BR TO CONSTANCE MALLESON, 2 JULY 1919
BRACERS 19495. ALS. McMaster
Edited by S. Turcon. Reviewed by K. Blackwell

<West Lulworth>
Newlands Farm1^, 2
2 July 1919

My dearest Darling

Your letter of yesterday3 arrived by first post — thank you for it 1000 times. I wired because I thought perhaps you were quite established at the Attic,4 and would think I hadn’t written. Thank you, my loved one, for all the dear and lovely things you say in your letter — they are a happiness.

I am so sorry about Miles.5 Dr. Streatfeild6 is (I think) away, but I am not sure. I do hope it will turn out not to be serious with Miles.

A list of books — Oh Dear oh Dear! It is easy to omit Dickens and Thackeray, but there seem equally good reasons for omitting every one else. The thing is to start on books that one finds interesting, not simply on duty books. I will think. — I got just your 2 impressions about Wedgewood.7 But the impression of courage is much truer. I am grateful to him for telling the truth.

This letter is being taken to London by a couple who have been camping in our woods — they are waiting.

Littlewood8 wants to have his people here later on! Perhaps it would better to go to Ashford9 then, at the end of your time, and for you to come here first. You can’t be here with them — they are arriving from S. Africa — if they came in August I fancy it would do. I will find out whether Mrs Woodhouse10 is free later.

Please wire when you know about your job and your plans.

Must stop. My dearest Darling my thoughts are with you every moment — I long to feel your love and your arms about me — I bless you every moment —

B

• 1

  [document] Document 200483.

• 2

  [envelope] The Lady Constance Malleson | 6 Mecklenburgh Square | London W.C.1. Pmk: | LONDON SE1 |8.15 PM | 2 JUL 19 E

• 3

  letter of yesterday Not extant.

• 4

  established at the Attic Colette had been living at BR’s Bury Street flat since September 1918 — BR lived elsewhere — and had just returned to her previous flat in Mecklenburgh Square nicknamed “The Attic”.

• 5

  Miles Miles Malleson (1888–1969), Colette’s husband. Colette and Miles were no longer living together but remained on friendly terms. What was wrong with him is not known. For information on him, see BRACERS 19046, n.4.

• 6

  Dr. Streatfeild Dr. Raymond Streatfeild. BR’s first known contact with him is 1918 when Streatfeild thanked him for sending him a copy of Mysticism and Logic (BRACERS 3216). Streatfeild was BR’s physician in the 1930s.

• 7

  2 impressions about Wedgewood Not extant. Possibly about Josiah Wedgwood (1872–1943), M.P. Colette describes him as having a “thin, hatchet face deeply tanned and [a] lean body very taut — and the whole of him uncompromisingly on the side of liberty in every single issue. A born fighter if there ever was one” (After Ten Years [London: J. Cape, 1931], p. 105).

• 8

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

• 9

  Ashford Colette and BR vacationed there. For further information, see BRACERS 19217, n.4.

• 10

  Mrs Woodhouse Mrs. Agnes Woodhouse, the owner of the house, The Avenue, in Ashford Carbonel where Colette and BR vacationed.