James, Henry, 1843-1916.

4 A.D.s to Sidney Colvin: London and Sussex.
n.d.

3 A.L.s. to Sidney Colvin: London and Sussex.
Dec. 26, 1895-Feb. 24, 1913

Bought with the Alvord and Plain Funds

E. Type written copies included.

Dictated.

LAMB HOUSE,
RYE,
SUSSEX.

October 25th., 1912.

Dear Frances Colvin.

I have your dear kind note, and am greatly touched by it;
but Jocelyn Persse reported of me through his constitutional aura
of fine gold and rose-colour in pronouncing me restored to anything
like even my poor normal powers. If you have, either of you, ever
known this odious, this really atrocious visitation of "Shingles",
which indeed heaven forfend! it will be present to you that the
very essence of the damned ordeal is to drag itself out, to come
at you again and again, to keep you under its heel, to the last
point of the unbearable — and still even then not to have done
with you or let you off. I have been ill a month, and am still
as you see, unable to sit up and address myself like a gentleman
and a scholar — or in any manner approaching to it; and there
is small possibility, I fear, of my being able to go up and revel
with you, dearly as I should like to toast you in Hoorays, on the

2

LAMB HOUSE,
RYE,
SUSSEX.

near date of your Celebration. I still have the poorest days
and the worst and most be-drugged nights — and still can count
on nothing and hope for nothing. Even when I secured my privi-
lege of presence it was with a dark and dreary prescience; so I
throw myself on your indulgence if I am really too sick and sore — !

May it all be very noble and charming — as it can't possibly
help being. I shall hear of it from many partakers, and shall to
that extent partake affectionately; and shall come and see you
as soon as I can, even for a night or two, be safely in town.

That may not indeed be before a good little while yet. But like
yourselves I have gone in for a fresh installation there (have
taken the lease of a small flat in Cheyne Walk;) and think I shall
feel more your neighbour than I have ever felt. I greet and em-
brace you both; beg you to condone this graceless method, and am
all affectionately yours Both

Monday.

13, DE VERE MANSIONS WEST,
W.

Dear Colvin.

Could you post _on receipt_ the enclosed to the poor dear
lady of Skerryvore who writes me that she is in town but gives
no address! You will hugely oblige

Monday

REFORM CLUB,

PALL MALL. S.W.

My dear Colvin.

I have had no news of Bourget since Hotel Minerva, Florence, some weeks ago. They were leaving - going to Rome, but I haven't heard. The only thing seems to be to address 7 rue de Monsieur, Paris; everything seems forwarded swiftly enough from there. - I am delighted with the idea of the dedication to him from Ludovicus Magnus - & rejoice in the near approach of the volume. - I've just been voting at the Athenaeum for your 2 gentlemen - & the others. It's early - & I fear I shall not have the ballot.

34, DE VERE GARDENS.W.

Dec;

26th

1895

My dear Colvin.

Don't think me a monster of unsociability, of unfriend-
ship, if I tell you the truth on the question of accepting
your hospitable invitation for Monday. The great dining-out
business has lately reached a point with me at which I have
felt that something must be done - that I must in other words
pull up. I have been doing it nightly ever since Nov. 1st,
& it has left me with such arrears of occupation on my hands
that it is imperative for me to try & use a few evenings to
catch up. I am therefore accepting no invitations for the
present - having got all the last but one well behind me. This
is the plain unvarnished tale that I let loose at you instead
of gracefully romancing about another engagement. Alas, "A-
las" is hypocritical; what I really mean is that I can never
dine out any more at all! It has come to the question of
that or leaving London, & I must try that first. It is hero-
ic & really tests me, to have to take you so early in the peri-
od. But you can help me by forgiving me & forgiving this long-
windet gabber of yours with a desire for more margin to think
of you.

Henry James.

P.S. Will you kindly say to Mrs. Sitwell that I am very grateful for her Xmas petit mot & that the very first use I mean to make of my "margin", after it has accumulated for a few hours will be to come to see her?

LAMB HOUSE,
RYE,
SUSSEX.

July 3d

1903

My dear Colvin.

I am venturing to send you, & to send Mrs. Sitwell as
conjoined with you, & on the occasion of that conjunction,
a very modest little token of old friendship & affectionate
participation, in the form of a diminutive (very) silver sal-
ver, big enough to hold a glass of wine or a vase of flowers.
The packet goes to you with my name on it somewhere & carries
you both the dearest benediction of yours very constantly

Henry James

P.S. Il m'en a coute to have to be absent from your party at
the Monument today - concerning which Mrs. Sitwell found an
instant to make me, with all she must have to think of, so
kind a sign. But London is impossible to me in these days,
& your horde must, as it is, be over your eyes.

LAMB HOUSE
RYE
SUSSEX.

Sunday

My dear Colvin.

I am greatly touched by your letter. Most indubitably
will I, & with joy, come up for 12.30, on Tuesday, at S. Mary-
lebone Church, & for the G. Central Hotel afterward. I thank
you much, both, for giving me this chance to testify to the
faithful allegiance of yours always

Henry James

Feb:24:1913

21, CARLYLE MANSIONS,
CHEYNE WALK, S.W.

My dear Colvin.

All thanks - I am marking the name of Mr. Oliver &
returning the paper.

I have been again having a sad bad time - but my nurse de-
parts tomorrow. It would be very humane indeed of you to
come to see me - this tremendous distance, & I should be de-
lighted. I quite believe I shall still keep the house - all
the week, & any afternoon -! Perhaps you wd. conveniently
telephone. Shld. you take the train from near you to Sloane
Square the motorbus 19 brings you thence to within 3 minutes
of my door - to the foot of Beaufort St. (old Battersea Bridge.)
All home saluti - !

Tuesday

34, De Vere Gardens,
W.

My dear Colvin.

I don't think Jusserand has come yet, but I know nothing. He usually writes me in advance - to ask for the Athenaeum &c. He was expected (by Mme. Waddington,) ceft-jour-ci, but I haven't definitely heard of his advent. I am afraid that unless he writes me meanwhile, I shall know nothing till Saturday next, when I shall be able to ask the Bestournelles, at whose board I am very sorry I am not to find you. I am in town for the rest of this month - but not later.

THE REFORM CLUB

April 29th

1903

Dear Mrs. Sitwell,

How charming & interesting your note, & how deeply touch-
ed I feel at having your news from you in this delightful way.
It gives me the greatest pleasure & I very affectionately
congratulate you both. Besides being good, your intention is
beautiful, which good intentions _always_ aren't. And it has a
noble poetic justice, in which there is a dignity matching
even with that of the Monument. You talk of the crown of
your romance coming late, but what do you say to the total
absence (at the same lateness) of all crowns whatever, whether
of romance or of anything else? - which is the chill grey
solitary portion of your faithful old friend

Henry James

P.S. Please give my particular love to S.C., as you will see
him before I have the chance to give him the very consecrating
handshake - as to my sympathy - that I am keeping for him.

Dictated.

LAMB HOUSE,

RYE,

SUSSEX.

October 25th., 1912.

Dear Frances Colvin,

I have your dear kind note, and am greatly touched by it; but Jocelyn Persse reported of me through his constitutional aura of fine gold and rose-colour in pronouncing me restored to anything like even my poor normal powers. If you have, either of you, ever known this odious, this really atrocious visitation of "Shingles", which indeed Heaven forfend! it will be present to you that the very essence of the damned ordeal is to drag itself out, to come at you again and again, to keep you under its heel, to the last point of the unbearable - and still even then not to have done with you or let you off. I have been ill a month, and am still, as you see, unable to sit up and address myself like a gentleman and a scholar - or in any manner approaching to it; and there is small possibility, I fear, of my being able to go up and revel with you, dearly as I should like to toast you in Hoorays, on the near date of your Celebration. I still have the poorest days and the worst and most be-drugged nights - and still can count on nothing and hope for nothing. Even when I secured my privilege of presence it was with a dark and dreary prescience; so I throw myself on your indulgence if I am really too sick and sore - ! May it all be very noble and charming - as it can't possibly help being. I shall hear of it from many partakers, and shall to that extent partake affectionately; and shall come and see you as soon as I can, even for a night or two, be safely in town. That may not indeed be before a good little while yet. But like yourselves I have gone in for a fresh installation there (have taken the lease of a small flat in Cheyne Walk) and think I shall feel more your neighbour than I have ever felt. I greet and embrace you both; beg you to condone this graceless method and am all affectionately yours Both

Henry James