BR TO EDITH RUSSELL, 1 NOV. 1951
BRACERS 20260. ALS. McMaster
Edited by A.G. Bone. Reviewed by S. Turcon

<letterhead>1
The Marott
N. Meridian St. & Fall Creek Blvd.
Indianapolis 7, Ind.
1 Nov. 1951

My Darling Edith2

Amid the bewildering self-sufficiency of the middle West I try to keep alive the belief that you exist — that there is such a place as London, with a district named Chelsea, with a street named Paradise Walk,3 with a small house containing the nucleus of my universe. But I feel like one of the neutrons in the new improved atom bombs: these bombs have such a hard shell that neutrons trying to escape are always waved back by the frontier police, and at last get so mad that they explode. This is one of the marvels of science.

In the Lobby of one of the grandest hotels in Washington4 a man came up to me and asked gruffly “Where you from?” When I didn’t answer he said “You from Oklahoma?” (which is a recognized insult). I said no and turned my back. Except in the Capital of the world’s greatest State his behaviour would not be considered good manners.

It was delightful seeing Kate, and David, who is all he should be. She is as happy as the day is long. I have never seen a woman so fortunately transformed by maternity. I have been to Richmond (Va.) and Charlottesville,5 where the people were pleasant and unaggressive. I am going to N. Carolina where I shall speak to coloured people.6 Thank God a week from today is my last engagement.7 My last day in USA has to be devoted to paying income tax, which takes long. I am tired but quite fit.

I leave New York at 3 p.m. on Nov. 10, by flight 514. I think in theory it arrives at the airport about noon on Nov. 11, but as you know that is on the lap of the gods. If I am not there you can cable condolences to Ellis Island, where I shall be resembling the aforesaid neutron.

Darling all my heart is with you every moment. I will never again make one of these jaunts. Goodbye Beloved.

B.

I hope to get letters from you at the week-end.8 The last I have had so far was about John’s and Susan’s visitation.9 This is the Medlock’s fault.10

• 1

  [document] The letter was edited from a photocopy of the signed original written in BR’s hand on the recto and verso of a single leaf of letterhead from the Marott Hotel, Indianapolis.

• 2

  [recipient] See BRACERS 20255, n. 2.

• 3

  a street named Paradise Walk The location of Edith’s Chelsea house (London, S.W. 3), where she remained a tenant until shortly after marrying BR in December 1952. She occupied No. 6.

• 4

  one of the grandest hotels in Washington Presumably the Roger Smith (on Pennsylvania Avenue), where BR stayed.

• 5

  I have been to Richmond (Va.) and Charlottesville Russell made these two short side-trips while staying in Washington, DC, reprising (on 29 October) his Columbia University lecture on happiness (32 in Papers 26) in the first of these Virginia towns, but merely visiting the second.

• 6

  I am going to N. Carolina where I shall speak to coloured people. BR probably again delivered his latest “happiness” lecture (32 in Papers 26) when he visited Greensboro’s Agricultural and Technical College on the morning of 6 November.

• 7

  a week today is my last engagement On 8 November BR spoke on happiness for a seventh and final time, in Charleston, WV.

• 8

  I hope to get letters from you at the weekend. This hope was fulfilled (see BRACERS 20261).

• 9

  The last I have had so far was about John’s and Susan’s visitation. BR acknowledged receipt of this letter (BRACERS 120256) in his reply dated 25 October, in which he also alluded to the “visitation” (BRACERS 20258, n. 4).

• 10

  This is the Medlock’s fault. All six of Edith’s letters to BR were addressed c/o his American literary agent, who would have been entrusted with forwarding them to different stops on his lecture tour.