22 April
22 April
22 April 1920
My dearest,
Your letter with the piece about Raquel Meller has just come. I hope you have good weather at Stratford. Kay writes its awful and that Ill never stay over there. I wish it would be finer. Its quite frightening to think of the English climate, or of Paris even. As to London with its sights and sounds - I was only saying to L.M. last night it needs a very great gasp to swallow it. But you and home and the kittens - all are in Hampstead so Hampstead is the tall rock rearing its awful form with the sunshine nestling on its head. But pray pour le beau temps! [. . .]
I am glad the singer is wonderful. I shall go to hear her as soon as I can. Let me be frank. Your article on her bears the impress of great fatigue. It saddens me that you should be so painfully overworked -painfully unable to respond "without an effort". "We shall learn it chiefly from the assiduous frequentation of our own great heritage." There - thats what I mean. You must not feel too strongly your duty to bear the age we live in upon your back. At any rate, faced with a fellow artist, Id greet her as an artist & let them understand what they may. Thats our privilege. We can explain later - obliquely. Do I talk nonsense?
Wig. [To J. M. Murry in Collected Letters]