W. GLADYS RINDER TO BR, 6 AUG. 1918
BRACERS 79628. ALS. McMaster
Proofread by S. Turcon and K. Blackwell

Tuesday 6 Aug. 18

Dear BR,

You’ll discover another note from me in answer to your queries of last week, this is just a little midnight talk! It’s 1 am, and I am sitting up in bed, very comfortable and wide awake. I am asking P. and Lady R. to give you this magazine and do hope you’ll approve of it! I don’t know how to thank you for your letters, they are such a pleasure, and please leave the word nuisance out of your vocabulary for the present, I am delighted to do what I can. You should read other note first, I wrote it at “Jordans[?]” our “country seat!!” last night, otherwise you’ll think me madder than usual! Miss Dudley has been here to tea with me. She isn’t annoyed about your flat, quite understands you must have it if necessary, and is very nice. Says there is 1 ton 19 cwt coal in now, cellar only holds 2 ½ tons. I am telling C. this in letter as she isn’t coming to 6 M.S. before she visits you. Miss D. also says phone contract expires Oct. She supposes you’ll wish it transferred, I’ve told her to do nothing until she knows your wishes as phone co. remove them at slightest hint and they are unobtainable now, except by transference. She also has installed gas heater for water and seems to think something may be done about it in Aug. but I’ll tell P. about this too. You won’t, I hope feel I’m interfering, she didn’t seem to know who to tell as Clare was too vague so I just sensed these facts. She has decided to return to America at end this month or early next, not as she said because of the flat but she’s really ill and hasn’t energy to find another. One nerve specialist gave her a tonic in May which she’s taken in injections every since but another specialist now says she’s had 6 times too much of it. Will take 3 months treatment to overcome effect. It was poisoning her and she says she still feels very stupid, poor dear. She is a nice person. She asked me to tell you about America, and I’ve told you about illness because I thought it would make things clearer to you. I’m sure she’s doing the wisest thing. She will never pick up the bits and start a new life here in London; it depresses her too much. I didn’t meant to write all this, it just wanted to express itself! so please forgive me! She talked quite a lot.

How can I ever thank you for sending me that very wonderful passage on yr. F.M.W. It is most arresting and simulating, I find myself testing things by its standard, and almost everything looks different. I can’t write about it; it touches what lies too deep for any words but those of a poet or a mystic with a poet’s soul, but it is a great inspiration to me, and the extraordinarily beautiful language impresses it on one’s memory. I’ve had it typed and one or two of your friends have seen it, we all think it should not be any way private property but realize that for the present it can’t see the light publicly. “The concentration of many ages and spaces in the mirror of a single mind” suggests almost infinite trains of thought. I’m only sure of one thing: the “intellectual love of God” is only realized by those who can rise above all that ordinarily fills our lives, and who yet remain quite human. It’s awfully difficult, I wish I had your secret. — Too wet for flowers, so sorry. We all miss you very much Haven’t seen C. since Friday, expect Priscilla’s been making her rest and eat which is good.

Yrs,
WGR

Both P. and C. are Constance Malleson; Lady R. is Lady Russell; Miss D. is Helen Dudley; Clare is Clare Annesley; Priscilla is Priscilla Annesley; F.M.W. is “A Free Man’s Worship”.