Wishing BR a happy birthday.

Encloses two brief excerpts from the Utopian Problem by Nicholas and Stefan.

Separate TLS from John P.P. Smith.

"Dear Lady Ottoline I have great pleasure in accepting your kind invitation to luncheon tomorrow."

"Saturday Dear Lady Ottoline I will reach Bedford Square tomorrow (Sunday) about 4.30."

"Wed. My Dearest—your dear letter found me last night— it was good of you to write and gave me great happiness."

"Tuesday My Dearest—my heart is so full that I hardly know where to begin."

"Thursday. My Dearest—your letter is the greatest joy to have—I do feel your love about me, and it is a possession which is infinitely precious."

"I have written to tell the Whs. [Whiteheads], and the letter will go by the same post as this. I should be very glad if you were to see them during this time of waiting. They are my best friends—they have known all my intimate concerns, or all that could be told, and they have helped me in all difficulties."

"I have also undertaken to finish by July a popular book on philosophy,** which I have not yet begun."

**The Problems of Philosophy.

"— I have told Alys who took it very well. Don't bother about the Whs. [Whiteheads]; but you are wrong, she has always greatly admired you; also, as I shall certainly always remain very close friends with both of them it will be a pity if you dislike them."

"How could you suppose Mrs. Wh. [Whitehead] could put me against you? In the first place no human being could, and in the second place she would not wish to. She has written a line quite approving of it, and whatever you may think she does like and admire you. I must necessarily see a lot of Wh. [Whitehead] until the printing of our joint book [Principia] is finished, which will be another year or 18 months. We have worked together since 1900, and before that he was my first teacher and then a very helpful critic. I owe a very great deal to him and have a strong affection for him."

"I am glad you have seen Mrs. Wh. [Whitehead] — I have made her understand what I feel, and that may help. But for a long time she only saw your side."

The date given the letter in this record was revised to 1911/03/28*. Although the envelope is postmarked 11 a.m. on 29 March 1911, the letter is dated "Tuesday night", which was when BR started it.

"You are right, my heart, we must end everything but what we can treasure in our own thoughts."

"Dearest my whole soul is flooded with joy—your radiance shines before me, and I feel still your arms about me and your kiss on my lips."

"Have you got Synge or do you like him? His poems are no good, but Deirdre is beautiful."

[Staying with Whiteheads for a few days.]

About Crompton Ll. Davies.

Crompton and he both "devoted" to the Whiteheads.

Dickinson was dominated for years by his friend F.C.S. Schiller.

"Sunday morning. Ottoline my dearest, your dear letter of yesterday has just come, and I have time to write a few words before I get up."

An unidentified person is coming—whom he kissed long ago—and he has told her he won't see her. "Not long ago, in a moment of folly, I kissed a woman I had known a long time...."
 

"Monday aftn. My Dearest I am in a full carriage which makes it almost impossible to write."

Has she ever read ["The Study of Mathematics"]?—"You would be able to understand all but a few sentences of it, and it would tell you how I tried to live. But mathematics is a cold and unresponsive love in the end...."

"[Alys] has written to Mrs. Wh. [Whitehead] demanding sympathy and an interview." Mrs. Wh. has said can meet occasionally at Carlyle Square—but doesn't want her "very perceptive" son to know.

"I once came very near to committing murder through jealousy...."

Saw Philip [Morrell] at a meeting.

"I am tired with all the dangers that Mrs. Wh. [Whitehead] has been making me face."

On the Dakyns.

"Friday aftn. My Dearest Dearest—this is only a line to greet you when you get up tomorrow, because my next letter won't reach you at Studland till Sunday."

Alys gone to see Mrs. Wh. [Whitehead] "[who] dislikes her, but Wh. [Whitehead] hates her—he has never been able to stand her."

"I want gradually to tell you everything I possibly can about myself..." is sending her [Philosophical Essays]. "I care deeply about religion." "I lived on [Mill's] autobiography for a time." "Wh., who examined for scholarships, had been struck by my work, and told people to look out for me, so I got to know many of my present friends at once. My obligations to him began at a very early date." He wants "to write things that would say more of what I feel...."

"I regret not being able to hear music with you."

She has told Miss Sands, and he the [Whiteheads].

"I see Mrs. Wh. has worried and alarmed you as much as she did me...."

Will see Whs. Monday.

"I really know [Alys] better than Mrs. Wh. does, tho' Mrs. Wh. would not admit that."

"Mrs. Wh.'s heart makes her nervous: also she has had more experience of horrors of one sort or another than most people, so her mind is stocked with such things."

"Sat. midday My Dearest—I have just had a thoroughly satisfactory talk with Alys."

On his brother [Frank Russell]—likes seeing him, but not intimacy. Saw Master Builder 17 years ago. Reread it—not so good.

More about Theodore Llewelyn Davies' death.

"I am glad Mrs. [Whitehead] thought Alys genuine."

Alys likes women better than men, invites women visitors all the time.

Miss Silcox. Miss Mirrlees and clever people.

"Monday My Dearest—since your note came this morning I have been in fifty minds as to whether to come today or next Tuesday."

"Have you a dislike of India paper books? I use them a good deal for poetry, because one can get so much into one's pocket, and out of doors is the right place to read poetry. But some people can't stand them."

"Monday evening. My Dearest I am very sorry indeed that you are ill, and glad I decided not to come—you wouldn't have enjoyed it if you are feeling sick and wretched."

"I believe people with really good health are never nice. My health is invariably perfect."

"Mrs. [Whitehead] and I agreed perfectly about Alys—I really think Alys means now to act well."

Mrs. [Whitehead]'s attitude: not to worry over complications at Studland.

On his childhood — sense of past, grandmother [Lady John Russell].

"Tuesday morning [letter number not written on letter] My very dearest—your two letters have reached me and I have just read them—it is very good of you to tell me so much about your life, and it all interests me profoundly."

"Tuesday midday My very dearest—after giving Karin a lesson on Locke and Hume and abstract ideas, I have escaped and gone off for a long walk alone."

"Wed. mg. My Darling—it is very interesting indeed hearing about your life—I love to know all that you have told me."

"Wed. midday My very dearest—I am overcome by such a longing for you that I hardly know how I shall get through the remaining days."

"Thursday My Dearest—I don't know whether this will reach you tomorrow, but I will send it on the chance."

"On the purely intellectual side, I have scarcely any companionship, because intellectual work is not easily shared, tho' I have the rare good fortune of sharing mine with [Whitehead]."

Wants child.

"I shall certainly not burn any of your letters unless you tell me to. As yet, they are all in my pocket, but I want a box with a lock to keep them in."

Poems by "my friend Hugh Meredith".

"In some ways it is good to have had to content ourselves so much with letters—we have got to know each other better than we should have done otherwise."

"Good Friday morning My Darling—it is very good indeed to hear that all is settled about Tuesday, and I can really come then."

"I am terribly deficient about pictures—hardly any pictures really move me—only just a few, such as the Castelfranco Giorgione."

"Sat. morning My Darling your yesterday's letter has just come."

"Sat. night My Ottoline—I have been sitting reading over your letters—they are wonderful letters."

"Easter morning My Darling—your two letters have just come."

"Sunday night My Dearest Dearest—this should be my last letter before we meet, tho' I don't know what I shall do with my time tomorrow evening."

"Friday My Dearest life—It is absurd to be writing to you now, as I have only just started on my journey, but I can't do anything else."

"Sat. morning My Dearest—here I am on my way to Cambridge, very proud of having caught a 9 o'clock train without taking a cab."