"Dearest Colette My very warm thanks for the 'sweet lovely roses', which brought up intensely vivid remembrances of long ago joys."

"Everything is so reminiscent of 45 years ago."

BR's new book, Fact and Fiction: "I feel the need of fun when I think that everything and everyone that one has ever loved may be wiped out at any minute."

[At Brixton Prison] "All the officials ... were all friendly."

The letter as published in SLBR has a minor transcription error: "Dear" for "Dearest".

"Dearest Colette Ever since I got your letter written on our predecessor Guy Fawkes' day I have meant to write to you."

"Dearest Colette Thank you for your dear letter—and for the substitute for 'sweet lovely roses' that you promise me—"

"I have been as busy as in 1916, with very similar work. Everybody has something tiresome to say. Ben Guryan [Gurian] says 'admirable, but why save the Arabs?' Nasser says 'admirable, but why save the Jews?'"

"Our work is largely international. We spend hours with Chinese and recently liberated Negro patriots and Greeks who have been 15 years in prison for not being Nazis."

"My Dearest Colette Thankyou with all my heart for the sweet lovely roses and for the note you send with them."

"Dearest Colette—Your book containing your sister's autobiography has just come, and I have had time to admire the woodcuts but not yet to read it."

"Dearest Colette—It was a joy to get your letter of June 5."

"My Dearest Colette What a dreadful tale of woe, and what courage and resource you showed in calling for rescue."

"Dearest Colette Nalle Kielland writes to me to say she believes you have difficulty in paying your hospital expenses."

"Dearest Colette—Thank you very much for your letter, which releaves [relieves] some of my anxieties."

"Dearest Colette—I enclose £50, which I hope will releave [relieve] your immediate necessities."

"Dearest Colette, My best thanks for the 'sweet, lovely roses'."

"My Darling Colette—A thousand thanks for the 'sweet lovely roses', which are very lovely indeed."

"13.2.97 [sic] Dearest Colette I am preparing ms of my Autobiography, and there are various passages about you."

There are a typescript and carbon of this letter in box 6.69, file b, document .111274aq, record 125027; possibly they were prepared to use as a guide for BR when he wrote this letter. The content of the letters is similar, but BR has added to and changed the text of the guide letter.

The typescript is dated 13 February 1967.

"Dearest Colette Thank you for your letter. I am very sorry your paralysis is so slow in clearing up."

"Dearest Colette Thank you for your promptness in returning the sheets about you—"

"Dearest Colette—It was dear of you to send me 'sweet lovely roses', which I am enjoying both in themselves and as symbols."

[Letter is also numbered 710.104400 in K. Blackwell's hand.]

"Dearest Colette Thank you for your nice letter."

"Dearest Colette, A thousand thanks for the sweet lovely roses all of which arrived safely on my birthday."

"New Year's Day. 1968 Dearest Colette I hope you are still able to echo my love and good wishes towards you."

There are three versions of this letter written for Malleson for New Year's Day 1969. The first, a brief draft, is dated New Year's day (document .111274ao). The second is dated 16 Dec. 1968 (document .111274an, record 19931). In both of them Russell expresses the hope that his letter may reach her on New Year's Day. This is the third version, which appears to be the one that was sent. It has an envelope pmk. 16 December 1968. Although it is dated New Year's Day (incorrect year), it is more likely that it too was written on 16 Dec. and posted then.

"Maj [sic] 10, 1910 [sic] Dearest Colette A thousand thanks for the 'sweet lovely roses' which gave a sharp pang of joy."

"Dearest Colette Herewith the first volume of my Autobiography."

[This letter should not have been classified at 710. K. Blackwell]

"Dearest Colette, I enclose herewith the last £50 that I promised to contribute."

Tylor thanks BR for his letter of 9 March, and is preparing a codicil, which will be sent to BR Monday for his signature.

"Dearest Colette I hope this may reach you on New Year's day, but whenever it arrives it brings you love and good wishes."

This letter is similar to document .200930, record 19916, which appears to be the one actually sent to Colette. See that record for more information.

"Thursday night My Darling In case you want to wire to me on Saturday, my address will be U.D.C. 67 West Nile Street, Glasgow."

"My Darling Treasure—All goes well here—"

"My Darling Love Thank you for your letter—what a long time your train must have stopped at London bridge."

"I wrote 11 pp about philosophy since 1900 yesterday...."

"My Darling Love Thank you for your letter—I am glad you keep warm and your leg isn't bad."

"I have nearly finished 'Philosophy since 1900'."

"On Board S.S. Celtic. Sat." "My darling Love—I find we call at Queenstown so I can write from there."

"On board S.S. Celtic." "Sunday mg. My Darling Love—I find there is still time to write before Queenstown."

Fellow passengers: Robert Bridges and wife; L.P. Jacks; Miss MacNaghten, a friend of Catherine Marshall.

"S.S. Celtic, Friday" "My Dearest Darling—All goes well with me."

Re Mrs. Margaret Sanger and Dr. Marie Stopes.

"The New School for Social Research 465 West Twenty-third Street" "My Dearest Darling—2 letters from you reached me today, written just after I left—I was glad to get them."

[Incorrectly dated by BR as "28 March 1924".]

"Flourishing love Bertie".

On Board S.S. Celtic. "My Darling Love—I don't know whether the letter I posted at Halifax will reach you any sooner than this; probably not."

"Happy returns all well Bertie".

"The New School for Social Research" "My Darling Love—Here I am, getting on famously. I am staying with Kallen, Miss Brooks's friend, in a sort of settlement in the slums."

"Yesterday I sat next Dewey at dinner—" "Tonight I am talking to the League for Industrial Democracy, to whom I have a message from the I.L.P."

"The New School for Social Research" "I am just back from Phila. and tomorrow I go to Boston." "... I have to give a lecture, not yet prepared, at 3, and lunch with the New Republic at 1."

"The Hanover Inn at Dartmouth College" "I saw both Chao and Demos at Boston and gave them your messages and Chao gave me yours to him." "I dined with Frankfurter (the man we quoted about Mooney), a delightful man." "I signed the No-War pledge that Miss Marshall wrote to you about, some years ago. My position is that, although some wars do good, most don't, and one never can tell beforehand which is which, so that it is better to abstain altogether—"

"Palm Sunday morning between Wash. and Cincinnati all well, great success last night, Senator Walsh next me at dinner. Saw Justice Holmes and liked him. Escaped Circe undamaged. Love. Flourishing. B."

"Monday April 14. In train between Cincinnati (O.) and Louisville (Kentucky)" "I travelled straight from Dartmouth (N.H.) to Washington, where I arrived in the early morning, very glad of the Bibesco luxury." "At Chicago I stay with the Nortons—not with Helen Dudley's people, as her mother is ill."

"Between Chicago and Milwaukee. Good Friday, 1924" [BR explains in his next letter that he misdated this letter Good Friday.] "I lecture in Milwaukee this afternoon and in Chicago this evening." "I arrived in Chicago after a short night in the train with too little sleep, had to speak at 11 (Jane Addams on platform) and again in the evening—"

"1037 Rush Street" "My Darling Love—Here I am, in a bachelor flat, with 2 1/2 days of peace, perfect peace ahead of me. I had a lecture this morning, then I came here to Eliot's flat to lunch. Helen Dudley was here and stayed some time afterwards." "She is in a dreadful state, with a disease like Barbellion's...." "I am absolutely and completely happy with you—it is the most perfect comradeship imaginable."

"My Dearest Darling—This is the last moment of my little holiday—in a few minutes I am off to Madison Wis."

[Re Helen Dudley.] "I felt I owed her a duty, and was grateful for being let off lightly."

"The Saint Paul in Saint Paul" "I spoke at Milwaukee again last night, I speak here tonight." "But Madison Wis, where I was the night before last, is rather nice. The professors still remember how I made them bathe in the lake 10 years ago." "Americans are heartless brutes, and will grind poor old Europe to powder. I don't want them in the League of Nations."

"The Saint Paul in Saint Paul" "My Darling Treasure—At last I have come upon something hopeful in America. The farmer-labour combination in the Middle West has real possibilities."

"My Dearest Darling—I have just had your two sad letters about Fred." [Black, Dora's brother.]

"I have had a first-class row with President Lowell of Harvard, and have throughout said as much as audiences would stand. On my last evening in America, I am going to address for nothing an organization called 'Free Youth', and then I will have my fling—free love, atheism, etc."

"The Hollenden" "My Darling Treasure—I wrote in a hurry yesterday but I dare say this will catch the same mail."

"I have 3 types of audience: academic, open forums, and women's clubs."

"Today I go to Pittsburgh and return to New York by a night train."

"472 West 24th Street. N.Y. (address above, or S.S. Celtic, if there is time to answer this.) My Darling Treasure—Your letter of April 19 was waiting for me when I got back to New York the day before yesterday—it is the latest I have had so far."

"Tomorrow I have a public debate ($350) with Hillquit, a leading socialist, on 'Is the Labour Govt. Revolutionary?' He says yes—fancy how different things look at a distance."

"1607 23rd Street, Washington, D.C."* "Betw. Washington and New York My Darling Treasure—I have escaped once more from Circe, who was less circean than ever."

Ran into Gladys Rinder at W.I.L. in Washington in speaking last night.

*[Letter is written on printed letterhead.]

The Hillquit debate is discussed again.

"Tonight I speak for Miss Lowndes (author of book on Montaigne) at her school."

(The book was Michel de Montaigne: a Biographical Study, 1898, and the school was Rosemary Hall, Greenwich, Connecticut, of which Mary E. Lowndes was Headmistress.)

"In the train." "My Darling Treasure—Last night I woke in the middle of the night after an extraordinarily vivid dream about you."

"And altogether when people are as secure in each other's love as you and I are, jealousy is impossible. I used to be jealous of Colette because she was cold to me. One is jealous because of what one doesn't get, not because of what others do get."

"... so I have done well. It must all be in your name, as I want my fortune kept under £10,000."

"Smith College" "My Darling Treasure—Since I last wrote I have been very busy, but today at last I have an easy time." "... stay here all today for a conference at night. So I shall have time for my S. American article [for La Nación]. "Privacy can only be got in this country by not having clothes on." "At Kallen's ... there is a stream of people who just walk in—" "The intervals are filled with Zionists urging me to speak on the industrial possibilities of Palestine."

"A General invited the American Legion to break up my meeting, [in Boston] but they didn't do so, and not a mouse stirred. Nevertheless all the papers said the meeting had been disturbed."

"Parker House" "My Darling Treasure—I am in the middle of another very busy time. Yesterday I lectured in Williamstown in the n.w. of Mass., today in Brunswick Maine, tomorrow both in Wellesley and in Harvard."

"307 1/2 College Avenue" My Darling Treasure I am spending my birthday in a rare oasis, with a quiet bedroom and sitting room overlooking lovely country of lakes and mountains, and with no duties except to breakfast, lunch, and dine with professors."

"In Ohio" "My meeting in Buffalo was got up by a man named Quinlan, whom you and I knew in Russia—Irish-American."

"My Darling By this time you have heard MacDonald's speech and are in the thick of it—it must be rather exciting."

"My Darling—I enclose a platform ticket, which I think must have been meant for you."

"My Darling—Your telegram arrived while I was still in bed."

"My Darling I got your letter this morning and your wire last night."

"I had a pleasant time in Holland; the Dutch were very friendly...."

"University Arms Hotel" "This afternoon I have the Heretics and tonight my first bout with Sorley, about which I am nervous."

"Monday. My Darling—The Hotel des Saints Pères was full, and had telephoned here for me, so this is my address."

"Monday mg." "My Darling Love—I wish I knew how you are—it worried me leaving you so ill."

"Thursday" "I have begun writing ABC of Relativity."

"Monday" "I work hard at my ABC book, writing 2400 words a day, which means 20 days for the whole."

"Sat. My Darling Love—What good news about letting the house." "ABC going on all right."

"Tuesday" "My Darling Love—I was glad to get your lovely letter this morning, and ashamed of the scrap I had written you."

"Friday My Darling Love—I have this morning finished chap. I of ABC and sent it to Steelybrassface*. I hope he will be satisfied."

"Also would you please bring 2 dozen long envelopes, about 2 inches longer than this sheet? I need them for proofs of Principia Mathematica; I don't think Penzance contains such things."

*[Oliver Stallybrass.]

"Wed." "My Darling Love Many thanks for letter and papers."

"ABC goes ambling on. I have now written 14,337 words, nearly a third. But I am afraid it is too difficult."

[This letter is misdated by BR as "31.3.35".]

"Keyserling's Travel Diary has come—it will make light reading—so has Berkman's Bolshevik Myth—same line as Emma's."

"We have had fearful rain—Berkman sent me a book he has just published, his diary while in Russia—very interesting." "Very sniffy review of What I Believe in New Statesman—quite as sniffy as Nation on you."

"Tuesday" "Karolyi is coming after dinner, for some business, I don't know what."

(S. Turcon corrected the dating, 2004/11/04.)

"Sat." "Letter to Lord Haldane written and posted before I heard of postponement. Your father, mother and nephew doing circulars in basement—just ready to send them out when news of postponement came from Lady Balfour, so I told them not to send out the circulars yet."

"Yesterday: Ramsey all morning talking mathematical logic;...."

"Monday" "Chinese dinner rather nice—sat next Pethick Lawrence."

"Tuesday My Darling The news from Margate in the papers is very depressing."

"My Darling Love—Mrs Laski telephoned the good news to me last night."

"My Darling Two unmarried ladies from USA want to send their children to us. I can't answer for you while Battine House is doubtful. Shall we say in the prospectus 'for Bastards only'? I see we shall get lots."

Re Beacon Hill School.

"Monday My Darling There are no letters of any urgency for you."

"Monday My Darling Love I enclose 2 letters to make you happy."

"Miss Tudor Hart got off safely this morning." BR wrote to Withers.

Dated from Beatrix Tudor-Hart's letter of July 18, 1927 to BR (which was a Monday).

"My Darling" "I am quite satisfied, and very glad we have T.H.* The view and the admiral were both irresistible attractions."

*[Telegraph House.]

BR refers to getting Dora's letter.

"My Darling Withers has sent the lease and I am signing it, tho' his letter about the bungalows still only sanctions their use 'as class-rooms'." BR has written to Withers on this.

"If only my book were finished I would come up, but I don't like to interrupt the flow—it might not easily start again."

BR refers to the letter at record 19989.

Document numbers .250364-.250365 were skipped.

This is a copy of a letter from the Midhurst Surveyor in BR's hand, which BR enclosed with his letter to Dora Russell of June 16, 1927.

"My Darling Love It is horrid having you away so long—if only it had been a little later, I would have come too for a jaunt, but I daren't interrupt my book, which will soon be finished, but will go wrong if I stop in the middle."

BR refers to Dora's confusing use of letterhead addresses: "The biographers will get awfully muddled."

"My Darling—I enclose a letter from Withers to you."

"Monday" "My Darling—Your letter of Friday only reached me today. I have now (1 o'clock) just finished my book...."

"Friday" "My Darling I regret to say I have done a very silly thing, which will involve your getting a new cook."

"I sent a long rather unhappy letter to T.H."

"Saturday My Darling Love I got your letter of yesterday and it was a great comfort to me."

"2nd letter." "Sat. Darling—I have just told Hannah she won't be wanted after Thursday, and I will pay her a month's wages from today and her fare to London."

"Sat. 3rd letter. Darling I am sorry to put so much upon you but it seems absolutely necessary you should come here at once."

Re the cook incident.

"Cunard R.M.S. 'Caronia'" "There is one very nice professor, Veblen the mathematician."

The letter was posted on the ship.

"Cunard R.M.S. 'Caronia'. Wed." "There are two men, one German and one Russian, going to Princeton (where Veblen is), who are interested in topology, which is the type of geometry I was working at last year. There was a man whose work much interested me at that time, named Urysohn; I had thought he was a German, but it turns out he was a Russian, at Moscow University." "It seems there is a great deal of good mathematics being done in Moscow just now." "Veblen has been reading my Analysis of Matter, particularly the geometry part, which is about his specialty."

The letter was to have been posted in New York.

"New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad en route to Providence R.I." "My Dearest Darling I have just got your lovely letter written the day after I sailed."

"Tonight is my 1st lecture."

BR has been staying in the country with the H.K. Nortons, whom he knew in China.

"The President's House Wheaton College" "Durant (Story of Philosophy) with whom I have to debate is a dreadful man—I have been looking at his book—it is vulgar and inaccurate and cheap—I dread the debate."

"I am sad about Mrs Wells's death; she was a very fine woman, for whom one felt a real affection."

"I stayed with Liveright some time. Then I made friends with Sherwood Anderson, whom I liked immensely. He is large and calm, and brings a breath of the prairie. I saw also Dreiser and van Loon and the rest of that crowd; but Anderson was the only one who interested me."

"Tomorrow I go to Boston to debate with Durant (of The Story of Philosophy); I have been reading some of him and making inquiries and find he is a villain of the deepest die. He says woman's place is the home and gets my father's name wrong."

BR has had "such dear letters" from Dora. He refers to "homo".