BRACERS Record Detail for 17914

To access the original letter, email the Russell Archives.

Collection code
RA3
Recent acquisition no.
69
Document no.
000780
Box no.
2.62
Source if not BR
Texas, U. of, HRC
Recipient(s)
Morrell, Ottoline
Sender(s)
BR
Date
1913/05/19
Form of letter
ALS(DX)
Pieces
1E
BR's address code (if sender)
TC
Notes and topics

"If I can keep fit, I have material for writing steadily till I go to America. But when you first come home I want to write about 'the place of good and evil in the universe'."*

*The original topic for BR's Lowell Lectures.

Transcription

BR TO OTTOLINE MORRELL, 19 MAY 1913
BRACERS 17914. ALS. Morrell papers #780, Texas
Proofread by K. Blackwell et al.


19 May ’13.1, 2

My Darling Love

Two letters came from you this morning, both dated Friday and both post-marked Saturday. It was a great joy to get them, I am glad the Dr. is fairly satisfied about J. — I shall be anxious to hear more fully after he has talked it over with you. My Swiss Baedeker, which I got last year, is in London — I shall be there tomorrow and will send it then. Froude sounds appalling — why don’t you leave him and start something more interesting? I am glad you like the Man of Property better than you did — I thought it much the best of his novels. I fancy it is almost all autobiography. I think Combe ought to pay you a commission for sending him so many patients! I wonder what he will say about P.

Miss Stawell came again and we had a great set-to — quite good — but there come points where her knowledge gives out. She was very kind — when she went away she said “God bless you”, which quite upset me. However, I settled down to Time and have written 6 pages since she went. Now I have to go out to lunch so my time is short.

The writing leaves me rather exhausted when I stop, with vague buzzing thoughts, and everything rather unreal. Time is complicated and puzzling. Like a stretched spring I rebound violently at moments into human things — longing for you — last night I went a walk in the moonlight and met innumerable couples — By the time I see you again the fit of concentration will be over, but all the energy and impetus of it will have gone into wishing to be with you — I shall have to write an easy book on logic to precede this one on theory of knowledge — If I can keep fit, I have material for writing steadily till I go to America. But when you first come home I want to write about “the place of good and evil in the universe” — What happy times we will have! Darling Darling I long to be with you again. I love you love you with all my soul and strength — Goodbye.

Your
B

  • 1

    [document] Document 000780. Proofread against a colour scan of the original.

  • 2

    [envelope] A circled “780”. The Lady Ottoline Morrell | Hôtel Riche-Mont | Lausanne1 | Switzerland. | Pmk. CAMBRIDGE | MAY 13. Pmk. on verso: LAUSANNE EXP. LETTR | 18–19 | 20·V | 191

Permission
Everyone
Transcription Public Access
Yes
Record no.
17914
Record created
May 20, 2014
Record last modified
Jun 23, 2025
Created/last modified by
duncana