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’.
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’.
59 Redcliffe Road, S.W.10.—Praises him for persisting with his work on Wordsworth, etc., in difficult circumstances. Last Sunday she went to the cinema with Bullard, expecting him to ask a number of difficult questions, but the only things he said about Smith were that they would not hear from him until he was settled and that he once slept with him at Appletreewick. ‘I told Bullard he was very enterprising and he seemed quite gratified. I think he is very worried about you and is wondering if he ought to write to you.’ Has been to the theatre and other places of amusement with John [her nephew] and Aubrey [her brother]. William [her father] is ‘stationary’, which is all that can be hoped.
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.
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.