Item 32 - Letter from E. M. Forster to Elizabeth Trevelyan

W[est] H[ackhurst]. - Thought of Bessie and Bob when he read the news [of the death of Donald Tovey?]; knows 'how distressed you both are, and yet how thankful since he had already so much to bear'. This is a 'strange age to live on into'; agrees with her that 'waking up in the morning is worst', since one finds things to do in the day, 'or even amuses oneself'. Wishes he could 'do more or see further' than he does. He 'cannot help being rooted in the past', and is 'bound to be unhappy' when it is destroyed: it would be a 'sort of disloyalty' not to be.

His mother is well; she was 'cleaning the drawing room all yesterday', and today sixty schoolchildren should have been 'having their sports in the field'. However, the weather is too wet 'for the skirts of their parents, who were coming to look on'. Is glad the Lodges [Oliver, Diana and family] 'are safe in Canada. How they will litter the prairies!'. Quite understands that she misses them, 'mess and all'. Was in Wiltshire the other weekend, near Sir Oliver Lodge. Hope she has some pleasure in her London stay; he may go there tomorrow to the Queen's Hall, 'where Priestley and others are trying to preserve the London Philharmonic [the 'Musical Manifesto' concert, at which J B. Priestley gave a speech]'. Hopes to see her next week.