BR TO DORA RUSSELL, 9 MAY 1924
BRACERS 19957. ALS. McMaster
Proofread by K. Blackwell

472 West 24th Street
New York
In the train.
9 May 1924

My Darling Treasure1 —

Last night I woke in the middle of the night after an extraordinary vivid dream about you — you had been having a baby and we were to sleep together again for the first time — and John was there, and we were swimming. — When I woke up and found I was in America, I had such a sharp pang of home-sickness that it was hours before I got to sleep again.

I don’t feel I should be jealous about anything you did in my absence because I shouldn’t feel it showed a preference of others to me. And altogether when people are as secure in each other’s love as you and I are, jealousy is impossible. I used to be jealous of Colette because she was cold to me. One is jealous because of what one doesn’t get, not because of what others do get.

All this is in reply to something you wrote that I haven’t had time to answer before.

£500 goes to you by this week’s mail, and another £500 by next week’s. So you can get Withers to advise you at once about investing £1000, or more if you have any balance. After that there will still be about £300 to come, so I have done well. It must all be in your name, as I want my fortune kept under £10,000.

Little Kate must be smiling deliciously — I long to see how she has developed. I wonder how much John will remember of me. — Pleasant time at Greenwich with Miss Lowndes — cool and unenthusiastic person, such a relief. Last night, Brown University, Providence R.I., where I stayed with a dear old man, Prof. Everett, whom I made great friends with when I lectured there 10 years ago.

Tonight and tomorrow night, N.Y. Then I go on my travels again and don’t get back to N.Y. till the 25th. Kallen is a nice host — a philosopher, with quiet rooms full of books, a man wholly without prejudices. Was at Wisconsin University, where everybody was German. Got into hot water before 1919 for being pro-Ally, and after that for being pro-German, so he was sacked and is now a Trade Union official. Used to be a disciple of Santayana, but isn’t now. Friend of Sheffer at Harvard.

I keep very fit. Three weeks tomorrow I leave this country — thank God! I see it would be a bearable country if one could choose one’s friends. What makes it trying for me is having to meet 100 new bores every day, all enthusiastic and stupid.

Old Feakins is a dear, and very efficient. He is pleased with me, I am glad to say. I wonder what has happened about birth control, Chelsea, letting our house, and your going to Cornwall. I shall look for you at Liverpool. O my Darling, what happiness it will be to hold you in my arms again. Don’t overwork, my Treasure.

B

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  envelope: Hon Mrs B Russell | 31 Sydney Street | London SW3 | England. Pmk: NEW YORK, N.Y. 3 MAY 9 4³⁰ PM 1924.