BR TO CONSTANCE MALLESON, 20 SEPT. 1944
BRACERS 19823. ALS. McMaster. SLBR 2: #464
Edited by S. Turcon and N. Griffin. Reviewed by K. Blackwell

Trinity College
Cambridge.1
Sp. 20, 1944

Dearest Colette

I have letters from you of August 4th, 15th, and 30th;2 they seem generally to take about a fortnight. I will begin with my own news, so that you need no longer imagine me living on a cloud, like God in pictures.

I have rooms in College for the moment, and shall be living mainly in them till Xmas. Peter3 and Conrad4 were, until last Saturday, in a boarding house, but I have bought a house and they are now in it, though as yet with almost no furniture. Later on, I shall move out and live there; the address is Grosvenor Lodge, Babraham Road, Cambridge. The house is small and commonplace, but the garden is nice. It is practically in the country, and the country near it is pleasant. I had to buy as there is nothing to rent, but it leaves me very hard up. I dine in hall and enjoy seeing dons I used to know 30 years ago. George Trevy5 is much mellowed, very friendly, and nice. One can still play the game of great-uncles with him and his wife — his was Macaulay, hers Matthew Arnold,6 and the only subject they disagree about is which was the greater. There are several dons I used to work with on the U.D.C.7 — Peter and Conrad are both delighted to be back; living in America made us all very patriotic. Conrad loves architecture and has remarkable taste. He gave the Master his considered criticism of the College Library (built by Wren!).8 John9 is still in London. He will probably go to the Far East in about 2 months, and is likely to be there for years. Kate10 is just back from America, covered with academic glory. She won a prize of $250 as the best student of her year in either Harvard or Radcliffe (the feminine annexe of Harvard); her College wanted to put her on the staff, and a university offered her a professorship though she is not yet 21. Nevertheless she came home. She and John11 came for a week-end but their work keeps them in London. I shall be lecturing on non-demonstrative inference. My history of philosophy will be published12 here as soon as the Government allows the necessary paper; in America, it will be published this autumn or next spring. I hate to think of your being so short of books. It is not possible to send books from here, or I would send you some.

The last war and Joseph Conrad:13 I merely knew he would dislike my views, so I kept out of his way. I do not write to you about this war because I don’t quite know what censorships letters to Sweden have to pass, but I am afraid we shall not wholly agree.14 However, I don’t think our disagreements need be of a kind to matter. I think there is now a mail to Paris, but am not sure.15

The story about me at the age of 6 is not quite right. At the end of an exquisite day in May, my great-uncle Lord Minto16 told me that as one got older one enjoyed things less, and I should never enjoy another summer day as much as I had enjoyed that one. I burst into tears, and wept till I fell asleep late at night.

I am not lecturing yet, and it has been vacation since I got home, so I don’t know what the students are like. — I shall never forget “sweet lovely roses”17 because they are bound up with a very important moment in my life.

I hope that now it will not be long before you can come to England. You say you must get “patched up” — I hope it will not be too difficult. I very much wish to see you again. I met Miles18 by chance and enjoyed seeing him, and we spoke of you. Goodbye dearest Colette, with very much love.

Ever yours
B

• 1

  [document] Document 200829. In addition to the stamped number “200829”, this letter also has a second number, RA2 710.104398 written on it in pencil.

• 2

  letters from you of August 4th, 15th, and 30th These letters, unlike the letters that Colette sent to BR when he was in America, are not extant. Colette was still in Sweden.

• 3

  Peter Patricia “Peter” Russell, neé Spence (1910–2004). She and BR were married from 1936 until 1952.

• 4

  Conrad Conrad Sebastian Robert Russell, born 15 April 1937, to BR and his wife Patricia.

• 5

  George Trevy George Trevelyan (1876–1962), historian and a long-time friend. He was the master of Trinity College from 1940 to 1951.

• 6

  his was Macaulay, hers Matthew Arnold Thomas Babington Macaulay (1800–1859), the historian, was the uncle of George Otto Trevelyan, also a historian and G.M. Trevelyan’s father. Matthew Arnold (1822–1888), the poet and critic, was the uncle of Mrs. Humphry Ward, the novelist, and Janet Trevelyan’s mother.

• 7

  U.D.C. The Union of Democratic Control was founded in 1914 in reaction to the secret diplomacy which contributed to Britain’s involvement in World War I. BR was a participant in the early meetings which established the UDC and remained active in the organization throughout the war.

• 8

  Wren Sir Christopher Wren (1632–1732), mathematician, astronomer, and Britain’s most famous architect, whose buildings include St. Paul’s Cathedral and the Royal Naval Hospital.

• 9

  John John Conrad Russell, born 16 November 1921, to BR and his wife Dora.

• 10

  Kate Katharine Russell, born 29 December 1923, to BR and his wife Dora. Her last name changed to Tait upon her marriage.

• 11

  She and John John was studying Japanese while Kate was working at the Ministry of Information where their mother Dora also worked; both were living with her in London.

• 12

  My history of philosophy will be published In fact, his A History of Western Philosophy was not published in the United States until a year later, in October 1945. It took a further year for its British publication in November 1946 because of the continuing paper shortages.

• 13

  Joseph Conrad The novelist (1857–1924). BR named both his sons after Conrad (John Conrad, born 1921 and Conrad Sebastian Robert, born 1937). BR, who first met Conrad in 1913, admired him immensely.

• 14

  am afraid we shall not wholly agree Colette still supported Finland, where she had lived in the early days of the war. Finland’s main enemy was its neighbour Russia. For self-preservation Finland had to align its interests with Germany. She wrote many letters to the editor in defence of Finland.

• 15

  I think there is now a mail to Paris, but am not sure. Paris had been liberated on 24 August.

• 16

  Lord Minto This story appears in BR’s Autobiography (1: 23). There he added a conclusion: “Subsequent experience has shown me that his remark was as untrue as it was cruel.” How Colette heard the story is not known since her letter mentioning it is not extant. Lord Minto was BR’s grandmother’s oldest brother, William Hugh Elliot (1814–1891), the 3rd Earl Minto from 1859.

• 17

  “sweet lovely roses” The refrain from the man selling roses in Gordon Square. BR sent him to Colette with a bouquet in 1916. The refrain became almost a talisman of their relationship; in old age Colette sent a bouquet to BR every year on his birthday. It is not clear if Colette sent BR roses at this time or was simply reminiscing as her letters are not extant for this time period.

• 18

  Miles Miles Malleson (1888–1969), Colette’s husband; they married in 1915 and divorced in 1923. He was an actor, playwright, and screenwriter.