BR TO CONSTANCE MALLESON, [28 OCT. 1917]
BRACERS 19234. ALS. McMaster
Edited by S. Turcon. Reviewed by K. Blackwell

<London>
Sunday1^, 2^, 3

My dear one

Thank you for your letter — I have had two — the earlier one4 very unhappy — I hope you are less unhappy now. I am very very sorry about Miles5 — I do hope it is not as bad as he thinks. But in any case he has his writing — he can write good plays, and he must be encouraged in that —

The outer world has been rather more hopeful. The leader in The Times on the C.O’s6 was a great event, and although the Government has not decided to do anything at present, I think it very likely they will be forced to do something soon. Mrs Hobhouse7 has been doing wonders, and every day new pressure is being brought to bear. I should not be at all surprised if they were all out by Xmas. Did you see the resolution of the Unitarians?8 They are symptomatic of a great body of opinion.

I was also cheered by the German peace offer though Briand,9 especially as the French Chamber sacked Ribot10 for rejecting it. It was an extraordinarily good offer, including restoration of Alsace-Lorraine.

We have been having fearful crises over the Tribunal,11 but they seem to be ending happily.

My logic lectures begin Tuesday12 and I am very busy. I long to see you and talk — Life seems very difficult — I think I shall remain in a state of worry as long as the winter lasts — after that I hope I shall grow sane — Work drives me mad — But when the winter is over I shall try to get rested —

Goodbye my Darling — you are good to me —

B

• 1

  [document] Document 200222.

• 2

  [envelope] The Lady Constance Malleson | 4 Cecil Street | Manchester. Pmk: LONDON | 6.15 PM | 28 OC | 17

• 3

  [date] The date is taken from the envelope postmark.

• 4

  earlier one Colette noted “Russell was mistaken. It was the later letter, 27th Oct. which was unhappy.”

• 5

  very sorry about Miles In her letter of 26 October 1917, Colette wrote from Manchester about her husband: “Miles, poor lamb, is feeling dejected, thinking he’s made a hash of his job here, which, of course, he hasn’t. But I do feel for him” (BRACERS 113080). Miles was presumably acting in a play there.

• 6

  leader in The Times on the C.O’s “Conscience Recalcitrant”, The Times, 25 Oct. 1917, p. 7.

• 7

  Mrs Hobhouse Margaret Heyworth Hobhouse (1854–1921), wife of Henry Hobhouse (1854–1937), M.P. Mrs. Hobhouse was trying to gain release for the absolutists — she and BR worked together in this endeavour. A letter written by BR was published in the New Statesman under her name on 9 June 1917 (B&R C17.33), and BR also wrote the first chapter of her pamphlet “I Appeal unto Caesar”, first published in July 1917 (B&R B7).

• 8

  resolution of the Unitarians Not identified.

• 9

  German peace offer though Briand BR was relying on a mistaken reports in the Manchester Guardian, 23 Oct. 1917, and other newspapers which incorrectly described a meeting between Aristide Briand (1862–1932), a former French prime minister, and Prince Bernhard von Bülow in Switzerland (see “The International Outlook”, 80 inPapers 14).

• 10

  French Chamber sacked Ribot Alexander Ribot (1842–1923), former French prime minister. His government was defeated on 7 September 1917, but he remained on as Foreign Minister until he resigned on 23 October 1917.

• 11

  having fearful crisis over the Tribunal BR may be referring to B.J. Boothroyd’s resignation as editor; he was replaced by Lydia Smith, a Quaker schoolteacher.

• 12

  logic lectures begin Tuesday BR taught a course on the philosophy of mathematics from 30 October to 18 December at Dr. Williams’ Library in London.