[30 May 39]

Tues.

---

Dear George,

IF the Pup's car is in order, Har&
and Brookfield and self are taking a trip
out of town, prob. to Rye, or toward
on Saturday, June 3&
Rye- / anyhow, you see what is coming, so
get ready. I mean if we do, and I F
the car does not bust and I F the weather
permits, can I bring them after lunch,
just to look at the garden ? We will have
had a good lunch in a way-side place

Ellen Hart knows about. Then we wouldn't stay
long, as we would be going on to Rye, D.V.,
as for tea. So... I heard a rumour that
you had some old friend there, and I don't know if

Alice is ?
I have been thinking
much of you but I think we all get
periods of paralysis of the will-
I go along and Go along, just glad that
to-night there is no air-raid, but its a half-life
and what other for us ? I shudder at
the thought of the N.Y. "Fair" and Br. has to
cheek to suggest I go there in August.
It would be good to see you here, and Alice, if
you ever come up.

I am glad it sounds mean, that
the week-end Whit. holiday is over. Pup
was in Cornwall, glad she got out of
town.

Love to Alice and this does not
really require an answer. Thine

Just managed to break off and begin sorting some
papers, so thank you for the distant help you
render.

So nice to have Lotte here. She
is drawing a picture for Br., of the little dog, Claudia,
getting the frowns in and the wrinkles.

I have thought of you and was happy about
your white camellia( or red ) Do love it a
lot. Don't give it up. I do look forward to seeing you
sometime and forgive this drab little note. Ever

VILLA KENWIN
BURIER S/LA TOUR
VEVEY
SWITZERLAND

Téléphone: Vevey 12.63

Aug. 31.

Dear George,

How are you? Well- don't bother to answer. This is just a
little wireless out of the blue. Here we are, all
very snug- but O, the alarms and excursions. I will
really be almost-glad to be back in my little

London funk-hole. I don't believe a word of
it though it goes round and round in long and short
wave-lengths and bangs on ones ear-drums.

Talk, talk, talk. Are you even thinking
of coming to "town" again? After the war- please. And
please give me a ring and pop in any time of day or
night. Is Alice still there? Tell her, I think of her, of
you both. I imagine she would be just as happy this side if there
were a bust-up. Anyhow USA is no longer isolated.

Norman Douglas was here and was very charming-
suggested my taking a trip with him to Tunis. It would be a
wonderful experience but don't think I would be quite
equal to it. He had had sent him an article
written about him (by R.A., Atlantic Monthly, I think). He
pouffed at it- as I believe there was a
nastly little sketch of dear old N.D. in that vol.,
Seven against Reeves. Did not read it myself but N.D. said,
"nobody writes down anyone but themselves." Heard from R.A.,
in Rhode Island. Apparently he is in the thick of
kind old ladies of 70 and 80 of impecable New England and

Philadelphia antecedents who lend him cottages. Imagine he must
have met some of them through Jim and Mildred—anyhow....
he seems very proud of the little girl.

Bryher just burst in with the latest Manchester Guaddia so I will
sit down and read about the war all over again. Bryher
has been wonderful and so kind. I imagine she has
written that Schmideberg and his wife and N.D. were all
here—and constant telephone calls from all over— and Pup
has rushed off, on the advise of her L. and L. chief,
to Cornwall. It was nice I thought, of merring to put it
on a business basis as it saved Pup's face—not that it
can't save itself. What other news? I feel a pig
with all this good un-breathed air and pine-tree scent and
space... and many millions ... gasping in this
hysteria. The best yet and the one bright
spot, I think, is the suggestion that the Pope and Queen
Wilhelmina get together and settle Hitler's hash-
if Russia isn't doing that already for him.

Well, dear George and Alice, much love and many blessings
to you from a harrassed

Hilda Aldington- British Passport.

VILLA KENWIN

BURIERS/LA TOUR
VEVEY
SWITZERLAND

Téléphone: Vevey 12,63

Sept. 25.

My dear, dear George,

Is it possible ? I seem back in the last war -
and it strikes me as so very odd that I was only 32 when that
stopped and I thought then, that my life was actually over
and done for - and it was. What then has one been
doing the last 20 years ? I aren't one ask ' Existing somehow -
and not unhappy, but the last 20 have simply dropped out,
simply gone and one is just there back in ones early
middle age or one very late youth. Does this happen to us all ?
Yes. It does. And you ? Are you now going to return to States ?

Is Alice ? If only there were a sort of CENTRE there, as
London was to us, or even as Paris was. Everyone I would
like to see, is a days trip or at least a half days trip from
anywhere, and each place seems to have its
divergent civilization, its different rate of thought and
speed of life, its date almost. While in London, we swamped in
to the eternal marsh and were all one age, one time,
one state of being - I must pull myself together and
live or die. I don't think I'll do the latter. I am so
terribly and hecatcally interested in everyone, young and old,
for WE are the age of the ones who do it now for
the first time, they have caught up to us - poor dears or wwe
slide back to them - only Einstein could make the proper
numerical diagram for this "dimensional state" but YOU
now WHAT I mean. I am almost sorry for the Sattes looking on
at US, - almost ashamed to think that anyone I know is so
out of it. But - but - others
Kenneth has written most

beautifully; and like his own old self. But it is best he stays put.

I know you will want to
know of Bryher- she has taken the Lady E. thing as one would
expect her to. I only hope the thing does not accumulate
and burst out later. She is just as ever- her eyes go
too big sometimes, but then they always did that. She has gone
out with the dogs and there is a letter from Lady E. just come
for her. That will be a shock. I got letters from my mother
weeks after she went, but as she died in States, it was more
natural. But this was a delay has put back the last Lady E. letters.
It was merciful that she went and as it was in Cornwall, Doris
stepped in gallantly. Pup, too. Pup is back in town, I am
happy for her. I do not think she could stay there long with
no active occupation.

You seem to be over
working, my dear George. "there we have such lovely weather and
are a sympathetic group, Br. self, Schmedeberg and his wife who
may get their car permit in a few weeks. I was returning with
them, but since Lady E. went, think I better wait on,
and not have us ALL go at once. Br says she will come over
end Oct., and stay with me, as she must go over the
"personal effects." O- my dear George what a land-mark gone.
We both had that so on our minds- and one did so little and
felt so much- too much and then suddenly its not there
any more.
Do let us have a line. Several
charming letters have come but there are blocks and then a
packet. All my love to you and to Alice, it is
TERRIBLE that your heavenly place should be desicrated by
"family life" - in that sense. Wrangles - but maybe
its better - or worse. O- I can write nothing. But you
know how I am feeling. Do keep well- that is the chief thing.

[1 Dec. 39]

40 LOWNDES 1D SQUARE S.W.1.
Sloane 3835

Dec. I.

Dear George,

Br. now wires, "leaving Monday, arrive 7th."
That is her official latest. But she may get stuck
at one of the ports or be delayed in France.

Anyhow, I hope you will turn your good old
prayer-wheel a bit for her and for me, because
if she is unhappy here, it will black-out the
indoors that I love so. I simply turn round
AND roundin my basket, I could purr
my whiskers off with delight everytimel I put
on myOWN kettle or curl up in me bed.

I jerk curtains wide nights, have a slight
claustraphobia when night comes, but
somehow, loveit all, and feel old roots

re-vive. I was so sad about Elle--

Hart- she was up from Cardiff where she is
with some of the children of the
Fairbridge Farm she works for. To cheer her
up, I told her about YOU and she sobbed,
" but please, my flat is empty, if only he would
take it, would he?" It is a charming little place,
Sloane Ave. Mansions, right up against the sky, 9th
floor, almost pent-house - or London's
nearest to said same. Well, I pass on
the message. I said I thought you had friends he
here and could stay with me and Bryher, if you
wanted. But her last words were, "please tell
George, won't you?"

Pup seems to be very gay and happy with her
firemen crowd.

I think of you so much. I do hope you find
solace in the tool-shed. I feel such a
pig having my own hen-house all to myself.
Well GOD bless you,

Feb. 15.

Dear George,

So good to hear from you. Bryher left
several old bulbs in a box- I will, as I
know you do not mind, wrap them up and post them
to you, one day. She said would I give them to
you, but I don't know when you will be
up and the poor little old card-box is a
reproach to me, daily. You know- who but

Bryher would at the past bother with
flowered-out old little bulbs un-earthed
from a hyacinth basket? Well-
and all that and all that- and all that
about your "grant of money", dear George, don't
talk to me- I am so weak over the same thing-
on a garguantian scale now upon me. I men,
garguantian. I simply wouldn't think of it and
put off seeing Mr. Baylis- when finally I did,
he agreed with me that it would be far better for
the present NOT to mention it, but I wanted to

re " annual sum of money" and when I centralize myself

in regard to my own "material changes", I will write you

details.

And very much love, always,
Brother had not told me about yours, she had
said she was making one or two other
grants, did not specify how much or to whom,
but I do know, am deeply convinced that she is
happy in doing this-
I know it has made
other very, very happy to put an easter egg in
your nest.

tell you, it might make you feel better about
the knees, re your own " annual sum
of money." I quote- as I don't know what to
call these things. M/f. Baylis said in
writing to my own bank, I better refer to
"material changes". He said it without
blinking an eye-lash- it OUGHT to be
funny. But maybe if we say " annual
sum of money" and "Material changes" we
will be able to look it in the eye. I am
completely shattered by mine and when I
recourver, I will give you all details.

Well, this to announce the tow or three
de-flowered bulbs and to say that I do
sppreciate your state of mind re"

[23 Feb. 40]

Feb. 23.

Dear George,

I have had an envelope addressed to you for some days-
well, just to thank you for the good note and the
cutting. It is good to have an idea now, what to do
with my "material." A Rolls or two would solve a
lot of income-tax.
Bryder writes of the
snow and the rival snow-drops, she had one and Dr. Galbreath
had one back.

She keeps so busy that I don't
really think she feels too lonely- I know how you feel -
this goes back several letters/- about her seeming so
very out-of-line with life- but it can't be true. She
lives so deeply sub-merged and way down, there is a
curious aliveness. I have spent some 26 years off and
on, trying to get her to the plausible surface-
and got, I can tell you, some pretty severe sword-fish
gashes , off and on, for prodding. She must just go along-
my problem now is, simply to try to stand-by and not
appear to care what happens. I think the Schmidebergs did much
for her- did you met them! Austrians. ( She did much for
them, too- true.)
she is so faithful to the old

friends - I realize you have meant much to her.

July 6.

Dear George,

Thank you for your good 4th July letter. What a celebration. Glad you found the tooth- you will keep it by bed in future, I trust ? Here is the latest, came last night : " thanks letters up to June tenth stop cheap night telegrams now available travel impossible but hopeful later love. " It seems to me a definate hint that she wants little billet-doux by telegram. I am sending one this morning, should reach her to-morrow morning. I will try to find out if these are censored, as "they say" things can be taken out on people the other end if we try to be funny- but prob. not Suisse; an old lady I know was warning me about this, as she has friends in Denmark. But

WHAT do you paint on the bags ?

This just to send Br wire, and I will write
again. I have put new safety net, glued on windows, its like USA fly-screens.
How is the Jesus-underwear this year? Those
silver ears. I wish I had some. Much love
my very dear and very-brave George, from

that's different. I will try to be funny and not too funny. Morale here in town is terrific, people sent away weeping with joy when sent back, and summer vacation taking the form of camp beds for the shelters. O Winston! He is like an old heraldic porpoise - or should I say, dolphin? the FIRST "victory" we have had. I too weep for very-joy at the rain this morning. This is the turn of the moon that old Hit. has been waiting for. A woman in the B.B.C. who seems to spend her time making star-maps, said if he did not come this time, he would not come at all - and an old Polish prophecy stated that when the "black eagle who had smirched the cross" came to the cross roads and turned his eyes to the east, his downfall would be beginning. All very odd, as written or taken down by a medium in 1893. How life slides over and under war and pre-war and pre-pre war impressions superimposed. LIFE! Its good, isn't it?

July 9th.

My very dear George,

Thank you so very, very much for the cozy undie-pants
and vest for our dear Babe.

The royal
purple fuzz-flower is somewhat new on me, too, lovely,

altar-wise on table by elbow mio.

What
a whole summer is there.
Glad you are

sending a line to Bryher-
general whip or whatever,
want her to have FRESH

words, some other angle, if only
in those cryptic
slogans you compose for public censorship.

I got my first returned letter this morning, rater sad, one

I wrote on June 14th, nothing in it, but official mark on
envelope " no service return to sender."

It passed the censor, too. NO SERVICE. So
final!

Well we will keep the wire buzzing.

The lovely leaf will last me a long, long time-
you will beup before it goes ?

Much love and thanks again from the
ever-lasting

[25 Nov 40]

Nov. 25.

Dearest G.,

It seems that I should keep this marvelous
paper for the millenium, but maybe by using
it for extra special, I may hasten on that
date. Anyhow, n.b., just a moth till

Christmas.

Now I had a terrible
time, a dentist suggested mildly that I have
3 teeth out and my jaw SCRAPED ; just
imagine. I knew it was all wrong but Br had the
strength of mind to hustle me round to a
relative of the Schmidebergs AFTER I had been alre
two hours in the original chair- yes " chair " is
thw word. He was very kind and seemed to
think I had been pretty shattered by the NOISE
the past 11 weeks. It isn't jaw or

poisoned ace or rotting bone- O, these
devils. But, you know, I feel that after
all that, I won't plan anything at all. I
got Br off to Cambridge this weekend
without me, and the rest here alone has
done me such a lot of good. You know - I need
not explain anything- how much it means to me
to have Br here, but I have been pretty
over-worked, cooking for her and Pup these
last weeks ; and I can never say anything to
Br., have to hide it, if I feel rattled, as
she could never understand- and I AM glad
to have her. You know that. But the rest alone
did me so much good, so I F I feel that
way next week-end, dear George, I am sure
you will understand. I will think
of coming, as the rest last time did me
so much good. I did not pick up the
jaw and tooth at your place; if anything started
it, it was Cambridge, a long trip, late
one afternoon and then walking
round in the rain with Herring, who was
so charming - and I did love seeing

Marloes and Fletchers old room and the
court, a garden, where probably Milton thought
out, at any rate, Comus. But I was
drenched twice, and had only my small
week-end outfit along. You did me do much
good; I still pray over the Sonnets. And
I am sending or bringing old Logan's
book back. I have not forgotten. Also, I am
asking Br to order for you a vol. called
Passion and Society by Denis de Rougemont,
I wonder if Logan has seen it? I read it
in Vaud wondering WHAT manner of Frenchman
could have written it- but of course there it was,
de Rougemont is French- Swiss. The translation,
I have is wonderful- the french
is L'amour et l'Occiden, Love and the West
does not translate. I hope Logan lives
to read it. But maybe its religious
background wouldn't appeal so much- it will
to you. De R. brings in old Shakers
too and Milton and has a go at the

subconscious he-man school which Logan
will like, too. Well, now George, this is
to thank you for your letter, I almost missed
it, as Br was just off, and flung her letters
yoer and said "you can read this to me from
George", if its anything immediate write
him and explain, she was standing with her coat on
I put it aside as it was HERS, then had a squint
and found a most intimate note to dear old
Hilda on the other side. Thank you. How
extravagant you must think me with this
2 sheets all to you alone- but as it is
your paper, I feel I can be extravagant on it to
you. Yes, I must see old R.A., I meant to
pick over the other here alone but read several
other articles in the mag., but did not re-read
old R.A. I am glad to hear someone outside say
it is rotten. I suppose he is paid well.
Well! "et mêmow of any frther
instalments" And this with much love from your
old

Sept. 26. Friday.

Dearest G. of G-burg ;

Why heavenly TACT. Because I did, I do want to see you-
and I am just the sort of wreck you can well imagine. I run
round and round A N D round, and nothing happens, but a few
boxes are straightened or piled on top of the other cupboard.

Mrs. Mackenzie, "Faith" , is really delightful- and that
makes it worse. Her eye-affair , I think, is partly
psychological- nerves anyhow- she is stuck up there, quite,
quite cut off and he is ill a lot of the time and has to be
sat up with all night. Her only way of getting away is to
go to a specialist- that puts it rather crudly, but you

know- poor dear , I do not envy here. He must be, from Br's account,
a most fascinating and really charming person but O what a
dynamo. I think, for the very first time in her whole life, Br

has met someone who is three times more enigmatic than
herself. He has done all the things she would like to have done
or would like to do, secret-service in the east and near-east
and do on-and his writing is really a side-line.

Well to you and me, creative art for better or worse is NOT
our side-show-and in a way of course, it is Bryher's. I mean she
is active, constructive and she has not our satisfaction in
brood and drift and dream. I am really very happy about this for
you know Bryher-no sort of "emotional" affair would
ever touch her... this is all steel and dynamics- God, I feel
quite weak when I think of them sitting up with the wind
howling in that lonely house, talking about Drake, the
Elizabethian sea-dogs,, Cockrain (spelling) Edward of
England (the 8th) travel, politics - I have
sat up with Br after Mrs. M. has gone to bed(Mrs. M is in the
downstairs room, that is, of course, something.)

49 LOWNDES

HD

SQUARE SW.1

Sloane 3835

And I seem to have listened-in to their conversations, have
heard it all.

I really think that this is an actual
turning-point in Bryher's funny little
dynamic life ... you know how one can
fret about her. He seems to be, for all
his writing about love and winds of
love, pretty nearly entirely cerebral-
a terror, I should think... and Br is
so completely cerebral and they both have
brains ... Then Mrs. M. would tell
Br what difficulties she has had in her life
" with women " who are mad about "Monty" ...
and Br got in on a lot of what she calls
" dirt" from that direction. I lay
awake a couple of nights, just simply hearing their
voices; Br says he is really a sort of Byron.