Tuesday, Feb 1.

Sent off 2 ch chapter s by Karl.

Trojan Ending and reading over Laura's Letter Book & checking with her.

Even Night walk to Kilburn. Artificial flowers giving great pleasure.

Laura extremely tired.

Wed Feb 2

All day Belisarius

John Lucy sent me a letter (or rather enclosed one to Mary in an envelope to me). (Also Honor had a letter from a mysterious 'J. Coghlan' of Dublin – obviously the same hand John Lucy's eds.). It contained a remark about England & Ireland which should have gone to the War Office.

Walk to Kilburn, brought back a Worcester platter for Honor.

Laura writing letters.

We play Bessie Smithblues KG records to drown the songstress next door. She replies reproachfully with Handel's 'Largo'.

Feb 3 Thursday

SolaceGraves' cat eds. is unwell – heat and constipation & worms.

(Principal cloud over house.)

Belisarius all day. At 5 L & I went to Baker St. & saw Mr.Mills.

The Cribb doing maps & ringing up about obscure places.

Ward & Dorothy to dinner. Ward going over poems with Laura & very historical about his bells story. Also Alan & Beryl.

At 11.30 L & I worked till 3 on Belisarius.

ten pages of Ch Chapter XIX had to be wholly rewritten.

Feb 4 Friday

Working again at 9.30 on Belisarius. Finished by 3 and Cassell's sent someone to fetch the two chapters.

Honor & Gordon to lunch.

A little sleep and a walk.

Then to dinner at Norman's in his car with Alan & Beryl, then to Mount Royal to a queer flat temporarily hired for Gordon as B.B.C. representative on night-telephone. Also there: Honor, Maisie (wearing GoodGoode; jeweller? KG jewels). Ate lichee nuts & loquats

Mount Royal: a liner on a voyage to nowhere. A convenient haunt of tarts – no questions asked.

'Hitler Army Purge'

Feb 5 Saturday

Proofs of first 10th of the Belisarius. Did them.

In Willesden Lane bought an Indian star jug for 4/-4 shillings eds.

Feeling well, but fat.

SolaceGraves' cat eds. better.

Jenny has been working on a Gaumont-British film.

Two versions of a poem: The Unrevealed I

Tidied Laura's jewel-box.

Feb 6 Sunday

Another version of the Unrevealed I.

Laura worked till 5, rose at 3. Went over Ch Chapter XX with me.

I worked too all day at cross-copying.

Midnight walk to end of Finchley RoadWestminster eds..

Feb 7 Monday

Working on ch chapter XXI

Sent maps back to Cribb for correction.

Across Regent's Park with Alan, taking repairs to Mills.

More marbles in East St.

Laura stuck on difficult part of Letter Book

SolaceGraves' cat eds. to vet – Karl, overcome, had to come to the Heroes of the Almapub in Alma Square eds. for a gin & lime.

Did some Trojan Ending late at night.

Fog.

* First signs that Italy is going to clear out of Spain: official hopefulness.

Feb 8 Tuesday.

Finished going over Ch Chapter XXI with Laura; have done most of cross-copying.of Belisarius eds.

At Harrison's in Willesden lane where I got the jug got a pair of late Georgian cut-glass vases & cleaned them. 13/613 shillings, sixpence eds. the pair.

Norman & David Reeves to supper.

Did 2nd batch of proofs, once over.

To Harry & Alix who had just painted their flat: Harry fish-like. David Reeves produced a caricature of XII Clergymenhence the expression – Love – how amazing! KG by Geoffrey Cullenfriend of Eirlys Roberts' KG.

It is after all not Juan Gelat KG but his cousin who is at Pollensa.

* Decided to change form of the Laura book: getting accounts of her from friends.See references in entries for Oct. 31, Nov. 27 & 28, 1937. eds.

Feb 9 Wednesday

Sent off maps & Ch Chapter XX & XXI.

Proofs all day. Sent off another batch making ½ of the book.i.e. of Belisarius eds.

Margaret to lunch. In afternoon went with her & Laura to Selfridge. Laura got a pig-skin handbag-purse 56/-56 shillings eds. & I a pigskin cigarette case 10/-.

Started on Ch Chapter XXII.

Feb 10 Thursday

Completed Ch Chapter XXIIof Belisarius eds.

Marie not well. A Mrs Rowelt came as charcharwoman eds.: vice Mrs. Witty.

Gordon to supper: he is going to observe at a ghost-house in Suffolk, next Friday sennightarchaic term for seven-nights, or, a week eds..

Discussion with him about possible publicity of poems etc. Did a little Trojan Ending.

Talk late at night about NOTHING.

Feb 11 Friday.

Cold, sunny day: walked to Lisson GroveWestminster eds. where yesterday I had seen a charming green glass marble: bought it for 3dthree pence eds..

Then by bus 31 & 29 to Caledonian Market.

Bought cups & saucers for Karl & Marie & for us two Olive spoons William Tukey George II and Walter Grundy, George III 30/-30 shillings eds. the pair.

Everyone charming in the market.

Random House postponing the pub. publication of Belisarius.

Sent off Ch Chapter XXII, did proofs all rest of day.

Laura slept till 1.30 after late nights.

* Hitler-Army disturbances in Germany.

Feb 12 Saturday. Karl's birthday (26th)

figure – arrow pointing to Karl's birthday

We gave him a manuscript case and a tea party with crackers. Marie had tea with us for the first time.

It was a very heavy, mortal day – everyone remarked on it – with a bad wind at night. In Abbey road: 2 Staffordshire cups & saucers to replace what I broke of Laura's.

The Simmond's came to supper & talked, about education & sculpture, till until midnight.

A little of Ch Chapter XXIII.

At night read

Hans Andersen's In Spain In Spain by H.C. Andersen. London: R. Bentley, 1864. eds. to Laura.

Feb 13 Sunday.

Working on Trojan Ending

It was sunny, snowed hard, rained. Laura stayed in bed till until 3 o'clock.

Did Chapter XXIIIof Belisarius eds. with Laura & made corrections.

SolaceGraves' cat eds. very thin, very sweet, playing with her ping-pong ball in the passage.

Worked at Ch Chapter XXIV, late.

* finished it at 3.30 am the 14th

Feb XIV14th eds. Monday

Went over & sent off last ch chapter of Belisarius.

Jenny to lunch, out of work, gay, well with an enormous appetite. Her eye on L'pool Rep.Liverpool Repertory Theatre. eds.

She came with me to Mr. Mills where I bought an English carved gilt frame for a verge watchVerge clock KG, and the watch, 18/618 shillings, sixpence eds. the both, also pendulum ear-rings pinchbeck 2/- and a purse with tiny garnets & seed pearls 6 d sixpence eds.

Back over Park in heavy wind & snow – only Polar Bears & reindeer on view at the Zoo.

Wd. Holmes to tea. Good.

Took SolaceGraves' cat eds. to vet: she now seems better of worms.

Trojan Ending.

* Austria surrenders to Germany.

Feb 15 Tuesday

Caledonian Market in freezing weather. Bought a Victorian-Chinese blue glass necklace 2/-2 shillings eds., a green glass Chinese necklace for Marie 1/-, a set of fishknives & forks in box 11/-, a Stuart backed topaz & marquesitemarcasite KG brooch – in bad repair – 3/6, also 4 glass square sweet-jars 2/-, and a few more marbles. Spent a lot of time putting all my marbles into the 3 smaller jars in proper arrangement – exact fit.

Laura did 17 letters. The cold wind went to my teeth, head & stomach.

Alan & David to tea.

Norman to supper & Rimbaud, and went over Sensitive the first? Not traced. DW; eds. poem.

Trojan Ending.

Feb 16 Wed.

A suspected dead rat behind the wainscoting sent me out in the morning; while the workmen pulled up the boards & disinfected I went to Ward 's & was photographed in 2 costumes & several postures.

Trojan Ending.

A walk at night as far as Selfridges & back by bus. My room smelling again.

*Laura started Lives of Wives.

Title Page

Feb 17th 1938

(31 Alma Square)

London N.W. North Westminster 8

Enclosure – Times Clipping Civil War in Baleares

RG has drawn large Xs beside the headline and subtitle. eds

Feb 17th Thursday

A mad day: a plumber came to inspect my smelling wainscote. And then again two Electric men for the leak in the kitchen, which they would not touch, so the plumber again who fetched a mate and had the kitchen linoleum & floorboards up. Also a telephone man to repair the extension; and Miss Story, and the plumber had trouble with a pipe in the lavatory. All this time it was raining. Then drying out the linoleum spread with gadgets against the kitchen wall.

Proofs of Belisarius, also a little Trojan Ending. Bed at two.

Fixed the Verge clock.

Feb 18 Friday.

In bed at 2.30, up at 9 putting kitchen linoleum down again. Slept a little, no work. In afternoon to Mr. Mills for repairs & bought (2/-2 shillings eds.) a Stoep china wall bracket.

Laura had David for furniturea work in progress that will become Furniture, an Explanatory History by David L. Reeves. London: Faber & Faber, 1948. eds. talk and trouble with Cape about copyright of Poems: a Joking Word.

She is feeling very tired.

SolaceGraves' cat eds. much better.

Work at Trojan Ending.

Feb 19 Saturday.

Finished first act of Trojan Ending

Karl fetched from Mr Mills 500 small plain-glass marbles to mix with the coloured one in the glassesglass jars KG (3/-3 shillings eds.) and a coral whistle for Bix Lyeson of Len & Jane KG.

Walk down Edgeware Road: saw a street-market and a fire in a house alongside, with fire-engines.

Rather a lazy day.

Thinking about publicity for poems.

Feb 20 Sunday.

Still thinking about publicity for poems.

Norman to lunch: discussed this.

Then to Len & Jane for Bixson of Len & Jane KG's birthday, after listening awhile to Hitler's speech, in Norman's car.

Discussed Len's problems with him

Reading over Letter Book

Harry & Alix to coffee: listening in to wireless, various Cabinet meetings, wondering whether Eden would have the sense to resign. He did – and Ld Lord Cranborneundersecretary to Eden, resigned in 1938 as well eds..

Feb 21 Monday.

Trojan Ending

Len to lunch & talk about his position in regard to work – mass-mind and mind.

At 4 pm with Harry for walk across park to Mr. Mills. Bought cut glass tea-mixer 5/-5 shillings eds. & silver brooch for self 2/-

The Pollocks to supper & Maisie. Talk of morality of administration work. Continued after with Maisie alone.

* Insurgents retake Teruel.

Feb 22 Tuesday.

Everywhere popular indignation against Chamberlain.

To Caledonian Market where met Jenny & a boy friend in Paramount –Michael Clark.

I was pickpocketed of my purse with £5, was too disheartened to buy anythying – except a trunk for Jenny.

Proofs of Belisarius, then the blurb for Laura's poems Collected Poems eds. – very difficult. SolaceGraves' cat eds. broke my transfer basin.

Barker & Hogarth Press gave copyright permission over the phone.

Laura & I to supper to Norman to meet Nella Joseph. She was excitable, affectionate, presumptuous.

More work on blurb until very much later.

John sent us the autumn picture we had admired.

Feb 23 Wed.

Blurb finished.

Proofs of Belisarius.

Took the picture to be framed.

Copyright situation cleared up; ref.? eds. Laura's poems.

Toothache.

Feb 24 Thursday

Proofs all day.

Norman to supper.

Then a talk with Laura from 10.45-1.45 about Obstruction and its removal

Feb 25 Friday.

Sam was supposed to arrive by 11.39. I went to the station King's +; he wasn't there. Phoned to Laura who phoned to his school – he was still there.

Again in afternoon: met

Went with him to an American-Napoleonic singing film at Kilburn.

At Mr Mills brought home beads restrung: also bead bodkin case 5/-5 shillings eds., Russian Baroque stick pin 8/-, (the Indian half-moon necklace 2/62 shillings, sixpence eds..)

Feb 26 Saturday.

With Sam across Park talking about the use of words, and Books.

At M r Mills gave him Mary Lucy's amethyst beads to restring. He gave me a Bristol marble and Sam a microscope.

Sam & I had pork pies at Dutch ovenin Baker St. KG & back to lunch. Jenny to lunch: troubles with money & jobs still. She took Sam to Walt Disney's Snow-white Snow White an animated film released by Walt Disney in 1937 eds., while I completed the Belisarius proofs – thus ending the job – 7 months*

Supper at George & Mary Buchanan at Bascombe St. Talk about 'good people'.

On return SolaceGraves' cat eds. lost – Alix had let her out while taking care of Sam.

I found her in the front garden of 24 Alma Sq.

Feb 27 Sunday

Letters. Walk with Sam down to Baker Street by road & back by the Park – crocuses, sea-gulls.

Still toothache.

Laura writing preface to Lives of Wives.

With Karl Marie & Sam to a Cecil B. de Mille Buccaneer The Buccaneer produced by Cecil B. de Mille (1938) starring Frederic March and Franciska Gaal eds. film at the Carltoncinema eds.. Frederick March & awful little Franciska Gaal.

Alix to supper, Harry later.

Laura read me Wives preface.

Log Entries of Letters for February, 1938 Letters

Feb 1

5

Sir Charles Layton, Heath, Haas pr proofs , Danish publisher.

6.

Liddell Hart

7.

Cribb. Flower.

9.

Haas pr proofs . Cassell, pr proofs .

10

Haas, Flower, Margaret.

13.

Haas. pr proofs Anderson. pr proofs Lucie, Mary Philips, Isabel.

15

A.G.

18

Haas pr proofs , Cassell pr proofs . T. Vernon-Dickson.

19.

McCormacks, Margaret, Honor.

24.

Sam. Michael Clark

25.

Ward (photos). Pinker. Proofs to Haas.

26

Haas & Cassell, final proofs. David Garnett

27.

Michael Clark. Desmond Flower with instructions.

28.

Haas.

Feb 28 Monday

John's river picture back from being framed.

Wrote a bit about the deposition of Silverius & blinding of B. Belisarius in case my facts should be challenged. Len to lunch & work with Laura.

Sam's last day: he hung about, we played marbles, Karl took him to shop at Selfridges, I took him to King's +.

Walk with Laura & Alan in Kilburn; snack at Woolworths.

Then Laura felt tired, went to bed & sleep – my reading to her – at 9 o'clock.