American Express Co. London, Thursday, April

Dear Mother, and Thornton and Janet,

I woke up on Tuesday morning at seven, to find myself in London.
When I went on deck after breakfast at about 8:30 o'clock, Aunt Char-
lotte walked into sight on the dock below: I was surprised. It was
cold and grey--a true English morning. Since there were so few of us,
we were off in about a half hour. She wanted me so much to stay with
them that I could only acquiesce--especially since I had a letter from
the hotel saying they could not take me over the Bank holiday. It was
convenient to be driven here--a terribly long way. The house is very
attractive but the neighborhood is not only dull, but deadly. And get-
ting here impossible though now I've learned to use the subway. I hate
all subways. It is several bus-stops beyond Olympia. So from that you
will know--and on the outskirts of Fulham. But the house itself is one
in a triangular block of new ones--all connected and exactly alike.
Cream white stucco with green blinds and doors, with a pretty garden
in the center of the block. So at least it stands out in these miles
of shabby greyed-brick rows. I have been astonished at the great amount
of building that has been going on here. Coming from the docks, we went
through miles of slums and outer districts. Whole blocks have been torn
down and modern buildings--almost fantastic in architecture--put up.
The people do not like going from their own little hideous houses into
"flats". Also, great units and blocks for higher class tenants have and
are being put up. One is a block down from here, and a still newer one
and a stranger appearing one--two blocks away. Outside, they are "modern"
but inside....Still dear old England knows nothing of real efficiency
or comfort. Bedrooms built without closets, so the wardrobes must still
be set up in good wall space...etc...etc.

Oh, it's so chilly! Inside. I'd forgotten about little coal fires
lighted just before dinner in a sitting-room, and gas-fires... I'd for-
gotten. But today is warmer. They have been having a drought. Serious,
this early when the crops are beginning.

2 London is more full of people than I remembered, more noisy. It's noisier than New York. The chains of buses are solid. The advent of the private car is a curse. The first day, after we had had breakfast, I went to the Am. Express & to see a bit. There was your cable. Too bad! Now my ears are out for the Bigger News(Pulitzer). I had a letter from Jimmy Childers--a carbon of one sent to the boat which I did not receive--and a note from Mrs. Hotson asking me for the Easter weekend, well over by then. It was lovely to be walking down the Haymarket. At the Haymarket Theatre, I saw a new play was opening the next night with Lilian Braithwaite, "Elizabeth, La Femme sans Gens". So I got two tickets, and I went to the pit. (The pit is a wonderful thing when, as in this case, the tickets can be booked in advance.) Bus No.9 took me back--Hyde Park Corner, Kensington, by Barkers and Pontings...remember? The flowers everywhere are wonderful. In the parks, in front of the houses, and the endless stalls and barrows on the streets. Oh, the tulips of all colors & sizes--6d. a dozen. Lilies, irises, roses, violets, primroses and your favorite anemones. Take your breath away. Everyone has flowers and flowers. I had to buy some. Purple tulips and a great bunch of brilliant blue forget-me-nots. After lunch, Aunt Charlotte took us on a jaunt. A car is so different from our day. In an afternoon we went to Guilford and saw the Downs in the distance, then to Farnham and Aldershot. To Bayshot for tea at an old inn--a marvellous tea. In the washroom I found a most beautiful ring. I wanted to keep it. An almost round sapphire surrounded by diamonds in an old setting. It exactly fitted. But I gave it up to the landlady & have regretted it ever since! The country-side, although not sunny was beautiful. The leaves well along, the lilies and other flowering shrubs out, apple-blossoms in full beauty. Fields ploughed. In a few hours I had left the awful Atlantic, was completely lost and enchanted by Surrey. Sat. Julian Duguid is coming up to take me down for the week-end. Tuesday night and the day, Wednesday, I spend with the Hotsons at Beaconsfield. Thursday, Aunt C. is driving to Wales for a Y.W. meeting.

and I am going with her. Thursday night and Friday thereafter, her meeting. Home, Saturday. Wont that be interesting? I've always wanted to go to Wales. Of course this will be brief but I'll have two nights & all day Friday by myself in a little Inn and will poke about that day. Yesterday to the National Gallery to pay my respects to the two Vermeers, one so very beautiful. The other also very fine but not as fine. They make a lovely pair, each a woman in blue and cream at the virginals. A large tea at the Plane Tree which is exactly as you knew it. I've walked miles and stared my eyes out. I was dead weary Tuesday night. Went to bed at ten. Slept from 12--6 and from six dozed until 10:45! Last night the play (Aunt C. went with me) was most interesting. A French psychological study of the eternal question of Elizabeth & Essex and why she never married. Miss Braitwaite was not quite the harridan that Lynn Fontaine made of her in the Maxwell Anderson version of the story. Yet she achieved great power in the big scenes. This afternoon, the matinee of "White Oaks", in order to see the performance of the leading lady, (Nancy Price) who is an important figure in the establishing of a National Theatre after all these years of effort. She does for the part what Miss Barrymore apparently misses. It was admirable but the pace of the whole thing too drawn out. I think you'd enjoy seeing it there. The whole cast was excellent. I sat in the upper circle, 5s, program, 6d. It is at the Playhouse, the theatre on the embankment. A beautiful little house. The Haymarket is lovely, and also so minute. Why, the Morosco is all outdoors compared to these theatres. Lunch yesterday at the Little Sandwien Shop in Little Welbeck Street of which Elizabeth Perry wrote me. An amusing and nice place, as big as an ordinary dining room. One sits at a snelf that runs around three sides. Lunch today at a Lyons Corner Shop--dreadful places...

At first glance the people seemed better dressed and more like us
than before but now my third day and studying them more closely, the
differences have become so --?--that I'm lost for words
to define what it is--more than bone-y structure.

It's not only their

4

faces but the whole structure of their bodies is different, the way
their minds work, the heavy expressions on even charming faces...They
move so heavily, too. Yet out of this general lumberingness comes
those lilting voices. No theatre tonight. I'm frantic to see two plays
closing this week, but I'm (A) too tired still after that nightmare
trip, and (B) it's too far from here. I'm doing my duty and then I leave
here. The Hotsons I had to go to and spoil Tuesday and Wednesday when
I might have gone to a hotel in town, because I've had to say No twice,
once because of the Duguid invitation, and second, the Wales trip.
I'M changing my passage to third class on the Queen Mary or Bremen or
Europa. I waste no more ten days on the ocean. Next time a nice cross-
ing--our trip to Sweden with you and Thornton, or just plain Europe with
some of you. Yesterday at AM. Express a welcoming cable from Anita
via Zürich which was a nappy surprise. I'm going in search of a "Variety"
tomorrow. Last week's should be arriving tonight on the Europa.. I
had very funny dreams those dozing nights on the American Farmer. I got
so that even Amytol would not send me off to too tired to sleep the doctor
said.) One was on Sunday night when I had been thinking of you all
at home, six hours behind, and the Tea. I asked you (Mother) how the
party had gone. Your face took on a long-drawn and suffering expression
and you said, "We asked too many people & they all came in threes."
I hope that was not the truth.

Mrs. Blake's treasured Austrian slavey is most incompetent all around, except as a scrubber. She's strong and clean and cheerful & there is the whole story. (Confidential bulletin). My new baggage carried my things wonderfully well. The wardrobe suitcase is marvelous. I simply remove the inside contraption and hang it up as it is in the closet on the snip and now here. I'm living in layers of wool. The plaid skirt and green jacket is perfect English style while the hat even with mutilated featner--a revelation of chie. Yet there are lots of pretty windows, and expensive contents. It's very dear. I console myself that though, as you warned me, relatives are in limit, I'm having a week for very little! Cant wait to see the flower borders at Kew & Hampton Court. "Coriolanus" opened at the Old Vic with Sybil Thorndike last night. Gielgud in "Merchant of Venice" next week. New openings all the time. I'm glad to be here, but will soon be anxious to settle down in one place.

Write soon and often, all of you.

Much love,

Isabel.

4

WESTERN
UNION

A. N. WILLIAMS
PRESIDENT

1201

<table><thead><tr><th>SYMBOLS</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>DL = Day Letter</td></tr><tr><td>NL = Night Letter</td></tr><tr><td>LC = Deferred Cable</td></tr><tr><td>NLT = Cable Night Letter</td></tr><tr><td>Ship Radiogram</td></tr></tbody></table>

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NA62 INTL=CD LONDON VIA WU CABLES 20 10
NLT WILDERS=

1946 MAY 11 AM 3 30

50 DEEPWOOD DR NHVN= 14

SEEMS BEST TO POSTPONE RETURN UNTIL MAY TWENTYFIRST AM
WELL EVEN HAPPY NOW LOVE=
I SABEL.

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