Pièce 141 - Letter from Arthur Ransome to R. C. Trevelyan

Heald, Coniston, Lancashire. - Thanks Bob for sending his 'beautiful poem' ["A Dream"] at Christmas; has been re-reading it; there 'is hope yet while such things can be written'. Also thanks him for his 'cheering letter about poor Missee Lee', but adds 'Damn you for your horrid wish' that Ransome will have 'still more dreadful difficulties in constructing stories in the future'. Regrets that that wish is already true: is in the middle of the 'ghastly torment' of starting a new book, 'domestic and realist this time', with the Great Aunt from "Swallowdale" as a central figure and 'so far as I can see, no story at all'. The 'whole wretched thing' must be finished by the end of May, and Ransome's mind is 'like a wrung out bathing costume'. Glad to hear about Montaigne [Bob's translation] and to think of him working with 'file and chisel... in this world of spanner and oil-can and petrol and high explosive'; tells him however not to work on Montaigne too long, as no-one else currently writing 'can do anything like what you did in that Christmas poem'. Wishes there was a chance of seeing Bob. Sends best regards from him and his wife to Bob's wife and the Sturge Moores; wishes Sturge Moore would 'bring out a new unaltered edition of the Vinedresser', which meant a great deal to Ransome in his 'early youth'.