Evelyn Waugh Newsletter And
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
EVELYN WAUGH NEWSLETTER AND STUDIES Volume 26, Number 1 Spring, 1992 WAUGH'S LETTERS TO CYRIL CONNOLLY: THE TULSA ARCHIVE By Robert Murray Davis (University of Oklahoma) In 1975 the University of Tulsa acquired thirty-nine boxes of Cyril Connolly's papers. They are housed in the Special Collections division of McFarlin Library, and a "Guide to the Cyril Connolly Papers," prepared by Ms. Jennifer Carlson, is available from the library (600 South College Avenue, Tulsa, OK 74104-3189; phone (918) 631-2496; Bitnet: SHUTTNER@TULSA (for Sidney F. Huttner, Curator). Material by and to Waugh is contained in files 25 through 31 of Box 19. However, the materials have not been arranged in chronological order; some are undated; and not all of the dates assigned are accurate. The calendar which follows is designed first to inform students of Waugh about the existence of the collection and to indicate the importance of individual items and of the collection as a whole. Second, the calendar attempts to arrange the materials in chronological order. [1923?] Printed heading, Balliol College. Waugh wants to know what happened at [Basil?] Murray's tea; he refused to pay a subscription for a large gun. [Summer 1931]. To Jean Connolly, thanking her for having him to stay. Disliked Villefranche. Nina Seafeld was there; she had collected the major bores on the Riviera. Has come to Cabris, near Grasse, living with a crazy priest. Numbers, as scores, written in another hand. [Dating from letter to Henry Yorke, Summer 1931; Letters, p. 55.] [Early 1934] Sends regrets for cocktail party because he is in Fez writing a novel. He will return before Easter. 19 October 1942. Welcomes Connolly to membership in White's; Waugh himself is a new member, having resigned from Buck's, and is already enamored of the authentic coffee house atmosphere at White's. Has led a quiet life with friends since transferring from the marines to the army. Is willing to write for the Observer and has leisure to review anything suitable. Note in another hand, in green ink, including what may be notes for The Unquiet Grave. Also numbers, perhaps a cipher. 14 October 43. From St. James' Club. Sorry not to have said goodnight to Connolly at his party and sorrier for reason [something to do with Connolly's health?]. Waugh enjoyed party and regrets that Connolly couldn't. [Early 1944?] From White's. Sorry he couldn't find the train connection. Is writing a very good book unless he is badly mistaken; the army will probably not bother him. See Diaries, 4 May 1944, p. 562. 16th September [1947]. Photocopy of item in Letters, pp. 259-60, offering Connolly The Loved One for Horizon. 2 January 1948. Material for Connolly's "Comment" on The Loved One in Horizon. Letters, pp. 265- 66. [Early 1948]. Connolly's note: "The Loved One." Thanks Connolly for the advance copy of the magazine, praises his preface, and wishes that he had more openly acknowledged Connolly's help in editing the novel. Now plans to get back to work on something old-fashioned [probably Helena]. Has been told that there will be no problems with libel in America. Wishes him luck with his diet at Tring. Was in London but saw only people on business and the habitues of White's. Lent is beginning and Waugh is giving up cigars. 20th March, n.y. Denies that he wrote an article in this week's Tablet in case Connolly is offended. Disliked an article by a Piavane [?]. Pokes fun at a Scottie Wilson exhibition. 2 March 1948. Is touched by Scottie Wilson's plight. Is trying to sell a book by Owen Jones. Wonders if Connolly's woman friend, Lys Lubbock, will give cooking lessons to the Waugh cook. Letters, p. 271. -2- 6th April [1948?]. Sends a pony for an American woman. Sending cigars separately; they need care. Can't invite Connolly and Miss Brownell, whom he doesn't dislike, to stay during holidays, but would be pleased to have them for luncheon. There will be no comfort at P.iers Court until school starts again and the children leave. Monsignor Knox will be staying with them 23-28.1ssorryto hear about Orwell's illness and offers to visit him if he would like. Praises a new liver pill, Boldine Hondee. 3 May 1948. Regrets that he can't come to Connolly's May 7 party, but offers him best wishes in his new home [22 Sussex Place, Regents Park, N.W.]. Waugh goes to Copenhagen the first week in June. Could Connolly get sent by PEN? Wants 6 copies of Horizon with Knox article. Would like a photo of all the Horizon contributors having fun at his party. 21 July 1948. Offers 50 pounds as prize in the November Horizon if the winner needs the money. Praises the criticism of Aldous Huxley in the June issue. Invites Connolly to Piers Court after he returns from Aquitaine. N.d. [but c. 12 September 1948; see E3c Catalogue].. Sees Randolph Churchill's living this long as proof that civilization ended with the prohibition of duels. In a better age, he would have been shot, stabbed, or driven abroad twenty years ago. Waugh has had nettle rash all summer; thinks a change is the only cure so is going to the U.S. in November. Is angry with Time magazine, whose representative made superfluous comments on the trousers of Waugh's servants. Has read Elizabeth Bowen's The Death of the Heart for the first time and, having known her for some time, has just realized that she is a genius. Asks if Connolly has read Patrick Balfour's novel. Asks Connolly's opinion of Thomas Merton's poetry. Waugh thinks it bad but trusts Merton on religious issues. Asks if Connolly has heard the gossip about Ran [Antrim]. Regrets that Christopher Hollis feels compelled to quote bad light verse when he writes. 23rd October [1948]. Leaves for US in a week. Sorry that Connolly dislikes the illustrations to the book version of The Loved One but has come to dislike them himself except for the ones without human figures and some of the letters which begin chapters. Thinks Dennis Barlow looks rather like Peter Quennel I as a young man. Discounted gossip about Quennel I and June Osborne. Repeats his praise of Connolly's help in improving The Loved One. 1 April 1949. Waugh has just returned [from America] with cigars for Connolly. Had promised to contribute towards Horizon's prize for fiction if the author needed the money. Does she? Will fork out if politicos let him. Has seen enough of America and longs for Connolly's civilized company. 29 May 1949. Reminds Connolly of visit to Waugh on June 4. Best train leaves Paddington at 4:55, arrives in Stroud at 7. Post Card, postmarked Dursley 4 September 1949. On front, Picasso's "Woman's Head." Message: "Quat I petis I hie I est" [This is what you are looking for.] Postcard sent as letter [Letters, p. 301, dated as 1949]. Opened by mistake. Duff Cooper is wrong to think that Connolly, Waugh, and another member will resign from White's if Peter Quennel! is elected. 11 January 1950. Thanks him for inviting him to a luncheon featuring good wine and Clarissa [Churchill?]. Wants to talk about Logan Pearsall Smith after reading Gathorne-Hardy's memoir. Waugh tries never to go to London because he is too shaky afterward. Saw Peter Rodd suffering from locomotor ataxia, wearing a waistcoat made from an old carpet. Everyone was drunk at Pratt's. Saw Patrick Balfour. Must refuse Connolly's invitation. Invites Connolly to Piers Court before Ash Wednesday. Plans to go to Rome after Easter. Has written more of Helena. Is going to lecture to Catholic students and welcomes the end of the year [in which he promised to accept all such speaking engagements]. 22nd March [1950]. Has consulted his doctor [Golden] about obesity and discovers that he will live a long time unless someone is kind enough to explode an atomic bomb. Thanks Connolly for a present; he rarely gets one. Has finished Helena, which is shorter than he expected. He likes it but doesn't think fashionable ladies or Connolly will. May write a guide to the city of Gloucester like E. M. Forster's on Alexandria. Will be in Italy from Easter to Pentecost, trying to travel simply in the manner of his youth but doubts that even newly slimmed he will be able to do so. -3- Easter, 1950. Thanks Connolly for gift [of a kind of cabinet]; had expected a joke. Asks its function. Will have plenty of Italian funds Italy and asks Connolly to join him. Hoping to get Harold Acton to give him a tour of Venice. Wants to purge wartime memories of an Italy full of American troops, crooks, and prostitutes. 8 September [1952]. The letter about Connolly's review of Men at Arms. Letters, pp. 382-83. 21 September 1952. Tries to mollify Connolly's hurt feelings about "home fires" and Horizon. Corrects errors of fact in Connolly's article about Waugh for Time [unpublished; the Humanities Research Center, University of Texas-Austin, holds a corrected typescript of the article, not listed in Catalogue.]. Letters, pp. 384-85. 9 December [1953 postmark]. Thanks Connolly for copy of Golden Horizon. Letters, p. 414. 20 December [1953]. Thanks Connolly for gift of an edition of Prudentius. Rejects Connolly's praise of Klee. American restaurants have virtues that French ones lack. Letters, p.