BR TO CONSTANCE MALLESON, [11 SEPT. 1917]
BRACERS 19210. ALS. McMaster
Edited by S. Turcon. Reviewed by K. Blackwell

<London>
Tuesday evg.1^, 2^, 3

My Darling Love

You write the most heavenly letters that can possibly be imagined — I did love the letter I got4 this morning.  I am so glad about the Old Vic and Miss Baylis.5 Yes, we must all go down there. And we must read K. John!6

I have had Comees7 morning and afternoon, and CEM8 has got ill at Church Stretton and is staying at least a week — poor woman, she seems to be having to pay at last for all her overwork. I shall have to go to the Office rather more till she returns. — Tomorrow I lunch with the Whiteheads9 at Earl’s Court — I will come to Mecklenburgh Square10 immediately after, probably about 3.15. The rest of my day is free. If anything else suits you better, will you telephone before 11?

Yes, my Beloved — I felt nearer to you this time even than ever before. Your love is so strong and beautiful and life-giving — and so free — I had dreamed of such love as you give, but had begun to think the dream absurd. No one else seemed to imagine love in that way, or to understand the dream — My heart’s Joy, I love you utterly, in every way — body, soul, and Spirit — I love all the fierce wild side of you, and I love your gay side — and I adore your freedom — and your utter truth.

Sylvia Pankhurst11 is elected to the Workers’ and Soldiers’ Council — she just beat me — I ama glad — Since the Bro. Church12 I have not wanted to be elected. And I think she will be admirable.

Dearest Love, I hope your interview with Miss Baylis means the beginning of better things for you on the stage.  I feel convinced that with your energy and determination you can be a success — but it seems to me that during this last 6 months you have been too unhappy about it to take the best means — I long to see you act — it is dreadful to have no knowledge of you on the side of your work —

Your love helps me so immensely with my work that I should love to be able to give you encouragement and help in return —

Goodnight my Heart’s Comrade13 — I love you I love you I love you —

B

• 1

  [document] Document 200190.

• 2

  [envelope] The Lady Constance Malleson | 6 Mecklenburgh Square | W.C.1. Pmk: LONDON.W.C | 1.15 AM | SEP 12 17A

• 3

  [date] Colette wrote “11th Sep 1917” on the letter.

• 4

  the letter I got Her letter of 10 September 1917 (BRACERS 113059).

• 5

  Old Vic and Miss Baylis Lilian Mary Baylis (1874–1937) became the sole manager of the Old Vic in 1912 and changed the repertoire of the theatre drastically, introducing Shakespeare. Over time the Old Vic became the prime venue for the staging of Shakespeare.

• 6

  K. John By Shakespeare. King John was to start the season at the Old Vic in autumn 1917.

• 7

  Comees Committeesof the No-Conscription Fellowship.

• 8

  CEM Catherine Marshall (1880–1961). For further information on her, see BRACERS 19043, n.5.

• 9

  the Whiteheads Alfred North Whitehead (1861–1947), and his wife Evelyn (1865–1961). For further information on them, see BRACERS 19080, n.6.

• 10

  Mecklenburgh Square Colette and Miles had a flat there at no. 6,  at first called the “New Attic” to distinguish it from their previous flat and then later called just “the Attic”.

• 11

  Sylvia Pankhurst Pankhurst (1882–1960) was a political activist, socialist, and pacifist, involved in many causes, beginning with women’s suffrage.

• 12

  Workers’ and Soldiers’ Council … Bro. Church BR and Colette attended a meeting organized by the London and Home Counties District to found a Workers’ and Soldiers’ Council, inspired by events in Russia. The meeting was held in the Brotherhood Church, Southgate Road, Hackney, on Saturday, 28 July, and was broken up by an angry mob before the Council could be created. BR was attacked — he writes about this in his Autobiography (2: 32, 32).

• 13

  Heart’s Comrade For usage of this term, see BRACERS 19145, n.12.

Textual Notes

• a

  am The word is underlined six times in a continuous stroke.