BRACERS Record Detail for 120055

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Collection code
RA3
Recent acquisition no.
1601F
Source if not BR
Farr, Caroline
Recipient(s)
White, Thomas Raeburn
White and Williams
Sender(s)
BR
Date
1946/07/08
Form of letter
ALS(TC)
Pieces
1
BR's address code (if sender)
TC
Notes, topics or text

This typed copy of BR's presumed holograph letter was made by White and Williams and enclosed with White's letter of 11 July 1946, record 120054.

BR outlines his plan of dealing with Barnes with regard to the boxes in Farr's possession. The boxes contain private letters, including those of other people "given into our charge to avoid the war-time censorship of two governments."

Transcription

BR TO WHITE AND WILLIAMS / T.R. WHITE, 8 JULY 1946
BRACERS 120055. ALS(TC). Caroline Farr
Proofread by K. Blackwell


Trinity College,
Cambridge,
July 8, 1946.

Dear Mr. White:

I am sorry Dr. Barnes is showing his usual form. As he is so obstructive there is no point in my being conciliatory.

1. I cannot consent to the boxes in Mr. Farr’s custody being opened. They contain private letters not only my wife’s and mine, but those <of other> people’s, given into our charge to avoid the war-time censorship of two governments.

2. I had been willing, for the sake of peace, not to contest Dr. Barnes’s assertion that the books were a loan. In fact, however, this assertion is untrue. I am prepared to state ona oath that the books were a gift.

3. Since, nevertheless, I should still prefer to avoid a Court action, I suggest that Dr. Barnes should be asked to agree to one or more of the two following courses:

(a) that I should supply him with other copies of the same books (if obtainable);
(b) that he should allow the boxes to be returned to England with a guarantee from me that I will return his books to him if they are in the boxes.

I should be glad to know whether he had a legal right to object to (a). If I had borrowed a penny he would not have a right to insist upon my returning the same penny.

Would you be so kind as to let Mr. Farr know the gist of this letter?

Yours sincerely,
Bertrand Russell

Textual Notes
  • a

    on corrected from or

Permission
Everyone
Transcription Public Access
Yes
Record no.
120055
Record created
Jun 19, 2014
Record last modified
Oct 18, 2023
Created/last modified by
blackwk