W. GLADYS RINDER TO BR, 25 MAY 1918
BRACERS 79611. ALS. McMaster
Proofread by S. Turcon and K. Blackwell

Windmill Cottage
Icklesham,
Winchelsea
Saturday 25 May 1918

Dear Mr. Russell

Lady Russell gave me your message but Lord Russell added note telling me to write this time, so I hope it won’t matter. I am really v. sorry to have been away so long, but couldn’t refuse a holiday! Am looking forward to seeing you on Wednesday afternoon with yr brother and possibly Lady Ottoline. I shall then remain in London permanently. I will gladly act as correspondent if you still wish it, and will then write every Saturday without fail; in any case I will start a weekly news collection system directly I get back. You shall have a full budget from and about your friends. On receiving yours of the 21st I wired some of our special friends, asking for messages for this, which I hope to receive for insertion before ending, but fear they won’t be replies to yours although I forwarded all your messages by return of post, including original letter to Percy. I took a copy as posts are so uncertain. Lord Russell sent me original of your 2nd letter last Wednesday with instructions to forward Lady Ottoline which was also done by return post after having taken copy and sent Percy, and also delivered all your other messages. I’ve had to write everything by hand, which is slow, but please don’t think it a trouble. I am v[.] glad to do anything I can. I shall not circulate any part of your letter of Tuesday to your friends until I know what you decide, (does not apply to messages already sent) and shall quite understand anyway. The isolation must sometimes seem unbearable. Anyway, it will be easier to collect or forward messages directly I’m in London.

Percy writes very cheerfully. Says “I am leading such a wholesome life! Saving all my salary and living on milk puddings in a boarding house near Alexandra Park which is full of snow white rhododendrons and ghent azealias.” He is very anxious for news of you. He is now getting an additional £2 a week!

Allen sends his love, no special messages, and no word of coming south. CEM delighted to have M.S.S., says she is “just parching for one of his refreshing winds from the heights”! Mr. Eliot sends message: “It has been a great relief to know that you are supplied with materials for labour, and I am waiting with great curiosity to know how your mind is going to work under these conditions.” He wishes you to know that Mrs. Eliot “has been in very bad health for the last month and has had to give up her work, but fortunately she is living entirely in the country which gives her a much better chance.” He wants letters sent Marlow, so apparently is not in London at all now. Just received letter from G.J., written when flying to London in hope of interviewing friend whom he had not seen for some time, so fear I may not get message in time to put in this. He was here for a week end, we had a gorgeous time, made him eat heaps of food and sent him away looking much better. He was full of life as usual but I fear he feels the loss of his friend very deeply. We talked much of you and quarreled over the hour at which you are now sent to bed! By the way if you found “G is right” in your brother’s letter it’s a mistake, I never forwarded any such message.

D.M. sent chocolates, is delighted you had and enjoyed them. Miles and I have been unsuccessfully trying to meet so I’ve no news of him! Saw Dr. Carr and Mrs. Whitehead last week. (Dr. W. was out) both most anxious [to] do what they can. They think the problem you asked me to put before them (in the contingency which has arisen since you left us) will be quite satisfactorily settled, which is a great relief. Con[?] is in London, too bad to see friends but allowed books and papers. Miss Davies, Miss Silcox and Meynells v. glad to get your letter, and send best wishes. Philip & Mac[?] wish to be remembered most kindly to you. The latter wants to know if you would like to see him, is away till week after next.

There are over 20 people on your letter list, will it do if I send to outer circle, — as it were — about once a fortnight. It would save trouble and there were only short extracts of general interest in your last letter and those were not urgent, I will send weekly to the majority on the list. Hope you getting books you want, Cousens is searching for Behavourism; he is v[ery]. glad you can write and are well. P. makes no suggestions as to the other photographs, so don’t quite know who you want. — Have walked Winchelsea for new post so can’t write fine pen now. Just received wire “Please give B. my love and say it was blessed seeing him yesterday,” — also got message from Lady Ottoline “Please tell BR my husband and I have been jogging round the country on a short driving tour, and that it was so sad to me to think of him shut away from all the great beauty of fields and trees, and sunshine and sweet smells (moi aussi W.G.R.). But there is always the great tragic threat(?) of desolation looking over one’s shoulder and really it’s wonderful to know that he is so splendid a cereragraidy (copy of word, can’t read it) going on creating and thinking in imprisonment. He knows how much we think of him. — Massingham wished me to send his love and say he thinks of him very often. I give the message as Massingham wrote it to me. He will be sorry to hear S. Sassoon is in France. I hope sometime BR will send a message to Hirst who I hear now became so fond of him, and so immensely admiring of him. There seems nothing new politically. No movement at all. We saw Asquith and Sir John Simon yesterday but got nothing new from them.” End of news from Lady O. — Am very glad to write this as last time your brother said my message was long and there’s more here! This goes to London at 6 tonight (Sat) so should certainly reach you 1st post Monday as if posted in London. — I’ve had a lovely holiday, tried to think of nothing but fields and sky and sea, except for a cottage with glorious views which we have just taken here. P. is coming to see it sometime, and I do hope that we will also see you there one day. There is a curious peacefulness here which incites [?] to creation. I don’t think I am going back to ASt, Dr. S. wants me to take up new duties June 1st, but it’s uncertain. Let me know if I can do anything! Love from lots of people.

Yours v[ery]. sincerely
W. Gladys Rinder

III [added in pencil later to the letter and also the envelope]