8 Jan

8 January 1920

Casetta Deerholm, Ospedaletti - Italy

BLACK. Wrote to Jinnie. A day spent in Hell. Unable to do anything. Took brandy - determined not to weep - wept. Sense of isolation frightful. I shall die if I don't escape. Nauseated, faint, cold with misery. Oh, I must survive it somehow. [KM Notebooks]

Bogey, I am really thankful you are at the helm again. Pages 12-13 - the bit o' poetry about the boarding house! and Poetry for Babes beginning with a capital I'VE (pretty, that!) and in my review swish for swim (malice?) made me shudder this week. Don't I pray you leave the paper again. Sullivan appears to compose his pages after a 9d mixed hors d'oeuvres. . . The review of your poetry in the Times was very intriguing. What I felt was they had to judge you by extraordinary standards & they felt it. This pleased me. The quotations, too. My word - what a jewel the second was! It gave me a deep thrill of joy. I think the reviewer was really very complimentary (properly so of course) to you. I really feel that tho' he didn't understand you he felt it was because you were beyond him. [. . .]
I send you today to the office the first instalment of some autobiographical notes on Tchekhov Do you care for them? There are more to follow & they are very interesting. If you dont would you have them typed (at my charge) & sent to Kot. I send also 2 parcels of novels. If you will send me the money they fetch it will help me to pay Arina. I hope to send off a review by todays afternoon post & another before the end of the week.
The London Mercury is between [sic] contempt but it is evidently as fat as can be - bursting with fatness - curse it. Squire's Moon is the flattest orb that ever sailed the hevings. This doesnt mean I dont enjoy seeing it (the paper I mean). [To J.M.Murry in Collected Letters, 7 January 1920]