FRANK AND ELIZABETH RUSSELL TO BR, 22–28 JUNE 1918
BRACERS 46920. TLS/ALS. McMaster
Proofread by K. Blackwell

22 June 1918.

My dear Bertie,

I have the signed Agreement for the Introduction to Mathematical Philosophy. The first volume of the French book has gone to Lady Ottoline, and I will give her your message recd; through Carr. The £200 is on deposit at 3%. An American in Minnesota aged 70 years sends you a letter and some pamphlets. Unwin will charge 10% with regard to negotiations for the American rights of Roads to Freedom. Allen and Unwin would like at your convenience a brief descriptive paragraph for inclusion in their Announcement List for Introduction to Mathematical Philosophy.

Margaret Davies is going away on the 17th July, which is the first free day I have to bring her to see you. Would you like her to come with O. and Murray on the 3rd instead of me, or shall I insist on its being the 17th? She can come 17th. Professor Stout has just answered he would like the Review.

24 June 1918.

I have today paid £18.14.6 for rent of your Flat.

27 June 1918.

I am sorry to hear from E. that Miss Rinder’s letter was held up and sent to the Home Office — Lord knows why! Lloyd George’s references to Russia on Monday are thought by some to mean that he and Clemenceau would be willing to make peace on satisfactory terms in the West, leaving Germany a free hand in Russia. This of course would be disastrous and would mean in effect that Germany had won the war. It is so contrary to Wilson’s policy that many think he cannot mean it. I shall put down a Question to elucidate the matter after asking Curzon privately whether it would be permissible. Curzon, by the way, was very satisfactory on the League of Nations yesterday. Kerensky’s appearance requires explanation, which I have not yet got. In view of your instructions I am dropping the fellowship with a bump, and will ask for a few details when I next see you. Do not write too much about it. Your box of books is here, and a list of contents is enclosed.

28 June. Friday.

You will now have E’s photo, which was held up three weeks at the prison by mistake. Allen re Lippincott: “We should be in a better position to handle the matter if we had a copy of B.R’s Contract with Lippincott”. Can you tell me where this is, and may they have it? Dakyns writes a nice letter. What do you say to Margaret Davies and Lowes Dickinson for your visit on the 17th, or would you prefer Dakyns? I have an official Notice which I will talk to you about next Wednesday. Cousens will do the Index for you if you wish him to, and he has the proofs. Miss Kyle has taken your MS. Poor Miss Rinder is very much distressed and says “I heard from C.A. yesterday, he is sending a message for you “as soon as C.E.M. returns”, have they only one mind between them? You are not alone in feeling impotent, Nevinson and Dickinson both separately used almost the same phrase to me yesterday, but I think you are pessimistic. No one who can give us a new sense of values can be described as impotent, and I among others, have often gained that from your letters. G.L — D. wrote this for you “Dear Bertie, the dinner was delightful. I quoted your sentence about being “mad with truth”, etc. Would gladly see you when possible, say 10th July. So long. G.L — D.” I so enjoyed the comparison with Godwin, though you did make poor Mary Shelley a mere straw in the wind! — Mrs. H. has heard that her son was taken prisoner in March, but nothing more. She would visit you if you “were short of visitors”! I wonder if that diamond buckle would be worn! I am very sorry about my letter, and also sorry that I shan’t be so useful as I’d hoped. I met many of your friends at a Herald Party tonight; they all sent love. G-J was very bright and Miles and Joad shared chairs with great difficulty”. Poor Miss Wrinch has influenza, just when she wanted to be everywhere at once.”

Many people are reading Mysticism and Logic and talking to me about it. I think that’s all I have.

Yours affly,
F. [Added by Elizabeth to my brother’s letter.] (B.R.)

Dearest Bertie,

This is me. (E.) These messages when one reads them and isn’t in possession of the context sound very like the messages of a medium trying to get through things from another world to a dear one still struggling (as you are,) in this one. Percy* telephoned just now and got that magazine and likes it very much, indeed: He sounded very cheerful. He asked me to assure you of his continued and unalterable esteem. Lady Ottoline is coming to see me next week, which will be a great pleasure to me. I’m sure I shall like her tremendously. I’m going to the Walkürie at Drury Lane tonight — I believe it is being very well done — Don’t you wish you were coming too, and don’t I wish you were! I sent you the few chocolates I could find — no prospect could be held out to me of any more, so I sent some stuffed dates as well which seem to me agreeable objects. Francis and I are going under Dr Carr’s soft white wing to a symposium at University College next week — an orgy of the Aristotelians and British Psychologicals and such — with Balfour presiding. I do think its pathetic how earnestly we desire knowledge and how incapable we are of receiving it. We shall go hand in hand, he and I, like anxious little children. I hope they’re not going to upset me again about God. It was such a joy seeing you the other day. Is that French book any good? If so you might give it me back some time as I’d like to read it. Ever yours with heaps of love.

Elizabeth R.

*[Pseudonym for Colette] (B.R.)