I still hope to get to England again before long.
Stephen was here. Such a great joy. My little garden-house has gained something in atmosphere since his visit. How I do wish you could see it!
Please give my love to Bob and May and William especially; and tell Simon Raven, if he’s around, how much I’ve liked his reviews in the Listener.
Au revoir, Morgan dearest,
your loving
Christopher
* * *
[return address of air letter: King’s College, Cambridge]
Sunday,
July 26 [1953]
I write to Dearest Christopher,
Incredible dictu—the Countess Amiya and the Swami have just lunched in my room at King’s with myself and Bob. Quelle combinaison et quelle chance! I wrote just at the exact moment, all fitted, and I feel so happy about it and am sure you will be. The Swami (in a silver grey complet) was gentle and friendly, but I did not “get to know him” or have much consec-utive talk. I felt that he had a philosophic mind and that I should have to peck at its edges as it turned round rather than expect it to poke me. Earl pal-zeik-03 4/14/08 2:57 PM Page 156
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and another man joined us after lunch. Bit of a rush. I took them all to the Chapel, which was just before service and a parrot warren, now they are sure and Bob has gone, and fatigued and a little dazed [I write to Dearest Christopher].31
It is lovely to think you may be coming over. I do hope I see Bill too. Give him my love. Rob’s marriage went off well and gaily, but there is this endless trouble of house-getting. Incidentally I am moving myself—but only from Trumpington Street entirely into College, where I have just been assigned a large bedroom close to my present sittingroom. It is a for-and-against situation, but I am thankful to have been assigned anything—the Wilkinsons are moving, and couldn’t keep me.
I forget whether I wrote to you since my visit to S.W. France with Bill Roerick & Tom Coley: one of the treats of my life. I hope to go again (alone) to France in September, but it depends on all the movings [ sic].
I doubt dearest Christopher my getting to America again. I can’t tell you how often I think of it and of my American friends. It has been such a wonderful addition at an age in my life when I didn’t expect to do or get more.
I half hoped to see the Swami again next week (at the Hyde Park Hotel) but he is very busy. But what luck it has been to get him to Cambridge at a moment when Bob was here. I want very much to talk about him to you.
Love from much satisfied
Morgan
* * *
King’s Coll., Camb.
July 2[,] 1954
Dearest Christopher,
I am fascinated with the book,32 despite disappointments and difficulties. I will be lending it to Bob, and will then read it again. It keeps approaching to and then receding from the world of my own experiences, like something moving in the dusk, and so is more provocative tha[n] anything else you have written. Leading ambiguity is Asparian-Elizabeth, whom I do not want to meet nor whose moves to read. She is very well done, with almost fiendish consistency, yet I haven’t yet grasped how you
[wou]ld have us react to her. Again and again—lifting her remarks out of their prevalent sauce—I’ve felt I should like then so much if they were your remarks and tasted sharp and straight of you.
Michael is a very naughty hero indeed, and how Stephen could have stood up against him I do not see—who anyhow had to have a bit of something, as afterwards with Jane. So that the (British) book-jacket’s reference pal-zeik-03 4/14/08 2:57 PM Page 157
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to “shameful betrayals” puzzles me. My feeling is that there is no specific moral lesson in the book, but that all the characters who are worth anything are learning something—to be simpler, to be alone, not to gloat even about sin, not to attack the hate-disease directly, to lie open to intimations of unity should they happen to come. Gerda—and of course Sarah—learn most, and though they try they never learn through the trying.
Technical item: Shouldn’t pp 238–244 (English edition) come elsewhere? Your time-sequences are so intermixed that I can’t say where, but it should be in some relationship to the marriage to Jane, not inserted into an Elizabeth-sequence, which it interrupts.
Bob and I are just back from Leiden where I had a degree and was addressed very movingly form [ sic] the pulpit of St Peter’s Church. Will try to send you [the] address. All went well, we thought and spoke often of you and at Amsterdam and the Hague revisited some former scenes. At the end of this month I go via Switzerland to Bayreuth, so you may deduce that I am in good health and continental. I meant to write to you when I saw your play, which I enjoyed whenever it was yours, but van Druten had vulgarised it; and had failed to convey the atmosphere of Nazism thickening outside in the street.—Well acted, and as you know still running.33
I am well (as in last paragraph) and have plenty of sensations and impressions. The trouble is they rush by so quickly, as in a dream. Holland is already vanishing, and the people who have been coming in and out of this room all day coalesce into a monologue and I into a civil grin. Indeed as I write I remember that I have not been here all day—arriving from London at 11.00 A.M. only, and since then going once and perhaps twice into a nap.
We had a large quiet upper room at Leiden, looking over a garden which had a great maiden hair tree in it. Sky always grey in the morning and sun later. Town hall near—very cheerful with its bells. The Dutch were at their best. It was a lovely quiet time and I found speaking publicly came easy—I never do it in England now. I shall be seeing Bob again soon, when he drives over with May and her New Zealand brother to lunch.
Love, and thank you for the book,
Morgan
* * *
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King’s Coll. Camb.
Jan. 17[,] 1956
Dearest Christopher,
Your titled friends have told me of your arrival, and here comes my line of love. Catch me spilling my further news, though. Plans only. I plan to be here until Thursday week (26th) and then to London. I should be free on that evening, but what is important: can you dine with me and Bob the next day, Friday? It is one of his very rare visits to town, and probably his only chance of seeing you. The mornings of Saturday and Sunday might be possible, but Friday dinner the 27th is best.
Love
Morgan
* * *
[postcard]
K.C.C. Sunday
Feb. 19[,] 1956
Could I bring Nick Furbank for a drink on Wednesday at about 6.15?34
I am writing to you both to suggest it. He would like it I know.—Send me a p.c. by return if you are able to as I may be leaving here Tuesday.
The visit of D[on] and yourself was much enjoyed by me and all.35 Bob
& May have just left.
Morgan
* * *
King’s Coll., Camb.
Jan. 5[,] 1958
Dearest Christopher,
Love to you and Don, and I rang up the Cavendish before I left London yesterday but though expected you had not yet arrived[,] I am afraid I shall not see you again unless you manage, both of you, to run up here.36 When how welcome you would be. I forget your sailing date.
Lots of letters to answer, including one from Heinz, which shall be treated discretely. He is at an address new to me, in a nice flat.
I did so enjoy our two evenings.
Love to Don and you,
Morgan
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* * *
[postmark of air letter: Cambridge, January 14, 1960]
Dearest Christopher,
Double Envelope cannot move from John’s fireside, and I read it there last week in comfort and with great interest, but too hastily as time was short. The photographs of Tom, we agreed, was a master stroke, broke up the Forrest-Leonard alliance, and created new alliances.