCarthy to visit some time in January; also, [Kenneth? or his father Alfred?] Cross says he will visit on the weekend of 7-9 January. Has bought a first edition of Dickens' "Bleak House" 'with the old pictures', which Elizabeth wants to read in the summer holidays. Went to visit the Headmaster of Eton [Cyril Alington] for a night recently, which was 'quite amusing'; corrected the sixth form boys' Latin verses, 'which were pretty bad', and Elizabeth 'played music with the Head's daughters, which was fairly good'. The Cloisters at Eton is 'quite a fine old mediaeval place', but Windsor Castle 'looks brand new'.

Julian 'must not be too much distressed at the dilapidations of the Exhibition', which are not getting worse; the Theatre and most of the buildings are all right; it is mainly the 'staircases, where the paper has curled up' due to time (he quotes Shakespeare) except 'one little building... next Low-Brow Hall, which once by night in the dark was destroyed by a certain giant's foot'. May be at the station to meet Julian next Saturday; if not, tells him to come quickly to get a seat near them as 'the Hall will be chock full'. Hears Julian will have another part, in the "Winter's Tale".

Apologises for first writing "Tanganyika" instead of Julian's name on the envelope, perhaps thinking for a moment that he had 'gone out to Africa like Michael MacCarthy', instead of only being in the 'Sanganyika' [Sanatorium]. Hopes Julian will not have to stay much longer, but at least he has 'distinguished visitors - the mot distinguished English poet, and the most distinguished Anglo-Irish bard'. There must be 'a lot of poetry in the Ray [a school magazine?] if Bekassy's is there, and a lot of Brook[e?]'s. Glad Julian's story is going in; supposes he has not had time to do a wood-cut his time. The workmen have brought the poles for the telephone, but he fears it will not be installed in time for them to ring Julian in the Sanatorium. The snow is all gone, so the [Clifford] Allens will be able to use their car again; they may take him and Elizabeth to London next Thursday.

86 Chesterton Road, Cambridge. - Would like to see Bob's collection of Desmond [MacCarthy]'s reviews, and would be able to send them back quite soon. Does not know who Desmond's literary executor is, but gives his son Michael's address; they see him occasionally as he usually visits when he is passing through Cambridge. His arthritis is still very bad; an X-ray has found that it is osteo-arthritis, which Dorothy says is incurable. He has no pain but is 'badly crippled'; it has affected his arms as well as his legs, and he is liable to fall asleep in the day. Hasn't yet read Forster's book ["Marianne Thornton, A Domestic Biography"?] as he discouraged Dorothy from getting it at first, but it has just arrived and they will read it soon. Saw Forster himself at an exhibition of Gwen Raverat's oil paintings. Always pleasant to hear of Ralph Wedgwood; is sorry to hear from Bessie that he looks older; hopes Veronica is not over-working. Hopes Tim will enjoy his visit to the States and get some good work done; Tim has always liked jazz, which is Moore's 'only reason for thinking that there must be some good in it.'

86 Chesterton Road, Cambridge. - He and Dorothy were very sorry to hear of Molly MacCarthy's death: they had found her charming when she stayed with them for two days in July. She wrote to them that she was very ill and did not really wish to live, but they did not hear the news until Michael MacCarthy came to tell them about the funeral as they take the "Manchester Guardian", which did not report it, not the "Times". She made the decisions about Desmond's grave when she came, and composed the inscription; the Moores saw the tomb when it was finished and wrote to tell Molly it was just as she wished. Molly's hearing seemed much better on her visit: Moore supposes she had a better hearing aid. Michael brought his wife and daughter: the little girl seemed very attractive; he and Dorothy were struck by how like his father Michael was. Mary Fletcher had written to let him know she was relieved she did not need to have any operations or other hospital treatment; was glad to hear from Bessie that she was a little better now. Is sorry that he forgot the date of her birthday so was unable to reciprocate for the eightieth birthday telegram she sent him. Has read Virginia Woolf's diary: does not quite agree that she was more affected by bad reviews that she should have been, in fact had rather the opposite impression. Never saw much of her but 'always admired her greatly' and the diary left him 'admiring her as much as ever'. Neither he and Dorothy were able to make much of "To the Lighthouse" and "The Waves", but the library made him think he should try again. Enjoyed the "Common Reader" very much.

Will catch the eight o' clock train from Liverpool to Euston, and lunch at Victoria. Thanks Trevelyan for having got the tickets, and encloses a cheque. Very much looking forward to the trip, as is Michel [sic]. Asks Trevelyan to bring a book for him to read.

25 Wellington Square, Chelsea, S.W. (written on "New Statesman" headed notepaper. - He and Micky are looking forward to their 'jaunt' with Trevelyan; has written for rooms at the Hotel de Londres. Will spend Sunday in Paris, seeing Pam [Diamand?] and others; on Monday they will go to Chartres; would like Trevelyan to spare a day or two from the 'huge spaces of time' he will have in Italy to stay longer in France with them. Asks if he has a 'statuo quo chessboard'. Will return from Liverpool by the night train so they can leave Victoria by the train at eleven in the morning.

Life & Letters, 21 Hill Street, Mayfair, London, W.1. - Is sorry that he has not sent back Irene's book [Irene Cooper-Willis?] and will do so at once; did broadcast it, and meant to make the Hawk [the 'Affable Hawk', his pen-name] write about it: it is not too late for this, and was glad that the Times Literary Supplement complimented her recently. Liked Trevelyan's "Willow-herb" very much, asks for more time to make his mind up about. Is sending this letter to Welcombe to be forwarded to Rome. Enjoyed his trip to Paris and Chartres. They must take another trip together soon. Micky has returned to Africa; Molly is going to Westgate 'to Wright [sic]'; he has to look after Rachel. Apologises for the dull letter: he has not yet got used to dictating.

Green Farm, Timworth. - Birth of the MacCarthys' son Michael; Molly is doing well and reading about Albert Durer; mention of the Trevelyans' son Paul. Has been to judge spaniels at the Kennel Club dog show but otherwise has done little work. Is delighted to hear that Trevelyan is 'astride of that Hippogriff again'. Visited [Charles] Ricketts' and S[hannon's] show; thinks Ricketts has 'real imagination... of peculiar intensity, but it flags very soon'.