Item 53 - Letter from Robert Gathorne Hardy to R. C. Trevelyan

1 item

The Mill House, Stanford Dingley, nr Reading, Berks. - Thanks Trevelyan very much for his letter [after the death of Logan Pearsall Smith]: 'refreshing & comforting to hear from someone who truly understands the circumstances'. Expects Trevelyan remembers that after the trip to Iceland, Gathorne-Hardy 'printed a little pamphlet with an essay by Logan called "Death in Iceland"', an 'ironically suitable' title. Is trying for his own 'ease of mind' to 'cultivate the thought' that this was true, as 'the old Logan that one could love really did die in Iceland'. After a few years of quiet, 'one could almost believe in the old superstitious fancies about possession', as Logan seemed to be 'inhabited by a devilish caricature of himself, increasingly cruel, sly, treacherous & malicious'. The occasional 'flashes' of his old self became 'rarer & shorter', and the last months were 'ghastly'. Describes his last visits. Keeps telling himself that Logan was 'mad, stark mad', and hopes in time to be able to put this period to the back of his head and 'remember more calmly the happy times before the war'. Alys had 'worse insults & accusations to endure' than he did, but thinks he 'caught it the worst' after her. On comparing dates, they found that Logan's decline seemed to start in 1940, and accelerate in the autumn of 1941; he started by saying things he knew would be hurtful, this turned into accusations, 'lately he had been throwing up the most astonishing grievances - trivial, garbled or downright delusory, & most of them 10 or 12 years old'. Asks Trevelyan to forgive him for this 'outpouring', provoked by the 'kindness & understanding' in his letter. This is all the more appreciated after Gathorne-Hardy has been so 'rude & neglectful' in not thanking him for the poems he has sent ["From the Shiffolds"]; was working hard, thought they deserved a proper letter of appreciation, but never managed to write it.

The most 'remarkable' thing about the poems is the 'spring-like burgeoning of beauty in one who is no longer even middle-aged... one of the most enchanting revivals of art' he has witnessed; Trevelyan has 'caught a lovely & lively tone of voice'. Would make the criticism that Catullus's "Odi et amo" should only even be a couplet; gives his own version; praises the most recent pamphlet. Thanks Trevelyan once more for the kind letter and invitation; would love to accept some time but is busy with a number of things at home as well as helping Alys. Met Trevelyan's son recently when he was staying with a friend nearby.