Item 124 - Letter from Thomas Sturge Moore to R. C. Trevelyan

1 letter

The four volumes [of Bob's "Collected Works"] will 'completely dwarf' his own when together on the shelf. Asks if Bob has seen Douglas Bush's "Mythology and the Romantic tradition in English Poetry" ("Harvard Studies in English" Vol. 18), which he recently read at the British Library; it discusses the mythological poetry [Robert] Bridges], Bob, [Lascelles] Abercrombie, [Laurence] Binyon and Sturge Moore himself, concentrating on Bridges and Sturge Moore but 'treating us all seriously'. Heard about it from Frederick Gwynn, a pupil of Bush, who intends to write a book about Sturge Moore's poetry as his thesis ["Sturge Moore and the Life of Art", Richards Press ; University of Kansas Press, 1952] and hopes to spend next year in England. Gwynn will be one of the 'most careful readers' of Bob's "Collected Works". 'Education and Universities' do good at least in providing 'readers even for the unpopular' and students who 'appreciate other than fashionable qualities'. He and Marie will be 'proud' to own Bob's book.

The Countess [Karen] Blixen's "Out of Africa" has 'charming chapters'; her 'little Kikuyu protegé' believed Blixen could write a book as 'big and as hard as the Odyssey', but not that she could 'make it blue', like her copy of Homer; Bob's book would fulfil all points. Blixen does not write perfect English, but 'her psychology and style are both poetical and most interesting in unexpected ways'. Heard about the book from Binyon; it is a 'real delight, though unequal in places'. Met Julian and Ursula at the London Theatre Studio on Friday night: Julian is 'very charming and seems to have an "Out of Africa" touch not like a Giraffe but like some human equivalent' which the Countess may have 'discovered and appreciated', since she had a 'flair for the really valuable & rare'.

23/49: letter from Marie Sturge Moore to Trevelyan, also thanking him for the "Collected Works".