BR TO CONSTANCE MALLESON, [30 AUG. 1917]
BRACERS 19204. ALS. McMaster
Edited by S. Turcon. Reviewed by K. Blackwell

<London>
Thursday.1^, 2

My Darling

I got your letter3 and picture post-card from Patterdale this morning — it is lovely country isn’t it? I hope you had tolerable weather — here it has been cold and wet.

I love to think of you at Manchester — I remember the little moment when we met at the door after my last lecture4 — after the Cat and Fiddle5 — Give my love [or would compliments, or respects, be more suitable?] to Marie.6 — I wish I were not going to be engulfed by Nat. Com.7 tomorrow. It will be hard to attend to the business, and still harder not to hustle them unduly to get to an end. O my Dearest, I am longing for you — I have been wonderfully alive all this time, full of plans of philosophical work, feeling the energy to tackle it again. I expect I can get out of the N.C.F.8 at the New Year. Besides, there is quite a good chance that the Absolutists9 may be let out, and then C.A.10 can again take his proper place. How glorious that would be.

Elizabeth11 and my brother12 are here13 for 2 nights — I enjoy seeing her again — I am fond of her. I don’t know much yet about how things are working out between them.

I have made out a syllabus for my lectures14 on mathematical philosophy in the autumn — it has quite excited me.

Tomorrow I shall think of you travelling homeward — what a joy it will be. My Beloved, my heart is with you every moment.  I can’t say more now, I want you too desperately.  Till Saturday, my Beloved.

B. 

• 1

  [document] Document 200184.

• 2

  [date] Colette wrote “29 Thurs Aug 1917” on the verso of the letter. In 1917 29 Aug. was a Wednesday.

• 3

  your letter Her letter of 29 August 1917 (BRACERS 113054).

• 4

  my last lecture Presumably BR’s last lecture at Manchester in the “World as It Can Be Made” series, on 8 December 1916.

• 5

  Cat and Fiddle An isolated pub on the moors near Buxton, Derbyshire, where they stayed 14–17 November 1916. For further information on the pub, see BRACERS 19065, n.5.

• 6

  Marie Marie Blanche was a friend of Colette’s whom she was going to visit at the Gaiety Theatre in Manchester, after she left the Lake District. Colette had first met Marie at the Academy of Dramatic Arts where they were both students.

• 7

  Nat. Com. The National Committee of the No-Conscription Fellowship.

• 8

  N.C.F. No-Conscription Fellowship. BR was not able to drop the NCF as completely as soon as his acting chairmanship was over. See Vellacott, Conscientious Objection (1980, 2015), p. 223.

• 9

  Absolutists Of the 16,000 conscientious objectors who refused to accept the dictates of conscription, at least 985, the absolutists, rejected any form of alternative service. They thereby infringed the Military Service Acts and were forced to endure repeated terms of imprisonment.

• 10

  C.A. (Reginald) Clifford Allen (1889–1939). For further information on him, see BRACERS 19046, n.7.

• 11

  Elizabeth Russell, formerlyMary Annette von Arnim (1866–1941). For further information on her, see BRACERS 19080, n.7.

• 12

  my brother John Francis (“Frank”) Russell (1865–1931). For further information on him, see BRACERS 19046, n.3.

• 13

  here Presumably 57 Gordon Square, their London home, where BR stayed as well since he had rented out his own flat. The Russells also had a country home, Telegraph House, in Sussex.

• 14

  my lectures No copy of the syllabus is known to be extant. From 30 October to 18 December 1917 BR gave the series of lectures every Thursday on mathematical logic in Dr. Williams’ Library, Gordon Square. These lectures were the basis of Introduction to Mathematical Philosophy (B&R A30).