SEPTEMBER 1935
Work continues on Almost Forgotten Times and Old Soldier Sahib. Graves also does "Poets" and his Focus contribution. Liddell-Hart writes with good news: he agrees to Graves' plan to collaborate on the T. E. Lawrence book. The two exchange letters to discuss the timing of the project, and Liddell-Hart
offers to run the idea past Lawrence's brother.1 Graves drafts several poems, including "Labyrinth,"
"Gulls and Such" (later "Gulls and Men") and "A Note on Natural Affections."
This month Joän Junyer introduces Graves and Riding to Dorothy and Ward Hutchinson. Ward Hutchinson agrees to write an article on photography for Epilogue, and Riding writes to him about his poems, which she does not find particularly original
or note-worthy (writes Graves, "she only found two short sequences of poetry which were all right in his book. The rest merely traditional,
or ornate"). Despite Riding's unfavourable critique of his poetry, Hutchinson finishes the Epilogue article, which is sent off to the printer.
In the meantime, Riding continues to struggle with A Trojan Ending, and Graves reviews Sulamith Ish-Kishor's Magnificent Hadrian for the Observer, pronouncing it "wretched stuff."
Graves is pleased about his renewed contact with family. His children write to thank
Riding for her gift of £12 each. Graves notes a difference in the children's tone since "the Devil" (Nancy Nicholson's lover, Geoffrey Phibbs) has left and married another woman. Graves writes back to the children and sends
Nancy £150. Graves also writes to his brother John, indicating his hope that David will travel before he enters Oxford. Later he is clearly irritated by David's preference
for Cambridge, apparently encouraged by Nancy Nicholson's comment that "much the nicest people" go there. Graves also hears from Honor Wyatt, who writes to tell Graves and Riding she won't be returning to Deyá this year after all.
This month Graves and Riding purchase the rights to a spring from Bernardo Colom and begin constructing a shed at C'an Torrent, Norman Cameron's former residence, which they had purchased earlier. Renovations to the Posada continue.