BR TO CONSTANCE MALLESON, 6 APR. 1962
BRACERS 19905. ALS. McMaster
Edited by S. Turcon. Reviewed by K. Blackwell

<London>
<letterhead>
Plas Penrhyn,
Penrhyndeudraeth,
Merioneth.1^, 2
April 6, 1962

Dearest Colette

Ever since I got your letter written on our predecessor Guy Fawkes’ Day3 I have meant to write to you. Marcus Aurelius says4 one must not plead stress of business, so I won’t. What happened about your sister’s biography?5 I suppose your news about your rich and avaricious nephew’s attempts6 at fraud is as good as could be expected. I hear of Clare7 from the office but have not yet met her since the ’20’s. I should like to, if she is not too deaf to wish it. Our campaign8 takes up all my energy (which is less than it was) and leaves me rather empty. One is constantly reminded of old times, but the present situation is infinitely more terrible than that of 1914–1918. I think of you very much and very often, and always with deep affection.

Ever yours
B.

• 1

  [document] Document 200909.

• 2

  [envelope] The Lady Constance Malleson | Ponder’s Cottage | Lavenham | Suffolk. Pmk: CHELSEA | 5.15 PM | 6 APR | 1962 | S.W.3

• 3

  your letter written on our predecessor Guy Fawkes’ Day 5 November 1961 (BRACERS 98462).

• 4

  Marcus Aurelius says Marcus Aelius Antonius Aurelius (121–180) was an important Stoic philosopher and the Emperor of Rome from 161 until his death. The Thoughts of the Emperor M. Aurelius Antonius (London: G. Bell, 1889) is in Russell Library, no. 805. BR may be referring to the passage, VIII, no. 22: “Attend to the matter which is before thee, whether it is an opinion or an act or a word.”

• 5

  your sister’s biography Mabel Annesley, As the Sight Is Bent, was being worked on by Colette and was published two years later by Museum Press.

• 6

  nephew’s attempts Gerald Francis (Sowerby) Annesley (1904–1992), the son of her half-sister Mabel and her husband, Gerald Sowerby. See BRACERS 19904, n.7.

• 7

  Clare Clare Annesley (1893–1980), Colette’s sister.

• 8

  Our campaign Of mass civil disobedience in support of unilateral nuclear disarmament under the banner of the Committee of 100.