Abstract for April 1938 Abstracts of Robert Graves Diary 1935-39 Shoichet, Jillian compiled by L.R. Roberts University of Victoria Libraries
P.O.. Box 1800, STN CSC Victoria B.C., VH3 2W5 Canada
July, 2006 UVic Text Analysis Portal for Research URL: http://web.uvic.ca/hrd/tapor/tapor.htm UVic Humanities Computing and Media Centre URL: http://web.uvic.ca/hrd/tapor/tapor.htm University of Victoria, Victoria B.C., Canada

Copyright of diary available by permission of the Robert Graves Trust

Copyright of introduction to diary available by permission of Elizabeth Grove-White

Copyright of diary markup, editorial notes and abstract by permission of the University of Victoria Libraries

Copyright of notes marked WG by permission of William Graves

Copyright of notes marked KG, Robert Graves Trust

 University of Victoria Humanities Computing and Media Centre and University of Victoria Libraries

held in the University of Victoria Libraries, Special Collections, Robert Graves Collection
P.O.. Box 1800, STN CSC Victoria B.C., VH3 2W5 Canada
acquired by the Libraries from Robert Graves in 1971 through the offices of Bertram Rota SC050GR01 Diary of Robert Graves 1935-39 and ancillary material Graves, Robert (1895-1985) University of Victoria Libraries
P.O.. Box 1800, STN CSC Victoria B.C., VH3 2W5 Canada
July, 2006 UVic Text Analysis Portal for Research URL: http://web.uvic.ca/hrd/tapor/tapor.htm UVic Humanities Computing and Media Centre URL: http://web.uvic.ca/hrd/tapor/tapor.htm University of Victoria, Victoria B.C., Canada

Copyright of diary available by permission of the Robert Graves Trust

Copyright of introduction to diary available by permission of Elizabeth Grove-White

Copyright of diary markup, editorial notes and abstract by permission of the University of Victoria Libraries

Copyright of notes marked WG by permission of William Graves

Copyright of notes marked KG, Robert Graves Trust

 University of Victoria Humanities Computing and Media Centre and University of Victoria Libraries

held in the University of Victoria Libraries, Special Collections, Robert Graves Collection
P.O.. Box 1800, STN CSC Victoria B.C., VH3 2W5 Canada
acquired by the Libraries from Robert Graves in 1971 through the offices of Bertram Rota SC050GR01 Victoria, BC, Canada University of Victoria Libraries Special Collections OHC0005681 PR6013.R35

Graves' diary manuscript includes 1546 pages including 117 enclosures: letters, clippings, photographs post cards, notes, games, etc.

Private URIs to the ref prefix are pointers to entities in references.xml, which contains all people, places, organizations, and other entities referred to throughout the project.

Pointers to the repository of facsimile images of the Graves diary.

 Primary hand. Secondary hand. Secondary hand. Primary hand.
APRIL 1938

In work, April is a productive month. Proofs of Riding's Collected Poems are sent to the publisher, and the T. E. Lawrence proofs are sent to the Trustees. Graves completes drafts of three new poems, The China Plate, To the Sovereign Muse (II) (which later becomes In Your Name, and then At First Sight) and Easter Still (although before the end of the month, Riding will convince Graves that the latter should be discarded). Riding rewrites the first scene of Graves' dramatic version of A Trojan Ending, and the title given to this project is Greeks and Trojans. Graves also continues work on his book about Riding, devotes more time to The Smuggler, and with Riding does a bit more on The Swiss Ghost.

Riding continues Lives of Wives, and drafts the preamble to the Protocols project. Graves and Riding consider various titles for the project; eventually Riding comes up with Covenant of Literal Morality. The typescript of The World and Ourselves comes back from Watt, and Riding and Graves discuss formats and costs with the printer. Norman Cameron continues to work with Riding on Rimbaud translations. (Cameron's servant girl Mitzi is still ill, and Norman must pay to send her back to Austria.)

Socially the month is subdued, though Mary Lucy visits on her way back to Ireland, and Riding and Graves entertain close friends in the evenings. In Graves' mind, Easter depression is in the air, dimming his delight in an otherwise pleasant spring. Jenny must work to convince him to join her on a Good Friday walk through Hyde Park. Easter Sunday itself is very quiet: Karl and Marie take the day off, and there is not a single telephone call. Graves retires early to bed. Later in the month there is a visit from Sally Chilver, who has been ill with some Egyptian germ. Graves continues making necklaces from old beads for the women in his life. This month he gives one to Marie, one to Jenny and one to Catherine, and makes several more.

The papers are beginning to carry accounts of the fate of the Jews of Europe, but without editorial commentary on the situation. Riding writes a letter to the Daily Telegraph about the dangers of anti-Semitism, but the newspaper does not print it. Honor offers to write it up as an article. Graves tries to organize getting Karl out of Europe to Canada; he visits High Commissioner Mike Pearson, who is apparently disgusted with the general political situation.

A small tragedy hits closer to home: Solace the cat is admitted to a veterinary hospital with a flu. She seems to be recovering, but then unexpectedly dies.

There are three enclosures this month:

1. Clipping from The Spectator: Clough Williams-Ellis' response to Graves' article Powerless in the Matter. 2. Cutting from the Sunday Times: letter from Graves about the character of Belisarius in Count Belisarius. 3. Letter of sympathy to Riding (after the death of Solace the cat?)