N.P.

I really liked Mrs Lindbergh; she has enthusiasm and warmth, and couldn't stop talking about you and her admiration for you. And your smile. We both agreed you were beautiful, it that surprises you. "

( It does! )

22nd April, 1967.

As I said, or did I, your article for Adam was splendid. I am delighted you did it. When it is published you must be sure that Horace as well as I have copies. The Magazine itself is not always easy to find.

18th May, 1967.

The Salter anecdote about you which you quoted sounds most unlikely. You have wit but of a different type. This is as polished as finger nails.

29th June 1967.

You have so many who address you as "dearest Fido" that I am often tempted to protest and say, "But she's *my* Fido," and address you as My Fido in letters. But that would be possessive in French but not I imagine in English. Anyhow, dearest Fido or *my* Fido I have been working like a dog too all day at my desk, the day being rainy again so that even if there were no work to do I should not be tempted out of doors. Does one ever get correspondence out of the way?

I mean you and I who are centers of whole networks of letter-writing.

15 July 1967

Letter from Norman Pearson, 29 November 1967.

I was just about to write you that I was wrong and Tolkien had indeed written a story as well as the new song book. And now you say it is worthless. He is in a different situation from you in having devoted his scholarly life to the quest theme and the various myths which he wove ¤¤¤ bit by bit over the years into a tapestry. He did this marvellously but once done it really was done. You on the other hand have worked in various periods, and can move from one to another. Your only danger point is in an over-reliance on the escape story. The repetition of anguish over the passing of an age probably gains strength by being shown to be recurrent in history.

As to the Tiger, this is really going too far if she gets herself
locked up in the Niehans cellar. I am seriously worried that they may
think she is bugged with a little wireless transmitter, then sent to work
her way into the Niehans home, by being there broadcasting to you and
Elsie all of the Niehans plans for their own garden, as well as the trade
secrets for planting glands. I am sure Tigerli would dearly love such
a diabolical plan, and having practised the possibility was on the point
of proposing it to Elsie. But I must solemnly advise against it. Better
to have the Tiger stay at home afternoons and do her memoirs.

29th May 1967.

Don't " approve " of your verse? Nor at all. Or did my unк
make me type " voice " first. Not at all, your verse is a reflection
of your voice; and your prose is ( as everyone says ) frequently the
finest poetry. Once I quiet down I shall surprise you one Christmas
or birthday with a little volume of your plundered poems. So I
especially thank you for letting me have my book ( in this poem ) first.
I was deeply moved by it, sensing the flow of your feeling back through
the verse, back behind that to the dolphin, and behind the dolpin to
Hilda, your Hilda and our Hilda.

19th June 1967.

Norman.

No room for forgetfulness.

11th September 1969.

It is utterly depressing to think that now,
more or less at the end of the afternoon, you
are at the airport and about to leave us. I
hated talking to you this morning on the phone
in anticipation of this very feeling. My only
consolation is that after your next month or so
of visitors and visiting you will have a chance
to get back again to the memoirs.

But we did have a wonderful visit - the
best ever - from you, and for that I am
especially grateful.

N.