BR TO CONSTANCE MALLESON, 26 OCT. 1949
BRACERS 19883. ALS. McMaster
Edited by S. Turcon. Reviewed by K. Blackwell

Festiniog.1
26.10.49

My dearest Colette

Your letter of Monday2 reached me safely. I am very sorry you are so collapsed, and I think on the whole you are right in thinking we had better put off meeting3 for a while, especially as there is a chance of a settlement of my affairs, after which I shall be freer.

Yes I got the prison letters4 safely — many thanks. The Crawshays5 said you had gone to Russia,6 which worried me dreadfully and kept me from writing.

Many happy returns. I remember your birthday in 1916.7 I note what you say about Lomath.8

I don’t think Peter9 will go to law, but she is capable of cutting off her nose to spite her face. I wish to keep this cottage for Conrad’s10 holidays; it is still uncertain whether I can.

I have to be in London Dec. 3–7.11 Shall we plan to meet during that time? It must be in a way not liable to scandal.

All my love, Dearest C.

Your
B

• 1

  [document] Document 200891.

• 2

  Your letter of Monday Written on her birthday, 24 October 1949 (“Letters to Bertrand Russell from Constance Malleson, 1916–1969”, BRACERS 113294).

• 3

  put off meeting Colette had written on 24 October 1949 (BRACERS 113294), that she was not feeling well enough to meet him.

• 4

  the prison letters Some of the letters that he wrote when he was in Brixton Prison in 1918. BR was working on his Autobiography.

• 5

  The Crawshays Elizabeth (d. 1977) and Rupert Crawshay-Williams (1908–1977), who married in 1932 and moved to Portmeirion in 1942. Rupert, a teacher and humanist, wrote a memoir, Russell Remembered (Oxford U.P.), in 1970 etc.

• 6

  gone to Russia Colette never visited Russia, and it is a mystery why she was said to have gone there.

• 7

  your birthday in 1916 They spent the afternoon of her birthday walking in Richmond Park.

• 8

  Lomath The removal company that was moving her furniture from Ffestiniog.

• 9

  Peter Patricia (“Peter”) Russell, née Spence (1910–2004). She and BR were married from 1936 until 1952.

• 10

  Conrad Conrad Sebastian Robert Russell, born 15 April 1937 to BR and his wife Patricia.

• 11

  in London Dec. 3–7 BR had to broadcast on the BBC on the 4th and speak on “The Future of Mankind” at the Imperial Defence College on the 6th.