BR TO OTTOLINE MORRELL, [19 NOV. 1911]
BRACERS 17349. ALS. Morrell papers #262, Texas
Proofread by K. Blackwell et al.

<Cambridge>
Sunday mg.1^, 2

My Darling

Your little note reached me last night, and your dear letter came this morning. I am glad you are free tomorrow morning. I shall get to the flat by 10.30 but I have no doubt I shall have plenty to do talking to the charwoman and putting things straight before you come. I have a Comee. in my rooms at 4.30, so I must catch the 2.35 back. I have already prepared my 5.30 lecture, as the Comee. will prevent me from preparing it after I get home, which is what I usually do.

Yesterday I went to Ogden’s rooms to talk about Adult Suffrage to about a dozen young men. Ogden is Sec. of the Heretics, and had the utmost difficulty in preventing his heretical friends from shocking the Sec. of the Xtian Social Union who is a keen adultist and was there. He came back to my rooms with me to get some literature — I liked him. His aspiration was to get Masterman to address the C.S.U. here.

As soon as he was gone, a youth named Ryder, son of a Cambridge tradesman, came. Dickinson had sent him to see me — he is about 18, and wants to come to the University and read philosophy. His people would like him to mind the shop, but he is passionate for philosophy, apparently they will let him come if there is any prospect of his doing well. He was pale and earnest and (one felt) intensely passionate about philosophy. I found him very lovable — too much in earnest to have any humour, but simple and touching. He has read hardly anything except Spinoza, whom he loves, tho’ he can’t swallow him whole. I told him it was useless to give his life to philosophy unless he had a purely intellectual interest in it as well as a religious and emotional interest — I lent him Hume, telling him Hume would be a touchstone. I told him the religious interest would probably find little satisfaction in philosophy — I said all the things I could on that side, and yet I think it was obvious that my feeling was the other way. Oddly enough, while he was here Goldie turned up, saying he had come to ask me what was the basis of morals! So the young man stayed while we talked — obviously it was a great event for him. Hitherto of course he has hardly known educated people at all. — Then I had a short time for my Index, and then Hilton Young’s dinner. There were a lot of people there — I sat between Hawtrey and Spring Rice. Mayor was there and Raverat (who married Miss Darwin) and various people — We all adjourned to McTaggart’s rooms afterwards. Sheppard was there, having wilfully missed a train to Oxford where he was engaged for dinner and the week-end — I met Sheppard as I was going to post my letter to you and he came to tea with me. I like him very much indeed. After McT’s I finished my Index and sent it off.

While I was writing this I was interrupted by Hill from upstairs, who came to talk about the quarrel between bedmaker and help, which has gone on merrily all the term. The whole staircase now thinks the help must be moved to another staircase, so that will no doubt be done at the end of the term. The bedmaker has had colic of the kidneys (whatever that is), apparently from worry. I hear them quarrelling hours together, and the help is ill-tempered, incompetent, and very stupid. I should be glad if she were moved.

Darling it is awful what a lot you have to do getting my things. And when the shops are odious it is worse. Thanks for the list of linen. I will get the charwoman to look it over.

Dearest love, you do make me feel things without expressing them, but when you do express them it is an added joy. Only one can’t unless it comes naturally — I know how one can feel without the impulse to express. But I don’t think you need be afraid to express things to me — I am so happy thinking of tomorrow, tho’ it will be brief, — but Tuesday we shall really have time to talk — it takes time to get into talk doesn’t it? Goodbye my treasure — I love you with all my soul, my Dearest Love —

Your
B.

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  [document] Document 000262. Proofread against a colour scan of the original.

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  [envelope] A circled “262”. The Lady Ottoline Morrell | 44 Bedford Square | London W.C. Pmk: CAMBRIDGE | 10 PM | NO 19 | 11 | 8