BR TO CONSTANCE MALLESON, [8 AUG. 1919]
BRACERS 19521. ALS. McMaster
Edited by S. Turcon. Reviewed by K. Blackwell

<West Lulworth>
<letterhead>
70, Overstrand Mansions,
Prince of Wales Road,
Battersea, S.W.1^, 2
Friday3

My Darling Love

This is a fearful question, whether Helen should be dark or fair!4 I hardly like to write to Murray5 about it — for various reasons — No doubt you had better be fair as that is what they want — I hope Young Heaven6 will go all right — who is doing it, and are you the leading lady? — 1000 thanks for the ties, which are exactly perfect — C.A.7 is delighted with his, and says he never knew before that you understood him so well. The weather here is absolutely perfect — we work except in the afternoon, when we bathe — it is too hot for much energy. Littlewood’s cousin8 keeps on suggesting that she can’t get away because of the railway strike, and I keep on assuring her there will be no difficulty. She is dull beyond belief. Mrs Streatfeild9 is recovering. Bob Trevy10 comes Aug. 25 (Monday) so if I come to town for 2 days it must be before that: it could be the 2 days before, Sat. 23 to Mon. 25. Will you be too busy? Or could I hear your Helen? Or would the middle of the week be better? Or shall I wait till after the Trojan Women? I wish to God I could come — but Oxford11 is doubly awkward because of Garsington,12 and also the Murrays13 —

Let me know about coming.

My Beloved, I love you, love you, love you — with all my heart and all my spirit. Goodbye my Cherub — I long to kiss your eyes and stroke your hair —

B

• 1

  [document] Document 200508.

• 2

  [envelope] The Lady Constance Malleson | 6 Mecklenburgh Square | London W.C.1. Pmk: WEST LULWORTH | 8 AU | 19

• 3

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

• 4

  whether Helen should be dark or fair See BRACERS 19519, n.7.

• 5

  Murray (George) Gilbert Aimé Murray (1866–1957) who translated the play. For information on him, see BRACERS 19121, n.4.

• 6

  Young Heaven A play by her husband, Miles Malleson, published by Allen & Unwin in 1918. Colette played the role of Daphne when it was staged by Lewis Casson in Oxford on 8 September 1919.

• 7

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

• 8

  Littlewood’s cousin Miss Budden.

• 9

  Mrs Streatfeild The wife of Dr. Raymond Streatfeild, she had two children, Philip and Ann Streatfeild, with J.E. Littlewood.

• 10

  Bob Trevy Robert Calverley Trevelyan (1872–1951), poet and translator, a friend of BR’s from Trinity College.

• 11

  Oxford Lewis Casson had been invited to provide a theatrical matinee there, by the organizers of the “No More War” pacifist symposium. He chose The Trojan Women by Euripides, a powerful anti-war play; the performance took place on 5 September 1919. BR did not attend the Oxford performance. The play was later performed in London at the Old Vic (four times in October and the beginning of November; an additional two performances in December), at a special performance for the League of Nations at the Alhambra in November, and at the Holborn Empire (four times in December) — all with Colette in the role of Helen.

• 12

  Garsington Garsington Manor, near Oxford, the county home of Lady Ottoline and Philip Morrell.

• 13

  the Murrays Gilbert Murray and his wife, Lady Mary Howard. For information on them, see BRACERS 19121, n.4.