Harley recommends that Hubbard read Schopenhauer, whose friends lacked the courage to tell him the truth about his "sense of humour".

Kielland writes about BR. "I never knew anyone whose company was such a joy!" She goes on to write about Russell's first three wives for whom she feels sorry. BR "meant a great deal to me and I miss him very much."

Kielland first went to Beacon Hill School with a woman journalist friend (see record (121208) who interviewed BR. She sent her sons there afterwards. Her children did well and her memories of the school are positive.

Constance Malleson helped her husband with a translation of a play he wrote in Norwegian.

The journalist that Kielland went to Beacon Hill School with was Madame and/or Hubay-Cebrian.

Kielland's eldest son was Halfdan, whom Kate called Halfdone.

Henderson tells Harley that his or her mother, Mrs. Wynne Henderson, has died. Henderson used to work at Beacon Hill School and Harley had wanted her to write about her time there.

Newman was a visiting teacher of dance at Beacon Hill School. Dora Russell appeared to love other people's children as much as her own. The atmosphere at the school was free and friendly.

"My son-in-law lent me a book recently of letters of BR to just ordinary people who had written to him, mostly working people—fascinating! No condescension—almost friend to friend. Amazing man—his industry—nobody ever appealed to him in vain—who had a just cause."

"I do hope your invitation is still good because I am planning to attend the Bertrand Russell Society's annual meeting."

"I like your description of Russell's life span—'It was a time of drastic change from which the modern world still reels'—an apt description that struck home with me, as my life span is about the same."

Kate stayed with Harley for three days while she went through some of his papers on Beacon Hill School and so that she could see the new acquisitions of McMaster, including BR's desk and chair.

"If you hear about BR's private library being up for sale in England it is nothing to do with McMaster. McMaster has the main library here. However, the Peace Foundation in its efforts to secure money have sold the other books from the house which were not included in the original purchase contract. ... Luckily, there is nothing there of much value but I suspect they will sell because of association value."

Kate writes about her parents at Beacon Hill School:

"I think my father was always most concerned with results; he wanted to produce a certain kind of brave and intelligent person and he thought freedom the best way to do it. When it didn't work, though, he was ready to revert to more traditional methods, such as compelling John to get used to the cold and stormy Atlantic.

My mother, on the other hand, though she also wanted the same kind of people, was more interested in the process. What mattered most to her was freedom of inquiry and behaviour, and she was sure that would produce the required results; no need to keep looking to see if it was working and adjusting methods if it was not."

Dora writes about the Boxer Indemnity Fund, Ronald Clark's biography of BR, her relationship with BR, her son John and his daughters. She feels that Clark "does not give me the credit for having the original idea of Prospects of Industrial Civilization which arose out of our argument in the Red Sea. In many ways I was a disturbing influence for Russell." "What Russell liked about the Chinese was their courtesy, their way of understatement, their wit and humour, their lack of religion, their love of art and beauty." "I think we contributed something to the course of events in China, but very little indeed to socialism in England." She "did not like Clark's book. It is useful for dates and the factual research, but is really without feeling for the issues or people involved." "In no way would I wish to belittle the greatness of Russell. He is still too little understood and too often attacked." However, "quite a number of people, family and others—I am not the only one—need to forget Russell and his influence in order to be able to live our lives at all."

Dora writes about Ronald Clark's biography of BR. "It was written in close contact with Colette, who as I knew, was editing her correspondence with Russell with a view to later publication. I had no knowledge whatever of how Colette kept touch with him, both during our marriage and later when he was married to Peter Spence. She nearly succeeded in breaking up that later marriage.

"All her life she continued to think that Russell should have married her and must have been savagely jealous of and hostile to me. So that Clark made it appear that I was merely made use of to bear a child, which Colette did not want to do." She agreed with John sitting in the House of Lords because it "would help him get over the sense of inferiority to a father who, in fact did not treat him at all well."

"By the way, I don't think Russell had the least idea of how to bring up children."

Dora encloses a list of people connected to Beacon Hill School.

She thinks what Ronald Clark wrote about the school is "near libel".

Dora writes that people keep pestering her for information about her life and Russell's life. She did meet with Sidney Siskin after A.S. Neill intervened. She has not read Siskin's thesis.

She feels too many people are after scandal, like Ronald Clark.

"We were educating for a democracy, of course. Why I now say that one cannot educate on Beacon Hill lines any more is because technology has taken over in our work life and is now moving to take over in education."

Dora would have liked to have seen Sidney Siskin's thesis.

Dora's first book was catalogued in Hampstead Library as by BR.

Telegraph House is now occupied by "some people who make a good living out of the sale of children's toys." Dora writes about Jason Harvey.

"John's daughter is trying to raise enough money to buy the family silver, which, on Edith's death, is being sold for the Russell Foundation."

Dora asks for Harley's paper on Beacon Hill School.

Betty Cross prefers to live in the present; she did write to Dora that Beacon Hill School "was splendid" although she "never liked Bertrand Russell." "The whole idea of a child growing and developing through his or her natural stages, like a plant or a tree, is totally impossible now the television governs everything. Children no longer have a childhood, and even the school is not now the prime source of education."

Dora writes that BR wrote The Prospects of Industrial Civilization but that she wrote the prefaces to the first and second editions. She had the original idea, although "Bertie was able to elaborate it far more than I could have done."

Dora thanks Harley for the information he sent on the cast for "Marriage and Death", a play put on at Beacon Hill School.

Dora rails against the Guardian regarding her as a museum piece and the embargo placed on letters in the Russell Archives (which distorts BR's biography by Clark). She cannot forget the damage done to BR "by the machinations that led to the creation of the Russell Foundation."

She wants Griselda MacLeod's scrapbook back at once.

Dora thanks Harley for the return of Griselda MacLeod's notebook; it should never have been sent to him. All comment on individual children should be destroyed, she declares.

Dora is annoyed with Harley for getting in touch with Betty Cross when he had been told not to do so. She is concerned about privacy and libel. Clement Freud attended the school.

Dora was displeased that K. Blackwell obtained Thinking in Front of Yourself for the Russell Archives. "In spite of all our arguing I wish your thesis well and I do not wish to see Bertie diminished; Lord knows we have not enough like him."

The envelope is addressed to David Harley although the letter is to K. Blackwell with a note "for your information" to Harley, for it is his article on the school in Russell, nos. 35-6 (1979-80) that she criticizes. Dora dispels various myths that have grown up around Beacon Hill School: Kate and Jackie running away, the bonfire, pins in jam, the painting of the tiger, and the naked child and the vicar. She feels Wood's book The Passionate Sceptic was sycophantic and attributed "everything that went wrong to me."

"I am fascinated by Griselda's notebook for it stirs long forgotten memories. The photos are very helpful too in bringing memories back."

"The background that led up to the founding of Beacon Hill is fascinating. Your thesis will be fabulous!"

Una thanks them for the flowers they sent.

Re Beacon Hill School.

BR prefers speaking early and having a cold supper at the hotel.

He particularly likes the quotation from Eisenhower on a leaflet given to him by Davies.

BR is honoured by Spivak's invitation, but it is unlikely BR will ever again come to the US.

Refusal.

BR approves of Professor Joynt's article on Toynbee.

BR addresses his correspondent as "fellow lunatic". The asylum will have to be very large but will not contain Mr. Luce.

BR has read Gore's paper with interest and approval.

BR will not be in London and will be unable to support Beveridge's motion.

The amount of £37.15.0 is to go to BR's accountant.

BR has decided to be present for the Lord's debate on May 14.

On surrender to the Russians and BR's critics. He encloses his reply to Hook (not present).

BR returns a book: "It seemed to me completely devoid of sense."

"I am so sorry about B.R. Yes, I saw him once; he was awfully kind about my work and I enjoyed talking to him. He was in the mood. We didn't talk about present people and present affairs, but the kind of 'odd' things—like flattery and praise and what is it one really wishes to convey in writing."

Wilson describes the Russell Centenary Conference and the Russell Archives at McMaster University, even how the letters are interfiled with acid-free paper.

BR wrote the poem "The Prelate and the Commissar" after reading Paul Blanshard's book, Communism, Democracy and Catholic Power.

Scott asks if the American Humanist Association will order copies of the revised The Faith of a Rationalist if Watts & Co. agree to publish it.

Also in the file is a photocopy of the front page of The Faith of a Rationalist, marked "Proposed Edition"; there is a pencil drawing of Russell on the verso. As well, there is a leaflet, The Faith of a Humanist, published by the Humanist Guild, University of Toronto.

Wilson replies that Scott should make the Faith of a Rationalist a Canadian project.

Schoenman asks for messages for BR's 90th birthday. The letter is datestamped 4 June 1962 by the recipient. On Schoenman's behalf, the letter is signed by B.E. Fulbel(?).

Blanshard asks that Wilson publish the enclosed poem (not present, but it is the one titled "The Prelate and the Commissar") by BR. He wrote it in response to Blanshard's book. Blanshard asks that BR's note be returned to him.

The letter is written in French from Cambridge to Halévy's mother. Halévy has taken tea with BR. He notes that BR's wife, Alys, is away in London, working on the election of a radical candidate for the County Council.

Halévy writes in French to his mother from London. Halévy has spent some time in Haslemere (where the Pearsall Smith family had their home at Friday's Hill). Mrs. Costelloe, Alys's sister, is mentioned.

Halévy writes in French that he will dine with BR the following Sunday.

There is no salutation on this letter written from London in French. Halévy mentions Logan Pearsall Smith and "Les Russell".

There is political discussion.

This is a typed extract from a letter from Halévy to his mother in French. He has spent two nights with BR and Alys in Haslemere. He refers to the "blasphemous" terms in which they spoke of Rhodes and Chamberlain.

A group entry for 87 letters written to Rollo Russell.

A group entry for 156 letters written to Rollo's second wife, Gertrude Russell.

A group entry for 14 letters from Frances, Countess Russell, to her brother.

A group entry for 4 letters to her grandson Arthur Russell.

A group entry for excerpts from 5 letters to her daughter, Agatha Russell.

Dora writes at length about Beacon Hill School. She saved Carn Voel "from War Office requisition by skill and cunning and then later from being sold by my creditors through the support and help of my lawyer." [About 1941 she went bankrupt.]

Dora writes: "I do not think that you can get an adequate knowledge of my point of view without having read [my] book" In Defence of Children. She notes: "On the whole it is not good for children to be in a school run by their parents".

Dora writes about the plays written and performed at Beacon Hill School; also about A.S. Neill.

Dora writes about the plays written and performed at Beacon Hill School. She notes: "The great difficulty about bringing up children free of Christianity is, as I see it, that they will be all the time surrounded by myths, phrases, expressions, ways of thought that arise out of the long Christian tradition."

Mannin compares BR and A.S. Neill as educationists. BR was progressive but Neill was a revolutionary. She directs Harley to her husband's book, My Life and Crimes. Her husband was Reginald Reynolds.

On Denis Wheatley; on Neill and BR as educators.

Stevens' daughter, Judith Ann Bickford, was a pupil at Beacon Hill School. Stevens (aka Bickford as well) provides contact information.

A second letter is from a secretary, Jean.

Deborah Schwabach appears to be in possession of a copy of a 1926 Winds of Doctrine by Santayana marked up by someone (possibly BR if he could be verbose). Her letter notes the passages. She sent a photocopy of a letter BR wrote to her (Rec. Acq. 660, record 56317). Her name at that time was D. Wickes.

This file contains copies or transcriptions of official letters that BR made secretarially in a large round hand when he was employed at the British Embassy in Paris. Some are in French. Some are annotated "Phipps". BR mentions E.C.A. Phipps in letters to Alys at the time.

BR agrees to have tea with Moore and then talk later. Alys writes of a scheme to purchase Helen Fry's clavichord as a grand wedding present for Robert Trevelyan. "The Whiteheads and Bertie and I are modestly subscribing".

She refers to a telegram conveying "hard luck".

Alys writes: "We are going to a flat at 94 Ashley Gardens for the holidays."

Alys informs Moore of her separation from BR. "Bertie and I have been very unhappy together for many years, but we have done our best to make a possible common life." This is no longer possible. "We hope our friends will stick by us and go on loving us both as much as they can."

The writers object to BR not being selected for election as a Fellow of Trinity College.

They ask recipients to sign the protest (not present) and forward it to S. Alexander.

Greg (Chief Librarian at Trinity and author of The Calculus of Variants with symbolic relations à la Principia) thinks that the non-election of BR as a Trinity College Fellow is "preposterous".

Almost illegible, the letter concerns a Fellowship for BR at Trinity College.

Will Durant visited BR on a "side trip" in Wales in 1948. "He was in good health and good cheer, and ambled with us over his grounds" of his "Welsh hideout". His and Ariel's A Dual Autobiography will have "a few friendly pages" on BR.

Hardie recollects his only meeting with BR which took place in Oxford on 3 June 1931. BR was there to speak to the Oxford Labour Club on "Scientific Civilization". Afterward, he and others took BR to a hotel for refreshments. Left alone, Hardie did not know what to say and the two of them sat in silence.

Hardie refers to a polished account of an encounter with BR in C.E.M. Joad, A Year More or Less (1948), pp. 92-7. BR responded to Joad's review of History of Western Philosophy at the Aristotelian Society, 18 Feb. 1947.

Wood asks Barnes (Bishop of Birmingham) to read the closing chapter of his book Why Bertrand Russell Is Not a Christian.

Barnes (Bishop of Birmingham) comments on BR after reading Wood's book:

"I should also have admitted that much that he said on the Quaker side (if I may so put it) during the war was not in any way provocative: he was vilely abused for saying things which today are the commonplaces of Christian pulpits." "When you oppose his views to those of the Roman Church I began to be uneasy: in theory I prefer Rome to Russell, in practice Russell with his honesty would be far pleasanter to deal with than Rome with its evasions."

Barnes (Bishop of Birmingham) comments on G.H. Hardy's book Bertrand Russell and Trinity:

"I can supplement what Hardy says as to the Council resolutions of May 21, 1915, for after these resolutions had been passed I put before Russell the suggestion that I should bring the issue before a College meeting. He replied that the animus against him was due to his pacifism and that my proposal was equivalent to conflict on his behalf. I felt—and still feel—that his refusal to allow even such a form of war was true Christianity." "The bitterness of college feeling in 1915 against those of us who were pacifists was such that even now I do not like to recall it." "One other foot-note to Hardy's record may interest you. After Russell's sentence of imprisonment in the Second Division in 1918, I was asked by some of my legal friends whether I would with others, testify as to his 'character' when the appeal for First Division treatment was made. Of course, I assented at once: but it was subsequently learned that the request would be granted without such testimony."

Written from Ravenscroft, Katharine comments on the recent robbery at Pembroke Lodge. She hopes that Agatha's success in meteorology will cheer up Lady Russell. She and her husband are going to contribute to Rollo's studies.

The author of this letter (J. Bickersteth?) is looking after Lady Russell at Pembroke Lodge. He is concerned about her health. He mentions BR (who got a Red Cross), Frank (who won a rowing race on the pond), and the fireworks at Kingston. Even though it was August it was cold. When Lord Russell suggested a fire, he was given a warmer waistcoat instead.

Frank Russell is writing from Castle Howard, Yorks. He thanks Rollo and BR for their birthday greetings.

Alice Godfrey became Rollo Russell's first wife in 1885. She writes: "I hope poor little Bertie was not in a dreadful state of grief after you told him. I am afraid he will not like me at all at first."

This comment may concern the announcement of their engagement.

Re a certificate of tax on Dora Russell's money.