The Letters of T. S. Eliot, Volume 1: 1898-1922 (58 page)

MS
Houghton

9 December 1918

18 Crawford Mansions

Dear Rodker,

I have given your review to Weaver for the January issue, and have also forwarded your communication to her.

I shall not be doing any writing for the
Egoist
for some months, as my doctor has advised me to take a rest and merely read for some time. Would you care to deal with any review books that come in from month to month, on the style of your excellent
Egoist
and
L. Review
reviews. In consideration of a fee. I have spoken to Weaver about this, and it is quite definite whether she writes to you or not – I don’t know whether she expected to, as I said I was writing to you.

Sincerely
T. S. Eliot

MS
Beinecke

14 December 1918

18 Crawford Mansions

Dear Mr Bennett,

I am writing to thank you in retrospect of the kind letter you wrote for me this summer when I was trying to get an American Commission. I can testify to the effect it produced upon more than one official, though I found that no letter or accumulation of letters would have cut the red tape of American bureaucracy at once. Happily the letter remains in my possession, to be realised upon by my heirs at Sothebys; and I remain in civilian life.

I took the liberty of sending you some time ago the
Little Review
with some verse of mine which I hoped you might like.

I trust that you will soon be able to give all your attention to your own work, and perhaps incidentally preserve Government-Office life in wartime for future generations through that medium.
¹

Again with many thanks.

Sincerely yours
T. S. Eliot

1–Bennett had briefly been Director of Propaganda at the Ministry of Information, Oct.– Nov.

MS
LSE

14 December 1918

18 Crawford Mansions

Dear Professor Wallas,

I am writing, after a long epidemic of domestic influenza, to thank you in retrospect for your testimonial last summer. It is hardly necessary to say that I am still a civilian, but I only missed a Navy place by a hair’s breadth. Under the circumstances, I am just as well satisfied. I encountered a great deal of red tape, and met with several disappointments during the summer, and still (as a result of this plus peace plus influenza) feel very tired, and [am] not writing at present.

I wonder if an American friend named Gray,
¹
professor of history at Bryn Mawr, and on the Shipping Board over here, presented an introduction to you. I think you would have found him agreeable.

With many thanks and most seasonable wishes to Mrs Wallas and yourself,

Sincerely yours,
T. S. Eliot

1–Howard L. Gray, Professor of European History at Bryn Mawr, 1915–40; author of
War Time Control of Industry: The Experience of England
(1918). TSE wrote ‘Grey’.

MS
Houghton

15 December [1918]

18 Crawford Mansions

Dear Mrs Eliot

Of course this will arrive very late for Xmas, and I am so sorry. But influenza has prevented my getting anything off in time – even now I have not been well in time to get any little presents for anyone in America. I shall send you something a little later on – and meanwhile I hope so much that you will all have a very happy Xmas. We ought all to have a much happier Xmas than we have had for years. It is disappointing that thousands of people are still separated, but that is inevitable. My brother will not be with us again, he is at home now, as he managed to get a few days leave, but must go back to Italy on December 20. My parents are very disappointed.

It is really difficult to adapt oneself to the new conditions – although the conditions here continue in most ways to make ordinary living difficult and
terribly
expensive. But to realise that at last the fearful weight and horror are over, well, one can hardly understand it. 

Tom started with influenza, and although he had it extremely slightly it left him very weak. I got it about a week later, and had such a persistent fever that I was kept in bed for a week, and indoors for a fortnight. I am only just getting strong enough to get about again. Since the war stopped and all that period of indecision and anxiety is over Tom’s health seems to be very gradually improving. But he has been worrying himself about his mind not acting as it used to do, and a feeling that his writing was falling off. So I felt very strongly that a complete
mental
rest was what he really ought to have. So after a good deal of argument I have got him to sign a contract with me, saying that he will do no writing of any kind, except what is necessary for the one lecture a week which he has to give, and no reading, except poetry and novels and such reading as is necessary for the lectures, for three months from now.
¹
Also he has promised to take a walk every day. I am sure you will be glad to hear this. When one’s brain is very fatigued, the only thing to do, I think, is to
give up
the attempt to use it. For if one goes on tasking it and it will not respond one feels one’s powers are failing and that means despair. I believe if Tom tries now to live healthily and regularly for three months he will find his mind is quite fresh again.

We are now beginning to look forward to going to U.S.A. I expect Tom told you he thinks he can ask for two months off at the end of the summer. It seems a long time to wait, but as Lloyds have behaved with so much appreciation and generosity to him through all that trying time, and always take such interest in him, he feels he cannot ask before that, as business will not be settled down for a long time yet. What we both hope is to bring you both back with us, and perhaps some others of the family too, so that we
might
get a Xmas together next year.

With love and best wishes to you both,

from Vivien

1–As agreed, TSE published nothing for three months, taking up reviewing again in Apr. 1919.

MS
Houghton

22 December 1918

18 Crawford Mansions

My dearest Mother,

It is some days since I have heard from you. I shall hope to hear that Henry is with you for Christmas and the rest of the week. It would be nice
if he could take a long holiday, when Husband and Thomas get back, and come over here – it is really time that he came abroad, and just now he must be very stale, and depressed to think that the war is ended without his having taken part in it.

When I got father’s last letter I cabled to Aunt Susie to express sympathy for Aunt Marian,
¹
but I have heard nothing since. I am very anxious for more news, and am very distressed by the possibility of not seeing her again.

I am feeling much better than I did a short time ago, or when I wrote last. The weather had been very rainy, and I had a sharp attack of sciatica for two or three days, but it has now wholly passed off. Vivien is making me take cod liver oil. I think she is on the whole stronger than she was. Last winter was of course very trying, much more so than anyone can realise, and I have never told you yet of all the things that we went through here – I shall when it is prudent to do so. The doctor still prescribes a very careful and regular life for her, and she still has bad migraines whenever she worries or over-exerts herself. I do not understand it, and it worries me.

We have had Maurice here for ten days and he has just returned to Italy. He of course will have to stay there for some time to come, as he is in the regular army and as he is engaged in directing railway operations.

Is Frank
²
still in France? London is extraordinarily crowded, and the shops, tubes, and buses are packed with people. It is very difficult to do any Christmas shopping.

I am having three weeks holiday from lecturing.

I shall think of you and should like to be with you on Christmas morning for the stockings and the tree. I like to think that you still have a tree.

With every Christmas blessing to you both from us

Your loving son
Tom.

1–His father had written that Marian (christened Mary) Stearns (1854–1918) was seriously ill.

2–Frank Munro Eliot (1886–1967), his first cousin. An officer in the 18th US Infantry, he had been gassed at Cantigny but remained in the army.

MS
Houghton

29 December 1918

18 Crawford Mansions

My dearest mother,

I was very deeply grieved to hear from Henry that Aunt Marian had already died. (Father wrote ‘
Aunt Mary
’ but I presume he meant Aunt Marian.) I expected it to happen from what father said before, as a haemorrhage in the brain sounds almost certainly fatal, but I am sorry that she never got my cable. I was always quite fond of her, and enjoyed talking to her. I had a very pleasant few days with her once in Paris. I shall miss her very much when I revisit Cambridge, and I had also looked forward to entertaining her in London.

I wonder if she left any money to the Hinkleys or Aunt Nellie,
¹
or whether she had only a Davis annuity.
²

I hope you had Henry and Ada for Christmas and should like to know what sort of Christmas you had. I think you were
very
generous in your presents to me and Vivien and we both thank you very deeply. (Vivien is writing separately). Your letter containing the drafts came the day before Christmas. I wanted to cable a Christmas message to you, but the cable companies refused to take any ‘greetings messages’ this year on account of the pressure of correspondence.

I got a small Christmas tree, though it was impossible to find in the shops any of the usual trinkets to adorn it. We had our stockings as usual with nuts and oranges and such candies as were obtainable, but very scarce. I gave her a coal-scuttle for the drawing room and she gave me some books. Her aunt presented a turkey, and we had Mr and Mrs Haigh-Wood to dinner, instead of going there, as they have been unable to get any servant.

‘Boxing Day’, the day after Christmas (a holiday here) we went to see President Wilson arrive and drive to Buckingham Palace.
³
There was a huge crowd, and the streets were all hung with American flags. It was really an extraordinary and inspiring occasion. I do not believe that people in America realise how much Wilson’s policy has done to inspire respect for America abroad. I think that
all
the nations, allied, hostile, and neutral,
trust
us as they trust no other – everyone with the exception of particular
circles, political or commercial, whose interests are not in common with those of the world at large. I have heard men of several nationalities speak very warmly. I don’t think much of the Democratic party, but I hope it will survive long enough to see the satisfaction of the peace negotiations along Wilson lines. America certainly has a more disinterested record of foreign policy (at least from the time of John Hay)
⁴
than any other country. Politics here are in complete chaos at present,
⁵
and I am very pessimistic about it. It is most deplorable that men like Asquith, Simon, Runciman, McKenna, Snowden, should have been defeated.
⁶

I must stop now. We wish you a very very happy New Year!

Your loving son
Tom.

1–Ellen Farley Reed (1841–1931), the eldest married sister, whose husband died young from wounds received in the Civil War.

2–As a girl she had spent much time with a family named Davis, who left her money.

3–Woodrow Wilson was the first US President to visit Britain while in office, arriving on 26 Dec. as a guest of the King and Queen, and departing after five days.

4–John Hay (1838–1905), diplomat; secretary to Abraham Lincoln, friend of Henry Adams; US Ambassador to the UK; Secretary of State 1898–1905. TSE referred to him as ‘the great John Hay, who had been engaged in settling the problems of China and Cuba’ (A., 23 May 1919).

5–The ‘coupon’ election of 14 Dec. resulted in a substantial victory for the wartime coalition of Lloyd George’s Liberals, Bonar Law’s Conservatives, and a few independent and former Labour MPs, under the premiership of Lloyd George. However, the coalition was widely distrusted.

6–The defeated Liberals included Sir John Simon (formerly Home Secretary) and Walter Runciman (formerly President of the Board of Trade), as well as Reginald McKenna (formerly Chancellor of the Exchequer), who had opposed conscription. The Labour MP Philip Snowden was a pacifist and champion of conscientious objectors.

MS
Houghton

30 December [1918]

18 Crawford Mansions

Dear Mrs Eliot

It was kind of you to send me £2 this Christmas, and I am very pleased to have it. I feel very ashamed of sending nothing to America, but you understand about the influenza and other difficulties, which lasted right up to Xmas. We had lovely weather on Xmas day and the day after –‘Wilson weather’ and certainly London was looking its
most
beautiful when Wilson drove through the streets. Although very tired after Xmas day, Tom and I went early and stood in the best place we could find, for over two hours. Even then we had quite thirty
rows
deep of people in front of us – and I should have seen nothing at all if Tom had not lifted me up just as they passed. It was a most moving and wonderful sight to see him sitting next the King, and having such a glorious welcome. We all follow 
American politics now, although before the war I suppose no ordinary English person knew anything about them. Tom has remarked that English people are more generally political than Americans.

Tom’s Xmas was rather shadowed by the news of his aunt’s death. It greatly upset him, and I too feel it, for Tom had told me about her and I was very much looking forward to meeting her, and perhaps having her here.

Tom was amused to hear of Robert Nichols’ activities in America.
¹
We saw him just before he left, while we were waiting for an air raid in a café. The story is that when he went out to France he got stuck in a chimney, where he had to hide. The chimney was knocked down and Robert’s mental balance has never quite recovered from the shock. If you can get hold of a novel of Hugh Walpole’s, called
The Dark Forest
, I wish you would read it. Hugh Walpole is an acquaintance of Tom’s.

Will you please thank Marion for her Calendar, which arrived only today. It is a most useful kind of Calendar, and I have not seen one like it. I shall write to her.

London has never been so full. The crowds are so enormous, everywhere, in the streets and public places, theatres restaurants, you cannot possibly imagine. Of course one sees Americans at every turn.

Hoping you and Mr Eliot will have a very healthy and happy New Year.

Yours affectly.
Vivien