1239 Wheatland Ave. Lancaster, Pa.
December 28,1942

Dear Bryher:

It's remarkable that the Digests reach you so regularly-I am about to send another batch and hope you don't mind having three at once. Your letter of Dec. 4 came yesterday and was the thing that decided me to send you a last 1942 letter. You're so good about writing and I'm sure you must like to have letters from over here as much as I like to have yours. Have I told you how much I liked the British bull-dog? And John just loved it and showed it all over. Alas! the poor man has been ill for about five weeks now. It's pretty serious, I guess, at his age-he will be 81 the 9th of Jan. My sister never leaves the house and we are much preoccupied of course with this situation. It seems so sad, for he is a man who loves life and has always had so much vitality and force. Well, this is a personal trouble in the midst of so many others that touch one not so closely. Otherwise life goes on with me much as usual-air-raid drills, Control Centre, Bryn Mawr etc. And there's always Mitzi!

Yes indeed I stay in Lancaster all the time unless I have to go to B.M. for we are asked to stay put as much as possible on account of transportation situation. It may be that we shall be rationed for travel too. For my part, I don't care how much rationing they do if only it will shorten the war. In Feb. we begin drastic food rationing-you may have heard the broadcast by Wickard about it. We are to use the same point system you use. But food doesn't bother me-it's the fuel that I really worry about for my house is very cold with the present ration. However, when I think of Russia I know I'm lucky to sit in 65 degrees! And I have a wood fire in the evenings-as long as I can get wood! But there seems to be nobody to cut it. Speaking above of travelling, I think it would be an excellent thing if everybody stayed at home-a woman from Ohio has been travelling all through Pa. Delaware and Maryland with small-pox! We now have four cases here in Lancaster and the Drs. are swamped with people to be vaccinated. This woman went to an Amish wedding in central Pa. and the whole valley where she went is now quarantined and 31 of those poor Amish have it. A number from here too, who were at the wedding. And last Tuesday, when I went to B.M. I asked the colored porter at the Station some question and saw that his face was covered with some sort of awful breaking-out and I thought it very strange, for he usually has a perfectly good skin. To night in the paper I see that he was just getting over small-pox! And now his wife and nephew are down with it very badly. They think that he handled the bags of the women from Ohio at the Station and got so light a case that it was diagnosed as chicken-pox and here he's been, around hundreds of people! Luckily for me, I was vaccinated just winter before last when I went to Mexico and it took well. But Lancaster has not had a case of small-pox for 40 years and it's all very scary. I remeber being in England once when there were some cases in Gloucestershire, where I was, and when I crossed to Oxford, I think it was, and said I'd come from Gloucester they wouldn't take me in! I don't blame them. I don't mean to fill a letter about small-pox, however?

I'm so glad you took in an American officer and only wish my Captain nephew would look you up. You asked for his address but we are not told that-only that he is somewhere in England. But he may be in Africa by this time. All the young men I know seem to be going somewhere to fight-my friends are always writing about their sons here, there and everywhere- we are certainly getting into our stride and the news at present is good. But it seems so slow. Wasn't the murder of Darland dramatic? One just cannot believe such a world. It was a terrible thing to happen but I do hope his death clears up some of the difficulties. There are rumours that Churchill is here-we shall know in good time. What you said about India in your next to last letter is indeed true-the complications are awful. I felt very sorry at first that the grand gesture of giving them freedom couldn't be made-but I have come to see that they must first agree among themselves on a constitution to present to England, probably. But I do hope we all mean to see that every nation becomes self-governing-surely imperialism must go? We are all intensely interested in the Beveridge plan here but of course can know little about it really, unless we are economists, sociologists or other specialists. It does seem as if people employed by a state had not as much ini-

May 8th

V-E DAY! I've been listening all day to the radio-like all the rest of us- and have just heard your King's speech and all the San Francisco speeches and now all the rejoicing in England. How wonderful it must be for you! I'll wager you are out on the streets seeing everything that is going on in London. I can well imagine that the crowds must be wild. Here it's very quiet for of course we haven't the immense relief from all the danger and fear that you must have felt for five years. And I think we feel here probably much more the war that is still going on in the Pacific. And of course I, personally, think the problems of the peace are going to be so great that there isn't much to rejoice about right now. How shall we ever be able to adjust our differences? We seem to be getting farther away from the Russians than ever. But I still have hopes that a beginning is really being made at San Fran. in international cooperation. And I do rejoice that again mankind has overcome those forces of evil which promulgated such an ideology as that of the Germans. The road is long and hard indeed leading to independence and dignity for every individual but I believe we shall reach the end of it before we are destroyed! As you said in your last letter received yesterday with much pleasure, it's the evil ideology of Hitler and his ill-begotten, ignorant tribe that we must blame and not nationalities. However, what are we to do with the millions of Germans taught for so long the myth of the master-race? Do you think they will ever think any other race worth anything at all?

This is much too exciting a world-think of the things that have happened just this year-Roosevelt's death and Mussolini's and Hitler's perhaps. But I have my doubts about that. Where are Goebbels and Goering and Himmler and Ley and all the other high Nazis? The papers say nothing definite about them yet-just rumours. I'll bet they've gone places to stir up trouble whenever they can, Argentina or Spain. I can hardly wait to have their fates cleared up. Were you terribly sorry about Roosevelt as I was? I'm afraid Truman is too simple a man and too provincial to achieve much. But of course it remains to be seen and everybody seems disposed to give him every chance and to support him loyally.

I was so interested in your account of the Shakespeare celebrations-they must have been really thrilling with so many nationalities taking part and it must have been wonderful for you to get away from London for a change. And your English countryside! We had a wonderful month of March, temperature in the 80s, and everything unfolded beautifully. But alas! April has been very cold and very rainy and even into May we have had rain, rain, rain. The seedlings just coming up at the end of March have rotted or mildewed and many farmers will have to re-plant the early crops. I don't care how hot it gets if it only stops raining! And I echo your wish- "I do wish we could have some sun". I suppose we shall soon be having too much of it.

I'm sending some more Digests with this letter-also Free World which I wonder if you know. I think it's abit too much propaganda to be a really good periodical but they are trying to improve it in many ways.

Lots of love for you and Hilda and Perdita when you write-it does sound as if she were enjoying things and I do so wonder where she will go next with an American unit. Are you able to say yet what kind of unit she is with? I mean, does it have to do with the Allied Military Government in Germany? Anyway, best of luck to you all and I am certainly profoundly thankful that the fighting it at an end in Europe.

Ever,

May 22, 1950

Dear Bryher:

It just doesn't seem possible that I have not
written you since your letter of January 24! I think
you have written since then but I cannot find the letter
amidst the welter of my desk. One would think that af-
ter all the time I had been devoting to my sister, I
would find lots of leisure to keep up at least a proper
correspondence with old friends. But life doesn't seem
to work that way. I haven't any leisure even to read,
and it is partly my own fault because I go away more
than I used to do and that always means a frantic catch-
ing up afterwards. And you will yourself find when you
reach my great age, that you are awfully slowed up about
anything you do-I simply can't hurry anymore. Well-any-
way I hope you can forgive this ancient crone for her
delinquencies in the matter of correspondence-you are al-
ways so prompt and I love to have your letters although
it may not seem so. But enough of me-I want to talk a-
bout Perdita.

I was in New York just a week ago Thursday, for
the day and had the great pleasure of getting Perdita
and her John for dinner at the Cos.Club. Connie Wright
was there too, because we had been to hear the new Menotti
opera, *The Consul*, and I was spending a few days with her
at Pleasantville. We were both immensely taken with
John and I am so glad Perdita is marrying, and an American
at that, because that will probably mean that she will
stay on this side. She says you have met him so you
know something about him. They seem so happy and fitted
for each other that I feel sure they won't let each other
down in any way. He seems vigorous and aggressive in the
best sense of the word and I believe he will be successful.
Isn't it a strange coincidence that they are to be mar-
ried in Maine at the home of an old friend of mine? At
least we used to see something of each other when I was
in New York. Susan Nichols, at Bryn Mawr a few years after
I was. I haven't seen her for years but always felt she
was gifted as well as attractive. Her husband Harold
was the brother of a very old friend of mine so that there
is that connection too. I am wondering if John, who has

Valentine as his middle name, is any relation to the Pulsifers-their mother was a Valentine, the "Valspar" paint people. Well, anyway, Perdita I expect to see soon again, for she is coming down to Lancaster this very Friday in order to go to the Bach Festival with me. I'm looking forward to it with the greatest pleasure, for I'm very fond of the child. We shall drive to Bethlehem, spend one night and come back to Lanc. Sat.eve. Perhaps John will be able to meet us on Saturday but he is extremely busy, being his own "reader" and is swamped with mass. Perdita looks very well and very slender and elegant! I'm sorry you and Hilda will not be here for the wedding but you probably feel about weddings the way I do-I think they are purely for the persons concerned. P. says you are planning to come in the fall-if you do, pl-ee-ee-se spare me a few days. My house is extensible-Hilda can be in the guest-room, you in my room, and me in Mitzi's room! She sleeps with me anyway.

My plans for next year are very vague-I doubt if I shall get to Europe after all. It's so expensive! And if you find it so, what do you think of me! You must indeed be having dreadful times about your English interest but at least it looks as if there were some hope for relief from more socialization. I do hope so, for I think there are too many evils connected with handing everyone everything for nothing. People are not saintly enough to be able to stand that. My co-executor, vice-president of our bank, was fulminating this afternoon against the tax situation here and government spending and the irrefutable damage the Roosevelt family has done this country, (which I think extremely silly for I'm quite sure it was the war and not Roosevelt that causes our high taxes), but among other things he told me about a negro who came in to borrow money to buy a house. The man had made $170 a week for years and had saved nothing at all and expected the bank to lend him the whole amount of the cost! He is an employee of the Penna. Railroad and I guess that's

why that railroad is in such doldrums. The railroad boys
hoods have become very powerful and have forced wages up,
and the people who are getting such wages just expect
everyone else to hand them things. We'd better educate people
before we give them high wages! How I do ramble on-I
seem to be wound up to-night and not saying anything very
significant.

Pretty soon I hope I shall be through with the settle-
ment of Letty's estate-there won't be much left after the
city, the state, the country gets through with it! It has
been complicated by the fact that her husband's estate was
all tied up with it; and that goes to his sister. I wonder
if you've gone to Kenwin yet-my love and I do hope you will
come to Lanc. when you come over in the fall.

Ever,

1239 Wheatland Avenue
Lancaster, Pa.

May 3, 1952

Dear Bryher:

I sent you a brief thank-you note when I received THE FOURTEENTH OF OCTOBER, and now that I have read the book I want to tell you how much pleasure it gave me. The sense of England and especially of Cornwall is particularly lovely and the story of that last stand of Harald as it affected gentle people like ourselves is very moving. As for the writing, it is indeed poetry and a joy to read-a nostalgic re-creation, I feel-and your own Vale perhaps to England as you knew it? But Orville Prescott in THE TIMES says it so much better than I can, although I did not entirely agree with him. My congratulations-and you never told me about BEOWULF. I have sent for it and am sending copies of THE FOURTEENTH to Connie Wright and Elizabeth Singleton knowing they too will enjoy it. I read recently that you have written another novel: and are at work on still another. Your industry shames me (not that I could ever write) you accomplish so much and I so little. But them of course I comfort myself with the thought that I am reaching 70! Three yet to go-and you are only a kid.

How good to know that the Schaffner family arrived safe in Switz. and that Perdita and John have got off on their further travels-it was lovely of you to give them that Christmas present. Valentine is surely a gorgeous babe and he is getting very interesting too. What dear they all are-wish I saw more of them-they are always lovely to this old egg and I do hope they can manage a visit to Lancaster in the autumn. I'm sorry you are not coming across. I have again postponed European travel, even with your re-assuring letter as to expense, as well as my friend Shirley Putnam O'Hara's contention that life can really be cheap and comfortable abroad. I'm now thinking that perhaps Connie Wright will want to look over her beloved France by next January or so. She will surely have finished her book by that time and in need of some refreshment. We shall see. For me to pick up and go for any length of time requires a lot of doing. I can't both travel and support Grace, so must make some arrangement for her as she has no home to go to. But we'll manage some way when the time comes. I rather hate to put the ocean between me and my brother too, because he is not a bit well.

I have written to Maggs and sent them the list of Hilda's books that I want but so far have heard nothing. I did not mention your name, however. I hope I shall hear something encouraging before long. When I have done everything I can from this end, I'll let you know what I am missing and I am most grateful for your offer of help. Bryn Mawr is thrilled at the thought of having this collection but I'm afraid I shall not give it up until I die! I don't know that I ever adequately thanked you for this offer-my memory skips a beat quite often-nor for all the lovely woolens and other gifts you have given me from time to time. I heard them, I can tell you, for the English woolens you have sent me are like no others for warmth and softness, colour and general richness.

My jaunt to Virginia and Washington was lovely but only four days-it seems a long time ago now. We are in the midst of a drive for $600,000 for one of the hospitals here and I find collecting very discouraging. There are a good many people out of work and money is not as abundant as it was-taxes, inflation etc. as everywhere. Have I ever told you that I loved the little soldanella card you enclosed in a letter to me at Christmas with the hanky? I thought that little flower the most exquisite I'd ever seen when I met it in Switz. And its fragrance too! Wish it would grow here but it's much too hot. I must "lay off" this long letter, with lots of love to all the family that is around-I'm sure Valentine will grow enormously in that Swiss sun. It makes me happy just to think of you all together.

Ever,

May 10, 1953

Dear, dear Bryher:

How very kind of you to have the new book sent me, instead of just
telling me about it, as most of my writing friends do. I do thank
you indeed, and enjoyed The Player's Boy thoroughly-the writing is
beautiful, with something so nostalgic for the times that pass. We
are certainly in the midst of just such a time of confusion and dis-
couragement and it is hard to see what will come out of it. My gen-
eration finds it un-nerving to say the least. But the young seem to
take what comes without too much apprehension about the future-for-
tunate young. The book is a delight to hold and read too-its format,
first-rate. How much you accomplish! Your generation, which I consider
the one just younger than mine, is doing a lot of work. Here's con-
stance Wright just finishing a book about Lafayette, and Elizabeth
Page, one about Jefferson's forbears. I do feel so fortunate to have
had a number of writing friends-artists too-in my life, for I seem to
feel more sympathetic to them than to other people. I have sent The
Player's Boy to C. Wright and to my friends in Chicago-I believe it's
not released until May 15, here.

Your letter of Feb.13 has been on my desk all this time, awaiting the
time when I could send you the information about the books missing
from my H.D. collection. You are so good to offer to get on the track
of them. I finally wrote to the Seven Bookhunters in New York(if you
read The New Yorker, you will perhaps have seen a "Profile" about the
man who runs it) and they found two for me so far-the Collected Poems
and Red Roses for Bronze, the Poetry Quartos. For the latter I had to
pay $15. because it was from a set of tweleve by other poets. I shall
enclose my list on a separate sheet. I wrote to Mr. Pearson, you know,
a year ago in March, telling him what I had and he very kindly sent
me a list of those I have still to get, and I guess he knows exactly
everything that Hilda has published. I should very much like to com-
plete the collection and give it to Bryn Mawr while Hilda is still
alive, for I think the recognition would gratify her. I expect to go
to B.M. this Friday to see Marianne Moore presented with the M.Carey
Thomas Award and so wish it might have been shared by H.D. -it would
have been so fitting since they were both in the same class. Wasn't
it wonderful that 1909 should have harbored two such distinguished
poets? I shall write to H.D. and tell her about it-sorry I couldn't
have written her a real letter when she was in the hospital-do hope
she is all well again and that the spring has been kind to you all.
Weather here has been something so much rain, but lovely to-day.

When I have everything of H.D.'s, or think I have, I'll send you the
list again just in case we've missed something. But some of them I
really despair of finding-those of only 40 or 50 copies.

Just now my life is at a standstill-I live at the end of the telephone.
My poor brother has had another stroke, in fact, two, and we do not
know what turn it will take. He is very, very ill but may recover e-
nough to go home, with, however, a body physically alive but mind des-
 stroied. Heart and brain are affected. I can only hope he will not
live so handicapped. In the meantime I try to go along doing the
things I've planned for months-going to N.Y. for a few days next week
and thereafter to New Hampshire with a friend. When In N.Y. I do hope
to see Perdita and the new infant and John and Valentine-at any rate
I shall call them up. I miss them-they are indeed my favorite young
people.

I have to go back to Johns Hopkins the end of June, so I am still
unfinished business a lthough my nose now looks very respectable, if
a bit knotty, and cheeks scarry. Don't know what Dr. Edgerton means
to do next but I shall be in the Hospital for about 5 days, he tells
me. My face still feels stiff and sore when I massage it as I am sup-
posed to do three times a day but they tell me that will pass. I'm
so grateful to be rid of the horrid sore spots that anything is won-
derful.

Garden has been lovely this spring-so much rain and so little freezing weather. I've been working in it somewhat but cannot do as much as I used to do-muscles going back on me I guess. I long to see your garden some spring and hope it may be next year but I'm uncertain. Much love to you and to Hilda when you see her and the best of everything for you.

Ever,

On second thought, I'll list all of my H.D. collection now and in-
dicate among them the missing ones.

May 20, 1954

Dear Bryher:

I'd just written you when the new book came and I could hardly wait a minute to read it. Thank-you ever-so-much for sending me your books-I love having them from you, and also I've enjoyed them all thoroughly because I love the way you write. This is an exciting one and the parallels with our own times are indeed clear. And very saddening. My consolation is that history repeats itself only with some hopeful differences. But shall we ever learn from experience? I hardly think so, until more than half of us at least become truly educated-not just reading and writing. I'm sending you Clarence Streit's new book, Freedom Against Itself, and I shall expect to quiz you on it when and if we meet abroad!!! I think you make the same point that he does-isolation and divisiveness from whatever causes are the dangers that civilized people must overcome in order to face the barbarian hordes successfully. How I'd like to have a good old conversation with you about the world, toute seule-

Thanks again for your kindness- the book is a joy to look at too. Print and general make-up are distinguished. My love to you.

June 20, 1956

Dear Bryher:

What a long silence between friends! Your letter of March 2 is now unearthed from the mess that my desk has been in for a long, long, time. Somehow the spring was full of duties and visitors and visiting and I have neglected letters to my shame and sorrow. For I do so love to hear from old friends, know what is happening to them and all that. Your letter says you are back in Kenwin and I hope for the summer so I shall send this letter there hoping it will find you eventually. You may be in Timbuctoo by this time!

You as well as we have certainly had a bad winter. Ours came very late so that spring was a long time coming. Even now the temperatures are quite unseasonable after about five days of 90 and over. A sudden drop has brought it down to 54 last night-after all one's winter clothes have been put away in moth-balls. Very strange and I am convinced atom experiments have something to do with it. At least I hope you are not having drought along with your cold, as we are. The Susquehanna has not been so low in years and we are now trying to get a water-supply from it for this very fast-growing industrial community. The whole beautiful countryside is fast turning into suburbs as it is in England. I do deplore it. It's been so cold that I haven't done much in the garden as yet but hope to get at it in August when I return from a month in New England-leaving here June 28th.

I am enclosing some clippings I thought would interest you though you may have seen the one about Marianne. My friends the Brownes, spent a month last winter in Bermuda with her and enjoyed her immensely-said she was a delightful and unique traveller, her wit a joy and her careful observation and knowledge enriching everything she says. The other clipping I send because you knew Bob and were in his shop when you were here with Norman Pearson. I know you will be sorry. He took his very severe illness lightly(in the hospital for six weeks last spring) and very gallantly, for he little time there was left to him-his partner, Dick We been at the shop not three hours before this happened tillizer that Dick had been saving for me and Bob seemed and full of jokes about the plumbing in that 206-year-morning deluged the kitchen from a bath-room above it. way for him to die-and I am so glad he had been out of curred because he loved that old Demuth house and was hospital.

Now I should like to know just when you are again and whether Hilda is coming too. And when is he Bryn Mawr about it? And would she care to go back there know if she has had the new history of Bryn Mawr, "What think it's very fine and shall send it to her if she has not already had it. I long to see you both once more and do hope you can spare some little time for Lancaster. I missed the Schaffners when I was there a week ago to attend the annual party for members of the N.Y. Zoological Society. It was lots of fun, at the Bronx, and we were introduced to some very special creatures.

Lots of love to you as always and to Hilda if she is with you; but I rather imagine she is in Zürich and I shall write her before I leave on the grand tour.

September 2.1956

Dear Bryher:

It's wonderful news that you are really coming to our
side soon and I just want to say how much I appreciate your
writing me about it. Of course you cannot be certain yet and
I certainly understand why you would like to put off coming
until you close Kenwin. November is often a very good month
here anyway. Also, I understand that if Hilda does come, you
will do what she wants to do and not consult your own wishes.
As you say, our youth is going! And I know that Hilda is not
strong. Anyway I shall hope to see you both somewhere, some-
how but if you come in Nov. I hope you will let me drive you
to Williamsburg or somewhere south.

And you never said a word about the date of your book!
And here it is and I have just finished reading it with the
greatest delight and think you have done a wonderful job with
all the understatement that pleases me beyond words. I am
sending it right off to some friends to enjoy too. I agree
with the reviews that it is indeed a "small classic!" And the
reviews have been very good as I know you must know. Anyway,
in the name of all American readers I do thank you for again
giving us an insight into British character.

You couldn't be more right than to be worried about the
Middle East situation-it's terrible the situations the Russians
seem to get us into. If only they could change their beliefs-
but it is too much to expect at this time and our only hope,
I feel is in putting off actual war in the hope that their
young people will become more educated to what the rest of the
world has done and is doing. For I believe war is the ulti-
mate confession of failure. I don't think there is anything
worse than the brutalizing effect of it in every way, let
alone the destruction that we must envisage if it comes to
war, with these new weapons. But we must discuss this when

we meet. For my part, I simply cannot understand why all the "free" world cannot see Nasser's move for what it is-a broken promise- and fear to trust his word ever again. After all, the agreement was to leave the canal in the hands of the company for 12 years, I think, and after that it was to be given over to Egypt. Why did that not satisfy them? Political pressure? It is all horrible and a part of this great movement of all nations to govern themselves. But they are in too much of a hurry. If only we could form a world state some of those problems would be settled even though there would be bound to be others.

If you stay on, and if Hilda comes, and if she does not want to leave N.Y. I do hope you will bring Doris down here and that we can take a jaunt somewhere. And I hope her doctor will give her a clean bill of health.

I am very busy digging up and re-planting garden-it has been neglected so long and as I now feel so well, better than for years, I'm making the most of it. Very hot weather here for days-we are promised relief to-morrow. Grace goes on a day&b trip to Maryland to-morrow, by bus, to some religious conference. I hate to think of them on the roads on Labor Day but she gets out so little that I urged her on. She is so fearful of travel! Much love to you and I'm so looking forward to your coming over and if you won't come here, perhaps I can get to N.Y. and see that new little Bryher as well as you.

Ever affectionately,

November 9, 1956

Dear Bryher:

I have your card from the great hall of reptiles at Yale, as well as a letter to thank you for; and I think it is I, not you who should be apologizing for not writing. The time got away from me just before you flew back and I didn't even send you a farewell card to say good-bye and thank you for the time you spared me over here. I am so glad that you really did get to Lanc. for I believe Hilda had never been here. So sorry the weather was so bad-if only you had been here about a week ago-it was heavenly, and warm, and I drove my young cousin and some friends all over that lovely Westchester country that borders on Lancaster County and is noted for its hunting-very different from this county. We saw one of the packs going off-there are two famous ones, one English and one American and they hunt all the time this season. So far we have had no really deep frost and the "vines still cling" and so do the leaves in spite of tons having fallen, been swept up and burned. Now we are looking for winter soon. But some of my daffodils are up two inches and I fear they will have their noses blasted before the winter is over. I have tried to cover them up.

You are certainly a great flyer and I am so glad that the weather was good for you going back. Sometime I must try it for it is surely a time-saver. You almost commute to N.Y.! I do hope Hilda will decide now to live in the U.S. For things look pretty bad just now. I remember your saying that the English felt that Nasser must be stopped right now and I am half glad and half sorry that they forced the issue by going into the canal zone without U.N. sanction. We over here are not convinced that it was wise, in that now any country can take upon themselves to do the same thing-Russia for instance. To us it seemed a wholly cynical move. But it may be that time will show that it will lead the way to giving the U.N. power to police the world which from my point of view is all to the good. We *must* give it power or we shall soon be in chaos again. How anyone can fail to see that our welfare is inextricably bound up with that of *all* the world, I don't understand. I think it very foolish to compare the British and French move with that of the Russians in Hungary but that is what some of our papers are doing. Now that our own

elections are over perhaps we can give some attention to what is
going on in the rest of the world. It seems to be depperate
for the brave Hungarians-I wish we could help them; but I see
that Russia won't even allow the U.N. to go in and do the sim-
plest kind of merciful acts. I haven't seen a paper to-day
because the Times did not come this morning so I don't know the
latest developments. What a horror it all is and shall we ever
in our time feel satisfied in mind about anything? I am so sure
that eventually(barring annihilation by radioactivity) that we
shall form some sort of confederation of the whole world that
I can't understand why people don't move faster towards it.
But what is ten or a hundred years in the long fight for equal
justice for all human beings?

I'm so glad Doris was helped by her doctors this time
and hope they can keep her from total blindness even if she
cannot see as she once did. And I hope that you will get to
Zurich for Christmas? Hilda must be missing her little family
which is really entrancing. And you'd better begin coming to
Canada! If H. does come here to live, shall you stay in Switz?
Or England? I keep seeing things about Beowulf-it has been
much appreciated over here. I feel like thanking the people
who write the kind of books I like, continually'. I say thank-
you, thank-you for Beowulf again

Last week-end I went to Bryn Mawr for Alumnae Week-end
and heard a delightful talk on Imagination by Elizabeth Bowen
who is lecturing there -the Lucy Donnelly Memorial Lectures
which H.D. should sometime be giving! Next week Connie Wright
comes to visit for a week and then an old friend of my sister's
over Thanksgiving-and then Christmas with a rush! Lots of
love to you and if H.D. comes over next spring,I hope you will
come too and manage a little long-time here.

Ever affectionately,

Excuse Typing - very bad.

November 28, 1956

Dear Bryher:

I have been an unconscionable time answering your letter about Hilda as well as the state of the world but many things have intervened to keep me from the typewriter. I was just terribly sorry to hear of Hilda's accident-yes, why should it have happened to her? But I'm glad she hasn't to go through a long siege of a plaster cast-the Klinik sounds wonderful and she's very lucky to be out by Christmas. Did I tell you about my poor cousin May Pearce? She is my sister's age, 75, and two years ago she had an operation on her hip to remove an arthritic spur on it-they put a metal ball with a long metal strip to her knee into the hip-socket and she had to be in the hospital a very long time. But she was getting along well but had to walk with a cane. One day her daughter who works came home to find her on the floor where she'd been for two hours unable to rise. She had fallen in the living-room for no reason at all and broken the lower leg that had been operated on, into 35 pieces! They were all night repairing it and now she is in a great cast for 16 weeks and perhaps longer! Of course in the hospital which she loathes. What things can happen to the elderly and so suddenly! I hope Hilda's bones are full of calcium-that seems to be the trouble with May's. Even now, although the bone is healing there is no calcium. She has never drunk any milk and I so often find when my friends break bones that they hate milk and have never had any! I hope to see May when I go to N.Y. for Christmas but so far she refuses to see anybody but her son and daughter.

Well, what a world it is and so awfully chancy! And it grieves me to think that the Western powers are so divided in their approach to the world's problems. We here in America, even Canada, I believe, think that the longer we can stave off war the more chance there is that we can come to arrangements that will not be too bad for everybody. Personally I think war is the ultimate confession of failure and of course it is possible that we shall come to that. But I'm sure that will mean the end

August 14, 1958

Dear Bryher:

It's been much too long since I have heard anything from or about you and I realize that it is I whose turn it is to write. Somehow the summer is going at a mad speed and while I did get back from my holiday the last week in July, I am still not caught up on the garden and on many other things. Age, I guess. I can't work as hard or as long or as steadily as I used to do! And I find sitting down and reading a book much the most comfortable way to spend the summer. We have seldom had such a humid summer. I feel as if I were living under the sea and would soon grow a mermaid's tail. We have day after day of wet, hot and cloudy weather, since the end of June, up to which time it had been cold, rainy and gloomy. And you say you too have had a horrid winter. I wonder how the summer's been, for your letter is dated April 21. The numerous people I know who are abroad this year complain of wet and cold in Europe too. What's happening to us? It's quite tempting to blame it on the atom bomb but I'm afraid that is only wishful thinking. The weather bureau says we have had times like this before so I guess it's due to the sun rather than to anything as small in range as earth-made fission.

I wonder if you are coming to the U.S. this fall-you say you will come with Hilda if she is able to leave-even on crutches. It must be pretty hard for her to get about on those for it is difficult to manage them when one is past seventy., so they say. Is she at Lugano or in Zuhrich? I haven't written her for ever-so-long. It gets harder and harder for me to write letters since my hands have become so arthritic. Typing isn't much easier. But I hate being out of touch with old friends. I must tell Hilda about spending a night with Gretchen at Yarmouth. She seems pretty frail-and such a child in many ways! You have never met her, she says; but you are very good to her as you are to all your friends, sending her books etc. She greatly appreciates it..

Just lately I had a notice of a new book of yours coming in September. I'm all agog to read it, but think it can't be the one

about Norman Douglas and Dorothy Richardson. Did I tell you
that Connie Wright has written a biography of Mme. de Lafayette
which is to be published in February? I'll send you a copy when
it appears. She has been working terribly hard on it all summer
and it was to be in the hands of the publishers by the end of
August. I stopped to visit with her on my way to Maine.

I should think indeed you would sell Kenwin and I do so hope
that the right offer will come along soon. It seems immense to me
and would, I should think, be a great care-especially as you like
to be on the move some of the time. Better come and settle in the
U.S.A. if you can stand it! I wonder what will come out of the
present U.N. meetings. It seems so stupid of us to be unable to
counteract Russian propaganda. I suppose the next step is to en-
courage an Arab community which may eventually learn to work to-
gether with themselves and with the rest of the world. And then
perhaps, when they have done that for a while, we can envisage a
world state!

Thanks ever-so-much for George Plank's address(such a pictur-
esque one) I wrote to him and had a nice letter back. Glad you
got to the Scillies again-they must be lovely. I long to go to
Europe again but this winter I am planning a trip of about two
months with Martha Saxton, probably to South America. Originally
we contemplated Japan but as we want to go in winter, just before
Christmas, it did not seem the right time for cold Japan. Do be
sure to let me know when you are coming over and let me put you
up at the Cos.Club and see how you like it-you have never said
whether you'd like to belong! A great controversy this last year as
to Marion Anderson-imagine wanting to blackball someone because
of the color of their skin! I'm reading an interesting book-
"The Uses of the Past" by Muller-have you seen it? Makes you feel
quite humble in the face of what the races of the world have done
even though not white. On the other hand, it does seem as if the
white race had the most initiative so far. Much love to you and
Hilda when you see her-I've not seen the blessed Schaffners for
ages but hear of them through Connie. Have a mosquitoless time
if you go to the Arctic in Europe! Last year's venture must have
been a disappointment.

Ever devotedly,

1239 Westland Ave.
Lancaster, Pa.
March 27, 1960

Dear Bryher:

I don't know how long ago it was that I wrote Hilda but I meant to write you at the same time. Here I am, however, at the end of March almost, and no letter written. I have been on the go, and must go again on April 11 to Wellesley to see about my cousin's estate-such a bore, as I am the only Trustee and am going to ask to be released. So many legal things to move at all nowadays. But I am hoping to be all through with these pesky things( I am trying to will my body to Johns Hopkins and that too requires untold arrangements, very funny)and I shall be all ready to enjoy you and Hilda when she comes over for her very distinguished award. You will come along, won't you? I know you will have many demands upon your time but hope I can see you both somewhere, sometime.

And I have never thanked you for sending that "clothes" book back to me. I'm afraid it was I who made the mistake for it was hard work this year to get anything attended to at Christmas. I was trying to help Elizabeth Steinman with her fabulous Christmas parties because her faithful maid who knew everything about that house, had died just before the holidays and E. was stranded. Elizabeth is now 78 and how she does all the things she puts through I just can't see. She has now seiled for Italy where she meets a friend and they go to Greece on a "tour" which she is not looking forward to because she is such a bad walker. But she will get through, I've no doubt. If she turns up in Montreux and should call you up, don't be surprised as I mean to send her your address. She will be alone there and she loves people and gets lonesome unless she is doing something every minute. For your sake, I hope she won't be there but I know she would love to see you if you are available-sometime in May, I think.

You wrote me such a detailed and appreciative letter about the Langner book-when I finally read it, I didn't think much of it-it could have been much better and I imagine your friend's book can well be the better one. Yes, and I think too it would be wonderful if we could ell wear a working uniform as, of course, they do in many factories. Let's put it to the vote! How I should like a good talk with you once more! Will there ever be time? No, I did not go away this winter and up to March it was perfect here-mild and no snow. But March has done us in. It snows and snows and every night the temperature goes down, down, so that the snow hasn't time to melt. A most unusual March, the coldest on record here. Nevertheless, on my upper bank the early flowers are blooming mightly-with great drifts on the pavement back of the house. I am going on a holiday in April-the Swifts and another Fryn Mawker and I drive to Cape Hatteras, where the Wrights flew the first flying-machine in this country and we hope to explore the Outer Banks which are full of wild-fowl etc. and very interesting from the point of view of early America. It has been isolated so long that the people have retained the old customs and are descendants of the earliest settlers. Wish you were to be with us. I think I'll be home about May 5th when the weather and countryside should be lovely here. And you _must_ see the new baby - I haven't yet but hope to before too long. I hope you got to the Scillies and found warm weather there and flowers blooming-it must be a lovely part of the world and I could wish to see it before I die.

Do let me know what your plans are. I know how very many things you have to do and how many people make demands up on you, but do leave a few minutes for me! Very much love to you and thanks for being such a kind friend to me. I live in hopes of seeing you this spring.

Your devoted but aging
Jedediah E. H.

NORMAN
HOLMES
PEARSON

231 HGS
YALE UNIVERSITY
NEW HAVEN · CONN

22 June 1960

Dear Mary,

I can't begin to tell you how grateful I am, and especially
how grateful Hilda is to you for acting as her surrogate at the Bryn Mawr
Anniversary. For it really was her idea that you might be willing to be
there in her stead, and I only acted as her lieutenant--although of course
a willing one, knowing as I did how splendidly appropriate it would be.

She has given me a long account of your visit to her, and showed
me with great pride the leather citation which she is taking back to Switzer-
land with her. You were wonderfully kind to make this special trip to see
her and tell her about the festivities. I really do not see how she could
have managed it herself, for being proud she does not want to appear unable
to do anything. How young and vigorous she seems within the limits allowed
her.

I am of course grateful too for the collection of souvenirs you sent
me, which I shall put with the other papers of hers I have as part of the
record. Your letter will go there too.

As I hope you gathered, Hilda seems to have been truly liberated by
her visit to the States; and in many ways I think it worked out well for
both Bryher and herself that they could not come together. Hilda has learned
to have confidence in her own abilities to get along--and the result has been
that she plans to return in the fall. This will be a good idea, especially
when the damp mists come off the lake at Küsnacht. She speaks of going to
California, and there is no reason why she should not if she wants to go. Except
for her hip the doctor reports her general health as excellent. Her hip will
be a matter of touch-and-go for the rest of her life, alas.

You are kind to repeat your invitation to Lancaster. Susan would love
to meet you, and has always been anxious to see a market day. You wait: some
day we will be able to come.

October 9, 1960

Dear Bryher:

I feel that I owe you all sorts of apologies for my silence this summer and fall, but indeed I have been unable to think or talk of anything but Grace's illness and all the detail that has imposed upon me. She was ailing all summer, everything seemed to be a trouble to her and I thought it was perhaps because she went on social security in Jan. and I am allowed to pay her only $100. a month. I thought perhaps she wanted to be relieved of some of her usual work etc. But about August she was really so miserable that I insisted on her going to a doctor. They took X-ray pictures but they revealed nothing, so I sent her off for a month to her sister in Port Deposit, Md. thinking a change would do her good. But when I went to bring her back after Labor Day, she had been awfully sick, hadn't eaten for some days, had been to a doctor there who thought it was her gall-bladder. I took her at once to the doctor who then ordered more X-rays and these showed something where the esophagus joined the stomach. So then they explored with a light and found a tumour. So an operation was done immediately and it turned out that the tumour was malignant and that moreover the cancer had already involved the liver and all the glands. Grace does not know this-only that they removed the tumour and had found it cancerous. Needless to say I have been spending a lot of time to and fro to the hospital which she is out of now, thank goodness, and is in a nursing-home at Columbia. So I am doing not only my own affairs but hers too, besides feeding myself and keeping this house going, with no help. It's almost impossible to find anybody responsible willing to do housework any more-they all want factory or white-collar jobs and I can hardly blame them for of course they believe they are more independent that way. It's a problem for the elderly. Wish you could see me trying to cook after 25 years of ease! Well, anyway, that is my saga and I am not only terribly sorry for Grace but I hate to get anyone here as long as there seems to be hope that she will live comfortably a few months. The surgeon gave her 6 months at the most but of course no one can tell. She would like to come back here her only home for so many years, but I simply can't have her unless she is able to look after herself. Sometimes I think she is getting along well-and then she slumps and I suppose that is to be expected. This is a long time but I thought you and Hilda would like to know why I have been so silent.

I do hope you both keep very well and I am hoping to hear that you are arriving soon on this side. Even if I haven't a maid I hope you will come to Lanc. and that we can go to Carlisle and see George Plank's sister. I can get someone by the day for short times.

No time to discuss U.N. and Elections and all the rest-I scarcely have time even to read about them for at 75 one is indeed slowed up. I waste most of the morning just going from one room to the next trying to remember what it was I went for! And there is no such thing as scurrying around as I used to do. At that, I'm very lucky to be as well as I am. Do let me know what your plans are. Since Grace is in the home where I know she sees more people, I feel much freer to attend to my own affairs. When is your book coming? I think I had a notice about it earlier and I have one ordered and am very eager to see it. Constance Wright is working overtime on her-I think she is now doing the final revision. Much, much love to you and H. I regret that I haven't seen Perdida at all this summer-nor, in fact, any of my old cronies. I go back to Johns Hopkins for a check-up on October 28 and after that, may go to N.Y.

Ever,