Diary entries for March, 1939

Enclosure – French poem by RG about Marie, Leonié, and their love-lives. Pour ne pas être indiscret Dirai tout bas un secret: le cher M. Monsieur Salsafie Dont Marie Se méfie Est l'accordé de Léonie — Comme ce cher vieux Chicoree Est l'accordé. De Marie . Graves is experimenting with a French triolet form; he puns on the names of their maids' boyfriends, comparing them with root vegetables common in France. He has apparently personified salsify (salsifi) and probably chicory (although the French word is endive) as boyfriends of the two women, giving them those made-up Franglais names. A little Franglais jeu d'esprit? EGW; see also Feb. 28th diary entry. eds

Enclosure – Letter from LR to RG about his Hostage poem Dearest Robert

March 1 seems right for answering your letter of January 16. Let's call it a World birthday (the world seems to forgotten that it has one).

About your Hostage poem.

You're wrong about the guns. You tried to state is? this the Joke, but the joke isn't that you're a hostage in this fortress, I think, but rather:

The fortress fancies it is besieged, the guns are its own. You beg the commander not to fire: 'The enemy is a friend'. You're wrong really to do that: the guns must be spent. Then only do they the fortress windows for looking out of. Don't pretend you haven't had guns of your own ~~and~~ locked away – set them all off.

Yours for love and peace to the poor sun-gods and all that bottling up Laura

March 1 Wednesday

Feeling stupid with cold, & Beryl has toothache.

Dictionary: proofs of Left Heresy, letter to Schuyler Jackson.

Laura said it was the World's Birthday so we had champagne in its honour:

To bed early.

March 2 Thursday

Dictionary. Cold all but gone.

Read L's Paintingnot identified: but could this be intended for Protocol Two? eds. with great excitement

Beryl & Dorothy to Rennes (Beryl's tooth)

Walk with Alan to lake in the sun; talking about Laura as a focus of love among us.

We hope to sail on the Paris on which L came to Europe in 1925.

Alan rang up to say that Pacelli is PopeEugenio Pacelli (1876-1958), Pope Pius XII (1939-1958) eds.: on first day of Conclave.

Proofs with Laura of L. Heresy.

March 3 Friday

Beryl had violent toothache all day.

Dictionary and proofs with Laura.

March 4 Sat.

Alan & Beryl went to Rennes: where they learned that the dentist had killed a nerve in Beryl's tooth without warning her.

Letters all morning & afternoon.

Laura on her long poem about gods.

Her article appeared in Schoolmaster.

March 5 Sunday

It rained.

Guineafowl for lunch

Dictionary 15 pp pages Psi.e. the letter 'P' eds.

Walk with Laura to meet Alan Beryl & Dorothy on way back from village: met at brow of hill.

Cross-copied Heresy proofsRG underlined "proofs" also, then crossed the line out. eds. all rest of day till until 2 am.

Poem to Laura in one draft.Not traced. DW; eds.

* Laura stopped smoking.

March 6th ~~Saturday~~ Monday

Dictionary: Psi.e. the letter 'P' eds. & resorting adjectives.

Crosscopying Heresy proofs

Bellamycat eds. Black destroyed Smith's (Dorothy's) photos of sculpturesee name game 26 February,1939 eds.

Laura still stopped smoking but with a frightful headache.

March 7 Tuesday

Proofs of Left Heresy; and Dictionary (R'si.e. the letter 'R' eds.)

Reservations made on Paris.

Laura called me in, about 4 am, to say sleepily.

Love is a beautiful insincerity; & true

Beryl & I decided, now that we all have agreed to leave Bellamycat eds. behind, while taking Nonocat eds.: that Bellamy has been given too much love. He does not appreciate it being French: he is just a 'beau chat'handsome cat eds. for a serious établissementestablishment eds..

Mar 8 Wednesday

Proofs still: very sticky.

Dictionary

Laura very nervous from her non-smoking, drinking hot water & eating camphor: went to bed early

Walk back from station with Beryl down sunken lane.

Changed beds about for Joan & Dolores's arrival: then they telephoned that Joän had hurt his leg & couldn't come.

March 9 Thursday

Proofs still sticky.

Laura had a dream of a conversation with Mussolini.

He told her that what provoked him to his outrageous ways was the figure of Chamberlain. She assured him that in England nobody took him seriously. This pleased him greatly: 'I never thought the English were so cynical.' Then about fascism. She upset him by saying 'You may not realism realise the evil that it really is ~~causes~~ because of the light character of the Italians which only takes it superficially. But look at what it has made of the Germans!' Then she said: 'There are two categories: the human, the transcendental. ~~You haven't~~ But there has been an attempt made to impose a third one – the superman.' He blushed guiltily.

Starting packing up & disposing of things.

Alan & Beryl to Rennes to fetch money.

Enclosure – Clipping from The Serpent: Review of RG's Collected Poems

Wood Not Trees p.1

Wood Not Trees p.2

Enclosure – Clipping from The Serpent: RG's response to Review of Collected Poems

The Poet Replies

March 10 Friday.

Still proofs: have got through to the Epilogue parti.e. Politics and Poetry, in The Left Heresy. eds., which is easier.

Dictionary 15 pp pages .

Doing a new job: translating into simpler terms the Harry chapters on Numbers.for The Left Heresy? eds.

A walk back from station, where russian Russian billiards with Alan, with Beryl by the sunken lane.

Laura distributing spare necklaces.

March 11 Saturday

Raining & everyone sleepy.

Laura distributing odd gifts: clothes brushes, caps, shawls etc

Dictionary 15 pp pages .

Proofs still, my God!

We told Levrels, Leonie and Perou ~~were~~ we were going.

Laura very nervous indeed with her non-smoking: long talks with her.

To bed at 2.30

March 12 Sunday

Proofs, no Dictionary, everyone had headaches.

Promised Bellamycat eds. to Hotel.

Walks with Beryl round the Lake & Dorothy to meet the others on way back from village.

March 13 Monday

Proofs & Numbers

Juan brought Joän and Doloresfriends from Majorca. eds. in his car in the afternoon. Joän looked very much older but after a time revived: we liked her very much at once. Glad that there was no political talk: but they told us of the dreadful conditions in the Spanish refugee camps and the brutality of the French police. He is doing designs for an English ballet: décorbackground sets eds.

Very cold again.

M lle Perou got the purple spangles Honor sent Laura for Xmas Christmas .

March 14 Tuesday

Ordered Joan some trousers from Schoinetailor KG.

Proofs all day.

Joän started teasing Dorothy.

They play Cambeluk with us.

Laura still giving away things.

March 15 Wednesday

Sent proofs off.

Very sleepy rest of day

A little Dictionary

Germans seized Czechlandi.e. Czechoslovakia eds..

March 16 Thursday

Joän & Dolores went to mi-Carèmemid-Lent eds. at Dinant and he bought paints there.

Dictionary 20 pp pages .

Long talk about relations of L. A. B. & me.

Went to village on foot to give notice to Pinson.

Germans seized SlovakiaCzechoslovakia eds.

Talked most of night with Laura and AT LAST got the thing right about joulting & swingering.? Could this be related to the Hostage poem, and LR's response? See enclosure March 1st. eds.

March 17 Friday

Dictionary; a letter to Katherine Jackson; notes for a blurb for Lives of Wives

Laura stopped coffee drinking except occasional cup of 1 not 15 a day as usual.

It snowed in the night & early morning.

March 18 Sat.

Dolores went to Paris to get things from the studio & give her mother money. Alan went with her to Rennes to meet Karl; but Karl arrived first. Brought Earl Grey tea, Patum Peperiuma.k.a. The Gentleman's Relish, a strong anchovy paste eds., Ox marmalade, peach chutney from Montague & a model bed from David[packed] in a cat-basket KG.

Blurb for L of. W again

Dictionary

Russian billiards at S.Uniac with Alan, Karl, Joän.

March 19 Sunday.

A very difficult day.

Dictionary, little else: talk.

Leonie has a new whitlowswelling of finger or thumb eds. and did not report it till until today – the 8th day.

7¼game eds. at night with Dorothy, Alan, Beryl, Karl, Joan.

March 20 Monday

Another talk day; very difficult.

Dictionary.

By night all was easy.

Ward has not got tubercular lungs.

Bed at 3.30

March 21 Tuesday

Got up at 8.

Letters.

Walk with Beryl down the Crucifix lane & picked primroses.

Gave post office girl the pink beads: Beryl said 'first day of Spring: no need to feel guilty about good weather.'

Proofs of Lives of Wives

Gendarmespolicemen eds. came to examine our passe-portspassports eds.: German, Spanish, English, U.S. United States

March 22 Wednesday

Day remarkable for 2 walks with Laura: sunken road, and crossroads.

Proofs of Lives of Wives

Preparing for packing goes on every day.

Alan, Karl, Joän went to Montfort.

March 23 Thursday

Dictionary

Proofs of Lives of Wives

Headache + cachetspills eds.

Getting packing cases ready.

Léonie is getting no sleep, with her whitlowswelling of finger or thumb eds.: sits in front of fire all night. Ward sent Joän 100 dollars

Occupation of MernelFrance eds.; by Hitler – not Franco KG

March 24 Friday

Went to Rennes at 8 oclock with ~~& wit~~ Alan, Karl who went back, Dorothy, Beryl, Laura. Beryl & I to Nantes by train where I saw the U.S. United States Consul Mr.Cocke & got a visa arranged. A lonely man who talked of the negro problem and of Redsi.e. Communists eds.. Beryl & I bought socks and ate at a Restaurant Mangay & back by bus. Laura had been getting shoes all day (+ dentist) & fixed it up at 7 oclock only. Greetings to Miguel & Francisca

* Madrid surrendered – (this was a premature report.see 28 March, 1939 eds.)

March 25 Saturday.

Packing.

No dictionary yesterday or today.

Nonocat eds. was away 48 hours turned up at last so glad to be back. Dorothy had gone to look for him: called, up came a rabbit and ate a carrot she gave it.

Got my watch back at last: now a clock: Dorothy has the cover as a brooch

Most extraordinary sight. Snow-sleet green grass, dark sky, evening light, pink budding tops of trees in the grove. We were all at different windows.

Laura deciding what work not to do.

Too much happening to get on with proofs.

March 26 Sunday

Queer day: letter from Schuyler which made things less strange.

Laura & I tried to get down to proofs all day: but a 1000 things intervened.

no dictionary even

Joan did Centaurmythical beast: half-man, half-horse eds. dances at Dorothy who was perfectly confused by him.

March 27 Monday

Dictionary

Some proofs

The day Dorothy banged her head on a chair & knocked herself out.

Dolores at supper started suddenly on her war experiences – how her mother was wounded by a bomb & other horrors, including the ~~day~~ night they spent in the Port Bou tunneltunnel between France and Spain eds..

March 28 Tuesday

Dictionary: proofs of Lives of Wives.

Laura has rheumatism in her fingers. 'Sale tempsnasty weather eds..'

David suddenly 'phoned telephoned from Paris

Norman counted himself out

* Madrid surrendered

March 29 Wednesday

Packed Dictionaries & other books for U.S.A. United States of America

Nice walk with Laura & Alan up hill beyond Lake; talking about ~~future~~ next few months.

Dictionary: in Tsi.e. the letter 'T' eds. now

* Valencia surrendered

End of Spanish War

March 30 Thursday

Primroses with Beryl: dictionary.

David came at 1.15.

We all met him at station and spent all time with him, till until he went after supper.

Joan showed us his lovely new ballet designs.

David decided to come to the U.S.A. United States of America with us.

Have had a very stiff back for days.

Proofs of Lives of Wives

The red cock with the large comb that we were going to have for supper was stolen at 9 am from the tree where it was hung: the gendarmepoliceman eds. came.

March 31 Friday

Proofs all day

Suddenly marvellous weather.

Everyone very happy.

Léonie's finger better after several days of great suffering.

Packed the tall trunk – Dorothy, Laura & I.

Log Entries of Letters for March, 1939

March 1

Schuyler.

Books to Karl to sell.

Bank (£5) N.N. £100 A.G., David G. (£1) Philip Pim,? eds. Roz, Bones, Karl,

6 7.

Ward,

W.P.Watt.

TambimuttuMeary James Thurairajah Tambimuttu (1915-1983), founder and editor of Poetry London magazine eds.: Am. American Expresstravel agency eds..

11.

CN./ N.N/ Sam/

13.

Watt: Income tax.

17.

Katharine

Watt about Loan; £8 to Bank; Margaret, W.P. Watt about Germany.

19.

~~Ward~~ , Mills, Montague, Schwarz.

U.S. United States Consul.

Julie: Watt about visa

Nancy £50. Bank £125.

27.

Undersecretary (Home Office) for Joän

U.S. United States Consul Nantes.

Rennes Rennes France where Gelat's daughter, Anita, and son-in-law, Juan Vives live; visited by RG and LR et al in 1938 eds. Hotel Ouest Montauban Brittany France Dinant Dinant Namur Belgium Paris France Oxford England home of Oxford University eds. St. Uniac Brittany France a village within walking distance of La Chevrie. eds. Montfort Monfort Brittany France Nantes Nantes France city south of Rennes eds. Madrid Madrid New Castile Spain Capital city of Spain eds. Valencia Valencia Valencia Spain City on East coast of Spain eds. Graves Robert Robert Graves, Robert [1st person]. (1895-1985). Poet, novelist, essayist, critic, and author of his diary. eds. Marie Marie Marie servant at La Chevrie eds. Leonie Léonie servant at La Chevrie eds. Riding Laura Laura Riding, Laura (1901-91) American poet. Laura Riding (née Reichenthal; then Laura Gottschalk). Beryl Pritchard, Beryl daughter of Harry and Amy Pritchard, R.G.'s second wife. Formerly married to Alan Hodge. Robert and Beryl had four children: William, Lucia, Juan and Tomas. eds Jackson Schuyler Schuyler Jackson Jackson, Schuyler American poet who became Laura Riding's second husband. Graves and Riding stayed with Jackson, his wife Katharine ("Kit"), and his family on their farm in Pennsylvania in 1939. It was here that the partnership between R.G. and L.R. came to an end. eds Dorothy Simmons, Dorothy Sculptor associated with the Graves-Riding inner circle (1938-39). Married to Montague Simmons. eds Hodge Alan Alan Hodge, Alan Oxford history graduate. Became close friends with LR & RG. First husband of Beryl Graves. CP & WG Junyer Joän Joän Junyer, Joän Nephew of Sebastian Junyer. Also a good painter. W.G.; Deaf-mute Catalan painter, ex-pupil of Picasso's, who lived in his uncle's house in Lluch Alcari [Llucalcari]. K.G.; introduced Ward and Dorothy Hutchinson to RG & LR in 1935 eds. Junyer Delores Dolores Junyer, Delores m. to Joän Junyer eds Mussolini Benito Mussolini Mussolini, Benito (1883-1945) Fascist dictator ( "IL DUCE") of Italy from 1922-1943. eds. Chamberlain Arthur Neville Chamberlain Chamberlain, Neville (1869-1940) British Prime Minister in the 1930s; m. to Anne Chamberlain née Cole eds. Harry Kemp Kemp, Harry Poet. Met Graves and Riding through James Reeves in August 1936, just after their arrival in England. In their previous correspondence, Riding had been intrigued by his falling-out with Communism. He became associated with their circle, collaborating on various projects. (RPG 248-49) Levril Maria & Monsieur Levril Levril family who ran[?] the Grand Chevrie farm at RG & LR's rented estate in Montauban, France eds. Perou Mme Perou Perou Madam Perou and her family who befriended RG et al at La Chevrie eds. Vives Juan Juan Vives, Juan The Doctor's brother. Married to Gelat's daughter. Lived in Rennes, France. WG Wyatt Honor Honor Wyatt, Honor Journalist. Arrived in Deyá fortuitously. Married to Gordon Glover...Son Julian. W.G. First acquainted with R.G. and L.R. early in 1934; returned to visit in 1935; continued friendship in England. eds (RPG 211). Pinson M. Pinson Pinson, Monsieur lawyer in Montauban, France who handled the rental agreement for La Chevrie eds. Jackson Katharine Katharine Jackson Jackson, Katharine m. to Schuyler Jackson eds. Goldschmidt Karl Karl/Carl Goldschmidt, Karl Karl Goldschmidt, later Kenneth Gay: Graphic artist, friend and secretary of Robert Graves and Laura Riding since 1934. R. G. spells both as Carl and Karl. Simmons Montague Montague Simmonds Simmons, Montague poet, and civil servant in the children's branch of the Home Office; m. to Dorothy Simmons, the sculptress RPG Reeves David David Reeves Reeves, David Brother of James Reeves [and Ethel Herdman] RPG 292. Hutchinson Ward Ward Hutchinson, Ward Photographer. Contibuted to"Epilogue." W.G. R.G. often refers to "the Hutchinsons" (Ward & Dorothy) as a couple especially when they were staying on the island. eds. Hitler Adolf Hitler Hitler, Adolf (1889-1945) Franco Franco, General Spanish General; led the Nationalist forces against the Republicans in the Spanish Civil War; Spanish Head of State from 1939-1969. Ripoll Miguel Miguel Ripoll Ripoll, Miguel Juan Vives' business partner from Deyá; married to Francisca née Mayol eds. Francisca Francisca Francisca The "Francisca" of "Laura and Francisca." eds. A young resident of Deyá; her mother Francisca Messiana helped out at Canellun. W.G. Also called Francisquita (but so were other Franciscas in the village). Later m. to Miguel Ripoll (see Friedmann 179) eds. Cameron Norman Norman Cameron Cameron, Norman Poet. Built Can Torrent in 1932-1933. W.G.; m. to Elfriede, then to Catherine Vandervelde; friend and contributor to LR and RG's work eds. Nicholson Nancy Nancy Nicholson, Nancy (1899-1977) First wife of Robert Graves; married 1918, separated 1927, divorced 1949. eds. Graves Amy A.G. (A.E.S.G) Graves, Amy Amy Graves, RG's Mother. WG Graves David David Graves, David R.G.'s second child [by Nancy Nicholson]. W.G. In RAF; killed in the war. The only one of Graves' children who might have become a poet had he lived. K.G., eds. Graves Philip Perceval Philip Graves, Philip R.G.'s half brother. WG Cooper née Graves Rosaleen Ros Cooper, Rosaleen Dr. Dr. Rosaleen Cooper, R.G.'s sister. W.G.; husband Jim, sons Dan, Roger & Paul RPG. Graves Alfred Perceval Bones Graves, Perceval half-brother of RG, nicknamed "Bones" RPG Watt W.P. Watt, W.P. Team member at A.S. Watt & Son, Ltd., RG's literary agent. Nicholson Catherine Catherine Nicholson, Catherine Catherine Nicholson: (1922- ) third of four children of Robert Graves and Nancy Nicholson. eds. Graves Samuel Sam Graves, Samuel R.G.'s youngest child by Nancy Nicholson. C.P.& WG Russell Margaret Margaret Russell, Margaret House-keeper L.R. & R.G. had had in London. WG Mills Albert Mills Mills, Mr. an antique seller and friend of RG, and contributor to the Covenant of Literary Morality eds.; of Paddington Street, Marylebone KG Schwarz Georg Swartz Schwarz, Georg German Jew. Deyá neighbour. Antique dealer. Lived with Frau Emmy Strenge, his house keeper, in Can Caballo some hundred yards from Canellun. RG and LR translated his "Almost Forgotten Germany." WG Matthews Julie Julie Matthews, Julie Tom Matthews' wife. WG Graves Robert Graves, Robert Author of the diary. Graves Beryl A. Graves, Beryl A. Second wife of Robert Graves. Transcribed the diary entries and register of letters written (hereafter, logs) from a photocopy of the manuscript, and these 53 monthly MS Dos, ASCII files, dated 01/01/83 were sent to Chris Petter by The Robert Graves Trust on floppy disc in 1996. Goldschmidt Karl Goldschmidt, Karl Karl Goldschmidt, d.1995, who later changed his name to Kenneth Gay, was Robert Graves' and Laura Riding's personal secretary during the period when the diary was written. He later annotated another printout of the diary produced from the B.A. Graves transcript, which is at the Graves Trust Archives in St. John's Oxford. Notes by Karl Goldschmidt are denoted as KG. Graves William Graves, William Son of Robert and Beryl Graves. Helped to identify names, places and titles in Deya (1935-1936) and with translations and other references in three ways. He left an annotated printout of the first six months of the diary in the Graves Trust Room at St. John's College, Oxford. He also sent Chris Petter an Excel file with a list identifying names and places, principally in the Majorcan sections of the diary, and a glossary of Spanish terms. Finally he has sent the editors answers in response to reference questions. Notes by William Graves are identified with the initials WG. RP G RPG Unidentified person; possibly a misspelling of Robert Percival Graves (whose initials on this project are RG). CGT Paris Paris CGT Paris CGT (Compagnie Générale Transatlantique) liner Paris, built in 1912. LR travelled to Europe on the Paris and she & RG booked to sail to America on the same boat, but it was destroyed by fire at le Havre in 1939 eds. Westminster Bank Westminster Bank A.S. Watt & Son, Ltd. Watt Watt, A.S. RG's literary agent: first mentioned in November, 1935; team includes: Alexander Strahan Watt, and W.P. Watt et al, who may have handled different aspects of Graves' extensive European publishing and distribution. The firm replaced Eric Pinker. K.G. When did Pinker go, and why? KG Editors Editors of the Graves Diary Project. Hostage [poem; published as Dawn Bombardment] Poems 1938-1945 [1945] Graves, Robert London, Toronto, Melbourne & Sydney Cassell A58 1939-01-10 Dictionary [projected project; unfinished] Riding, Laura 1935 The Left Heresy in Literature and Life [the essay "Politics and Poetry" comprises the closing section of this book.(RPG 278) eds.] Kemp, Harry/ Riding, Laura/ others Riding, Laura London Methuen B29 1939 Protocol Two [unpublished, see RPG 295] Riding, Laura 1939 Serpent, The Collected Poems [1938] Graves, Robert London, Toronto, Melbourne & Sydney Cassell and Co. Ltd A48 1938 Wood Not Trees [Review of RG's Collected Poems 1938] Serpent, The J.B.W. 23: 50-51 C294.2 1939-02 The Poet Replies [Response to J.B.W.'s Review of Collected Poems 1938] Serpent, The Graves, Robert 23: 55-56 C294.2 1939-02 Politics and Poetry [essay] Epilogue III Riding, Laura/ Graves, Robert/ Kemp, Harry/ Hodge, Alan/ Vara, Madeleine Riding, Laura Deyá & London Seizin & Constable 6-53 1937 Lives of Wives [prose] Riding, Laura London, Toronto, Melbourne & Sydney Cassell and Co. Ltd. A39 1939