BR TO CONSTANCE MALLESON, 13 MAR. 1919
BRACERS 19452. ALS. McMaster
Edited by S. Turcon. Reviewed by K. Blackwell

<Garsington>
13.3.19.1^, 2

My Heart’s Life

Your letter this morning3 gave me the very greatest joy. Thank you for it with all my soul. — I do understand your storms of despair — but you will get work in time, and that will put other things right. You did a very great thing for me in taking me to Lynton4 — ever since, my work has prospered, and though I have been unhappy owing to your sexless mood,5 it has not made the slightest difference to my work. The time at Lynton gave me the start I wanted, and now it goes by its own momentum. I had lost will, but now I have recovered it — that is all due to your beautiful kindness. So there has been no failure there, in what really matters.

I will arrive about 11.30 (I reach Padd. at 11). It would be lovely to see the crocuses in the Park. Sunday morning I should like to walk to Battersea,6 as I want to fetch some things and look up the address of the Dial, which I have lost. Or Monday morning would do, if you preferred it.

I had a very enthusiastic letter about my new book from a man named Nunn,7 a good man, whose praise is worth a good deal. Also a nice letter from Watson,8 the chief of the Behaviourists in America, to whom I had written expressing some doubt as to his system. — I think of going to the sea on June 25 for 2 months — I would take a small house9 if I could, and help to pay for it by sometimes having friends as paying guests. Littlewood10 will pay half. It is worth spending money, as it will make all the difference to my work. If you can come at times, it will be divine. The first moment you can spare, I should like to go and look for something. Probably it will be necessary to put up with lodgings; but I hope not. Let us try Lulworth first.

I shan’t get a letter written tomorrow as I start before the post comes.

My Beloved, I love you with all my soul — Don’t feel despair — you are very young still, and most of your misfortunes have been due to inexperience, so they ought to get better. Goodbye my Beloved, till Saturday.

B.

• 1

  [document] Document 200440.

• 2

  [envelope] The Lady Constance Malleson | 34 Russell Chambers | Bury Street | W.C.1. Pmk: GARSINGTON | MR 13 | 19 | OXFORD

• 3

  Your letter this morning Not extant.

• 4

  Lynton Together with Clifford Allen, they spent the Christmas season at the Cottage Hotel.

• 5

  sexless mood Colette had first noted that she had she has fallen into a “monastic mood” in late February (BRACERS 113178).

• 6

  walk to Battersea BR was sharing a flat there with Clifford Allen. For this visit to London, it appears he would be staying in his own flat, Russell Chambers, which he was then renting to Colette.

• 7

  a man named Nunn T. Percy Nunn (1870–1944), educationist. In 1919 Nunn was Vice-Principal at the London Day Training College. The letter (BRACERS 78851) was a thank-you from Nunn for the gift from BR of an Introduction to Mathematical Philosophy (B&R A30).

• 8

  letter from Watson John B. Watson (1878–1958). Watson wrote on 21 February 1919 (BRACERS 81546), replying to BR’s inquiries on image and recollection in psychology and enclosed some notes. BR’s letter to him appears not to be extant. BR was later to meet Watson on an Atlantic crossing in September 1929.

• 9

  a small house This turned out to be Newlands Farm in West Lulworth.

• 10

  Littlewood John Edensor Littlewood (1885–1977), mathematician. Littlewood had two children, Philip and Ann Streatfeild, with the wife of Dr. Raymond Streatfeild.