Item 125 - Letter from Hasan Shahid Suhrawardy to R. C. Trevelyan

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21, Theatre Road, Calcutta (on University of Calcutta printed notepaper). - Received the proofs [of his poems: "Essays in Verse"] this morning; has made corrections and returns them by air-mail. Asks if it is possible to delete the word 'privately' on the first page: he is only having the poems printed due to Trevelyan's encouragement, and because they may enable him to get a better post, but a collection which is labelled as 'privately printed' will have no influence in India. Detailed list of corrections and alterations. The book is 'beautifully printed'; comments on what he would prefer for binding, since this is the only book of poems he will get printed in his life. Tagore has been very ill; if he had died this would have been a 'deep personal loss'; he has recovered, but Suhrawardy does not think he will be able to do much work now. The plan is for him to write text-books in Bengali for small children, to be distributed free to Calcutta schools: this was Suhrawardy's idea. G. [Marie Germanova] has written to say she is comfortable in her new flat; Rex [the dog] has a playground; she mentioned Julian and Ursula's visit. Asks if Trevelyan has visited the Exhibition. Feels very unwell. Hopes a commission to classify a nobleman's paintings will take him to Hyderabad for the holidays. Still would like the "Acacia Tree" if it can be included among the early poems, and would like the "Old Man's Songs" to be dedicated to L.M.