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Three Beeches, Balerno, Midlothian.—Thanks him for a copy of his Prolegomena, and praises it. Has just returned from Germany, and finds it hard to believe that a war is coming.

(With envelope.)

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Transcript

Three Beeches, Balerno, Midlothian
5.5.39

My dear McKerrow,

The Prolegomena arrived by the first post this morning & I fell to at once. I had to run off to the University at 11, but have read enough to realise how grateful we all ought to be to you & how gently you have handled my serial theorisings, a good deal of which I have ceased to believe myself! And then this afternoon I had your letter. My dear man, you little know the thickness of skull I have developed after 18 years of editorial adventure {1} or you could not imagine I should be anything but delighted with your friendly thwackings. Think of EKC’s {2} bludgeon for example; yet we are still friends. Indeed I even gave him £100 prize the other day!.

I am sorry to hear about Colin & Malcolm. But I think you’ll find that they will be allowed to finish their course & hope that there will not be a war.

I have just returned from a fortnight in Germany, where I was overwhelmed with kindness by all, & cannot believe a war between our two nations is coming. Anyhow it’s the most peaceful country in Europe to look at. I left them all dancing round maypoles!

Yours ever
J.D.W.

Many thanks for the book. I am so glad you have got it out. Kindest regards to Mrs McKerrow. My wife & I laughed over your tirade against N.C. {3}—quite a pleasant man really & a keen Shakespearean

[Direction on the envelope:] Dr R. B. McKerrow | Picket Piece | Wendover | Bucks

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The envelope was postmarked at Edinburgh at 8.30 p.m. on 6 May 1939.

{1} The reference is to the period since the publication of the first volume in the Cambridge Shakespeare in 1921, though Dover Wilson had in fact been invited to help edit the series in 1919. See ODNB.

{2} Sir Edmund Chambers.

{3} Neville Chamberlain, the prime minister. ‘There is probably no prime minister who knew his Shakespeare better than Chamberlain’ (ODNB).

54 Cours Napoléon, Ajaccio, Corse - Discusses the situation, pointing out that the Corsicans are not showing much sense: they admire [Neville] Chamberlain but don't seem capable of imitating him, they could not stop people from stoning the Italian Consulate, fears they will channel their anger at some poor Italian who has nothing to do with the ideas of his leaders.

Included are letters from Stanley Baldwin (C/13, C/16), Sir Richard Threlfall (C/13), Sir B.H. Liddell-Hart (C/14), Neville Chamberlain (C/14), Sir Anthony Eden (C/16), Edmund Charles Blunden (C/14), John Buchan (C/14), Edward Cavendish, 10th Duke of Devonshire (C/14), Victor Cavendish, 9th Duke of Devonshire (C/15), Thomas Coke, 4th Earl of Leicester (C/17), W. Martin Conway, 1st Baron Conway of Allington (B/80), Robert O. A. Milnes, 1st Marquess of Crewe (C/13), Karl Przibram (C/15), Sir Arthur Quiller-Couch (C/16), Ernest Rutherford, Baron Rutherford of Nelson (C/15), John, 1st Viscount Sankey (C/13 and C/14), Sir William Napier Shaw (C/13), Henry John Sinclair, 2nd Baron Pentland (C/16).

93, High Street, Knaphill, Woking. - Is very sad and anxious: there has been a reversion to 'the state of things at Hedenham' before the Trevelyans made their 'most merciful and helpful interviention'. Had just written to Donald [Tovey] to invite him, Clara, and the chauffeur to stay with her in the case of 'anxiety about the Hospital buildings [due to the war]'; he would then be able to stay in touch with Dr de Souza at Harley Street; she got her housekeeper to ring the hospital and was told he and Lady Tovey had gone back to Hedenham on the 24th. Has just had a letter from her and Donald's solicitor in Edinburgh; gathers that Lady Tovey has been 'very impudent.. paid all the bills, and wound everything up at the Hospital'. Worries about the damp at Hedenham and Donald's medical care; the local doctore [Dr Corbett] came to see her and was 'obviously incompetent and untruthful'. It is cruel: Donald's hands were recovering to the point that she and Mary Grierson both hoped he might be able to make some recordings of his playing; he has been 'induced to ask the university for a term's leave of absence' which means he will spend months at Hedenham. Thinks he 'would not be sane now' had it not been for the Trevelyans' intervention; also blesses Dr Bluth. The prospect of another great European war is 'the blackest cloud'. Says 'we are not really a European power'; always made her shiver when 'that kind man Mr Chamberlain... talked of Europe as if it was a schoolroom and he its governess'; keeps reading Donald's essays and remembers that her mother used to say 'Beethoven did not beg for peace, he ordered it' (quotes the German), but they cannot do that