Item 26 - Letter from Donald Tovey to R. C. Trevelyan

3 items: letter with two typescript copy extracts.

Northlands, Englefield Green, Surrey. - The death of [Henry Graham] Dakyns is 'a sad loss for [them] all': not sure what 'being happy' means, but Dakyns did seem to exemplify 'what life is worth living for' and probably also ended life in the right way, though Tovey says 'some people really oughtn't to die at all', only be given a holiday now and again and sent back before their friends have time to be unhappy. There are two typed copies of this portion of the letter. Supposes [Dakyns' daughter] Frances will go and live with her brother in London [Henry or Arthur?].

Has 'broken the back' of the symphonic introduction to the Labyrinth [scene in "The Bride of Dionysus"] and has reached its second subject, beginning with the Nereids and drifting into 'Theseid philandering'. Needs to know more about the Theseus-Ariadne duet; is worried whether this is now too long given the tension in the cave. Will meanwhile move on to the parts of Act III which bear on this: Ariadne's awakening, the Satyr's song, and perhaps Ariadne's dream. Feels that there is too much emphasis put on Phaedra's desertion of Aphrodite for Hecate in her first speech in the cave, though he recalls that this is a favourite of Trevelyan's.