THE LETTERS OF CONRAD AIKEN AND MALCOLM LOWRY 
By 

CYNTHIA CONCHITA SUGARS 
B.A., The University of British Columbia, 1986 

A THESIS SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF 
THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF 

MASTER OF ARTS 

I n 

THE FACULTY OF GRADUATE STUDIES 
(English) 

We accept this thesis as conforming 
to the required standard 

THE UNIVERSITY OF BRITISH COLUMBIA 

September 1988 

Q C y n t h i a Conchita Sugars, 1988 



I n p r e s e n t i n g t h i s t h e s i s i n p a r t i a l f u l f i l m e n t o f t h e r e q u i r e m e n t s f o r an a d v a n c e d 

d e g r e e at t h e U n i v e r s i t y o f B r i t i s h C o l u m b i a , I a g r e e t h a t t h e Library shall m a k e it 

f r e e l y a v a i l a b l e f o r r e f e r e n c e a n d s t u d y . I f u r t h e r a g r e e t h a t p e r m i s s i o n f o r e x t e n s i v e 

c o p y i n g o f t h i s t h e s i s f o r s c h o l a r l y p u r p o s e s m a y b e g r a n t e d b y t h e h e a d o f m y 

d e p a r t m e n t o r b y his o r h e r r e p r e s e n t a t i v e s . It is u n d e r s t o o d t h a t c o p y i n g o r 

p u b l i c a t i o n o f t h i s t h e s i s f o r f i n a n c i a l g a i n shall n o t b e a l l o w e d w i t h o u t m y w r i t t e n 

p e r m i s s i o n . 

D e p a r t m e n t o f 

T h e U n i v e r s i t y o f B r i t i s h C o l u m b i a 

1 9 5 6 M a i n M a l l 

V a n c o u v e r , C a n a d a 

V 6 T 1Y3 

D E - 6 ( 3 / 8 1 ) 



i i 
A b s t r a c t 

The f a s c i n a t i n g r e l a t i o n s h i p between Conrad A i k e n (1889-

1973) and Malcolm Lowry (1909-1957) has formed the s u b j e c t of a 

number of c r i t i c a l s t u d i e s and f i c t i o n a l t r e a t m e n t s . The s t u d y 

of t h i s r e l a t i o n s h i p i s of v a l u e both f o r i t s b i o g r a p h i c a l 

i n t e r e s t and l i t e r a r y s i g n i f i c a n c e , p a r t i c u l a r l y i n terms of the 

l i t e r a r y > i n f l u e n c e of one w r i t e r upon the o t h e r . Through A i k e n 

and Lowry's e n t e r t a i n i n g and e x t r e m e l y a r t i c u l a t e c o r r e s p o n d e n c e , 

one has a c c e s s t o what i s p o s s i b l y the most i n t i m a t e view of t h i s 

r e l a t i o n s h i p a v a i l a b l e t o d a t e . A l t h o u g h a number of t h e s e 

l e t t e r s have been p r e v i o u s l y p u b l i s h e d , o f t e n In i n c o m p l e t e form, 

In S e l e c t e d L e t t e r s of Conrad A l k e n r ed. Joseph K i l l o r i n , and 

S e l e c t e d L e t t e r s of Malcolm Lowry f eds. Harvey B r e i t and M a r g e r i e 

Bonner Lowry, t h r e e - q u a r t e r s of the l e t t e r s have remained 

u n p u b l i s h e d . T h i s volume p r o v i d e s the f i r s t complete c o l l e c t i o n 

of A i k e n and Lowry's c o r r e s p o n d e n c e . I t c o m p r i s e s e i g h t y - n i n e 

l e t t e r s from the two w r i t e r s , i n c l u d i n g photographs, poems, and 

drawings which t h e y e n c l o s e d i n t h e i r l e t t e r s , w r i t t e n between 

1929, the year when Lowry wrote h i s f i r s t l e t t e r of i n t r o d u c t i o n 

t o A i k e n , and 1954. T h i s c o l l e c t i o n c o n t a i n s the complete t e x t s 

of a l l l e t t e r s t o g e t h e r w i t h e d i t o r i a l notes and commentary. In 

a d d i t i o n , i t p r o v i d e s t e x t u a l notes o u t l i n i n g the changes made by 

each w r i t e r a t the time of c o m p o s i t i o n . These l e t t e r s not o n l y 

r e v e a l the mutual a d m i r a t i o n of Lowry and A i k e n , and a t times 

t h e i r j e a l o u s y of each o t h e r , but a r e l i t e r a r y works i n t h e i r own 

r i g h t . 



i i i 

Table of Contents 

A b s t r a c t . . . i i 

Acknowledgements i v 

I n t r o d u c t i o n v i 

E d i t o r i a l Note x v i i 

L i s t of A b b r e v i a t i o n s x x i v 

P a r t I: 1929-1938 1 

P a r t I I : 1939-1941 89 

P a r t I I I : 1942-1954 319 

Appendix I 483 

Appendix II 498 

Works Consulted . 508 



i v 

Acknowledgements 

I n i t i a l l y I would l i k e t o thank the c o p y r i g h t h o l d e r s of t h e 
Lowry/Aiken l e t t e r s — M r s . P r i s c i l l a Woolfan, the C o n s e r v a t o r f o r 
the E s t a t e of M a r g e r i e Lowry, Mrs. Mary Hoover A i k e n , and the 
H u n t i n g t o n L i b r a r y , San M a r i n o , C a l i f o r n i a - - f o r t h e i r generous 
p e r m i s s i o n t o r e p r i n t the l e t t e r s c o n t a i n e d i n the p r e s e n t 
c o l l e c t i o n . I a l s o g r a t e f u l l y acknowledge the f i n a n c i a l s u p p o r t 
r e c e i v e d from the U n i v e r s i t y of B r i t i s h Columbia Graduate 
F e l l o w s h i p which was g r a n t e d t o me f o r the two y e a r s of my M.A. 
program. S p e c i a l thanks i s extended t o my s u p e r v i s o r , Dr. 
S h e r r i l l Grace, who has encouraged and s u p p o r t e d me on the 
p r o j e c t f o r t h e p a s t two y e a r s , and some time b e f o r e t h a t on my 
p r e v i o u s work on Lowry. I a l s o acknowledge the f i n a n c i a l s u p p o r t 
r e c e i v e d from Dr. Grace's U.B.C. H u m a n i t i e s and S o c i a l S c i e n c e s 
R e s e a r c h Grant which e n a b l e d me t o v i s i t the H u n t i n g t o n L i b r a r y 
i n J u l y 1987. In a d d i t i o n , I w i s h t o thank the two o t h e r members 
of my committee, Dr. W i l l i a m New and Dr. H e r b e r t R o s e n g a r t e n , f o r 
t a k i n g the time t o c o n s u l t w i t h me on the t h e s i s and p r o v i d e me 
w i t h t h e i r s u g g e s t i o n s . I am p a r t i c u l a r l y g r a t e f u l t o the many 
l i b r a r i a n s i n the UBC S p e c i a l C o l l e c t i o n s , e s p e c i a l l y Anne 
Y a n d l e , and the UBC I n t e r - L i b r a r y Loan O f f i c e , f o r t h e i r u n t i r i n g 
h e l p w i t h t h e p r o j e c t . I am a l s o g r a t e f u l t o the s t a f f of t h e 
H u n t i n g t o n L i b r a r y and the A s s o c i a t e C u r a t o r of L i t e r a r y 
M a n u s c r i p t s t h e r e , Ms. Sara Hodson, f o r t h e i r h e l p when I was 
t h e r e i n the summer of 1987, and t h e i r p a t i e n t and prompt 
r e s p o n s e s t o my many r e q u e s t s and q u e r i e s by m a i l . Gordon Bowker 
has a l s o been a g r e a t h e l p , a n s w e r i n g my " s e a r c h i n g q u e s t i o n s " 
about Lowry's Cambridge y e a r s . I must a l s o thank Spectrum 
S o c i e t y and the v a r i o u s people a s s o c i a t e d w i t h i t , e s p e c i a l l y 
E r n i e B a a t z , f o r the generous use of t h e i r computer, w i t h o u t 
which I c o u l d never have s u r v i v e d the o r d e a l of t y p i n g the 
m a n u s c r i p t , and f o r u n c o m p l a i n i n g l y s t e p p i n g around me and the 
many pages of Lowry/Aiken l e t t e r s s c a t t e r e d on t h e f l o o r of t h e i r 
s t a f f o f f i c e . And f i n a l l y , but most of a l l , I thank P a t r i c k 
McDonagh f o r h i s k i n d n e s s , h e l p , and encouragement, who w i t h me 
has endured, f o r the p a s t y e a r , a s e e m i n g l y n e v e r - e n d i n g voyage. 



I t e l l you t h i s young man 
So t h a t your o u t l o o k may perhaps be broadened. 
I who have seen s n o r i n g v o l c a n o e s 
And d i s m a l i s l a n d s shawled In snow. . . . 

Malcolm Lowry 

" I n Cape Cod With Conrad A i k e n " 

(Douglas Day, Malcolm Lowry, p. 179) 



v i 
I n t r o d u c t i o n 

Conrad A i k e n was twenty y e a r s Lowry's s e n i o r ; o l d enough, I t 

Is o f t e n s a i d , t o have been Lowry's f a t h e r . A i k e n had p u b l i s h e d 

more than twenty n o v e l s and books of p o e t r y b e f o r e the 

p u b l i c a t i o n of Lowry's f i r s t n o v e l ; he was s u f f i c i e n t l y 

e x p e r i e n c e d , t h e n , t o have been Lowry's l i t e r a r y t e a c h e r and 

a d v i s o r . A i k e n was a l s o a "man of the w o r l d , " a h a r d - d r i n k i n g , 

womanizing, s u i c i d a l man who was so I m p r e s s i v e l y and e x c i t i n g l y 

a p a r t from the "Wesleyan hush" of Lowry's boyhood home as t o have 

had a marked i n f l u e n c e on the "young E n g l i s h m a n ' s " a t t i t u d e 

toward h i m s e l f and the w o r l d . In a l l of t h e s e g u i s e s , A i k e n 

w i l l i n g l y became something of an I d o l t o h i s young d i s c i p l e . Yet 

i t was not l o n g b e f o r e w o r s h i p d e v e l o p e d i n t o r i v a l r y . While 

a d m i r i n g h i s mentor from a f a r , Lowry perhaps a l s o s e c r e t l y 

c o v e t e d f o r h i m s e l f the more d e s i r a b l e r o l e s : f a t h e r , l i t e r a r y 

master, t r a g i c h e r o . 

In the summer of 1984 a p l a y c a l l e d Goodnight D i s g r a c e , by 

M i c h a e l M e r c e r , opened a t the Shakespeare P l u s F e s t i v a l i n 

Nanaimo, B r i t i s h Columbia. T h i s p l a y had as i t s s u b j e c t what had 

f o r some time been a t o p i c of much d i s c u s s i o n and s p e c u l a t i o n 

among s p e c i f i c l i t e r a r y c i r c l e s : the r e l a t i o n s h i p between Conrad 

A i k e n and Malcolm Lowry. In t h i s p l a y we see the e x p e r i e n c e d and 

p r o l i f i c , though r e l a t i v e l y u n s u c c e s s f u l , A i k e n b e i n g g r a d u a l l y 

absorbed and usurped by the p u p i l whom he g e n e r o u s l y t u t o r s and 

g u i d e s toward l i t e r a r y s u c c e s s . 

Of c o u r s e , t h i s i s o n l y one, among many, s i d e s t o the s t o r y . 

In f a c t , Goodnight D i s g r a c e was by no means the f i r s t t r e a t m e n t 



v i i 

of the Aiken/Lowry r e l a t i o n s h i p . Some y e a r s e a r l i e r i n 1952, 

A i k e n had h i m s e l f i n c o r p o r a t e d much of h i s f r i e n d s h i p w i t h Lowry 

i n t o h i s f i c t i o n a l i z e d a u t o b i o g r a p h y Ushant. L i k e w i s e Lowry, as 

he p o i n t s out i n l e t t e r 40 o£ t h i s c o l l e c t i o n , had i n c o r p o r a t e d 

much of A i k e n i n t o h i s d e p i c t i o n of the C o n s u l i n Under the  

V o l c a n o . B i o g r a p h i c a l v e r s i o n s of the r e l a t i o n s h i p a l s o e x i s t : 

from t h o s e of Douglas Day, M u r i e l Bradbrook, R i c h a r d Hauer C o s t a , 

and A i k e n ' s second w i f e , C l a r i s s a L o r e n z , t o a c c o u n t s w r i t t e n by 

the a u t h o r s t h e m s e l v e s . Lowry's l e t t e r t o Seymour Lawrence i n 

the 1952 A i k e n i s s u e of Wake f o c u s e s p r i m a r i l y on h i s 

r e l a t i o n s h i p w i t h A i k e n . S i m i l a r l y , A i k e n f r e q u e n t l y commented 

on h i s f r i e n d s h i p w i t h Lowry b o t h i n p r i n t and i n numerous 

i n t e r v i e w s . Most of t h e s e a c c o u n t s , however, a r e u n d e r s t a n d a b l y 

and perhaps n e c e s s a r i l y b i a s e d . Each f o c u s e s on a p a r t i c u l a r 

a s p e c t of the r e l a t i o n s h i p : the f a t h e r / s o n p a i r i n g , the 

t e a c h e r / p u p i l i n t e r a c t i o n , the v i c t i m / v i c t o r s t r u g g l e , e t c . 

The p r e s e n t c o l l e c t i o n of Lowry and A i k e n ' s c o r r e s p o n d e n c e 

p r o v i d e s one of the most complete p i c t u r e s of t h i s much 

d i s c u s s e d r e l a t i o n s h i p . While s e l e c t Items i n the c o l l e c t i o n 

have been p r i n t e d e i t h e r p a r t i a l l y or w h o l l y i n the S e l e c t e d  

L e t t e r s of Malcolm Lowry and S e l e c t e d L e t t e r s of Conrad A i k e n , 

t h r e e - q u a r t e r s of t h e s e l e t t e r s have remained u n p u b l i s h e d . T h i s 

complete c o l l e c t i o n p r o v i d e s what i s perhaps the most i n t i m a t e 

v e r s i o n of the r e l a t i o n s h i p a v a i l a b l e thus f a r . Here the s t o r y 

i s t o l d , both o v e r t l y and u n c o n s c i o u s l y , by the p a r t i c i p a n t s 

themselves w i t h i n the v e r y r e l a t i o n s h i p i t s e l f . I t i s n o t , t h e n , 

a s t o r y t o l d a f t e r the f a c t , b u t , i n the c o n t e x t of t h e i r 



v i i i 

l e t t e r s , an e v o l v i n g one, b e g i n n i n g i n 1929 when Lowry wrote h i s 

f i r s t l e t t e r of I n t r o d u c t i o n t o A i k e n , and e n d i n g , a t l e a s t where 

the l e t t e r s are concerned, w i t h Lowry's ambiguous f a r e w e l l 

t e l e g r a m i n 1954. 

The r e s u l t i n g p i c t u r e i s v e r y much a m u l t i f a c e t e d one. I t 

r e v e a l s , i n f a c t , t h a t no one of the p r e v i o u s a c c o u n t s was wrong, 

so much as l i m i t e d . I t r e v e a l s a l s o t h a t A i k e n and Lowry's 

r e l a t i o n s h i p c o n t a i n e d a l l of the elements mentioned e a r l i e r — 

f a t h e r / s o n , t e a c h e r / p u p i l , v i c t i m / v i c t o r — a n d many more b e s i d e s . 

, These and o t h e r a s p e c t s of the r e l a t i o n s h i p a r e r e a d i l y 

a p p a r e n t i n the l e t t e r s . I f , as P a u l T i e s s e n s t a t e s , Lowry 

" t e a s e d i n t o e x i s t e n c e " h i s f i c t i o n a l f a t h e r / s o n r e l a t i o n s h i p 

w i t h A i k e n ( 4 ) , the r e l a t i o n s h i p , as t h e s e l e t t e r s r e v e a l , 

p e r s i s t e d . From as e a r l y as 1929 ( l e t t e r 2 ) , b e f o r e a c t u a l l y 

h a v i n g met A i k e n , Lowry spoke, of h i s " f i l i a l a f f e c t i o n " f o r t h e 

man " o l d enough t o be t h i s ] f a t h e r " ; l a t e r , i n 1938, i n one o f 

h i s many " p l e a s f o r h e l p , " Lowry a d d r e s s e d a d e s p e r a t e l e t t e r t o 

A i k e n w i t h "a mi padre" ( l e t t e r 1 6 ) . Lowry's t r u e f a t h e r , on the 

o t h e r hand, i s d e s i g n a t e d e i t h e r "the b e w i l d e r e d p a r e n t " ( l e t t e r 

2) o r , more r e g u l a r l y i n l a t e r l e t t e r s , "the O.M." ( o l d man). 

I n i t i a l l y assuming the r o l e of s u b s t i t u t e f a t h e r , i n 1930 

A i k e n became Lowry's g u a r d i a n i n l o c o p a r e n t i s . In t h i s 

c a p a c i t y he c o n t r o l l e d Lowry's f i n a n c e s , p r o v i d e d him w i t h a home 

d u r i n g s c h o o l v a c a t i o n s , and a c t e d as an i n t e r m e d i a r y , as 

e v i d e n c e d i n l e t t e r 7, between Lowry and "the o l d man." 

In time Lowry began t o "usurp the s u c c e s s i o n " of A i k e n ' s own 

son (Ushant 352). He was, a f t e r a l l , the i d e a l c h i l d - s u b s t i t u t e 



f o r such a man as A i k e n , s h a r i n g w i t h h i s mentor not o n l y an 

e s s e n t i a l l y t r a g i c view of l i f e , but a l s o a l o v e of words and 

l i t e r a t u r e , and, above a l l , a y e a r n i n g t o w r i t e . Not 

s u r p r i s i n g l y , A i k e n g r a d u a l l y came t o assume the p a t e r n a l r o l e 

more f u l l y . In l e t t e r 6 he s c o l d s Lowry f o r r e t u r n i n g home l a t e , 

i n q u i r e s about h i s p r o g r e s s i n u n i v e r s i t y i n l e t t e r 8, and 

f i n a l l y a t t e m p t s , i n 1939, t o " r e s c u e " him from h i s p l i g h t i n 

Vancouver and readopt him. 

The p r o d i g a l son, however, was not beyond r e p r o a c h from h i s 

s e l f - e l e c t e d f a t h e r - s u b s t i t u t e . In the e a r l y 1940's, a g a i n f a c e d 

w i t h the p o s s i b i l i t y of h a v i n g t o t a k e Lowry i n t o h i s home, A i k e n 

reminded Lowry of p a s t i n f r i n g e m e n t s and warned him a g a i n s t any 

f u t u r e misdemeanors ( l e t t e r 2 2 ) : 

. . . I hope y o u ' l l g i v e me your word b e f o r e coming 
t h a t you're r e a l l y g o i n g t o . . . behave w e l l . . . . No 
s e c r e t d r i n k i n g s round the c o r n e r , eh? No d i s g r a c l n g s 
of us w i t h our f r i e n d s , no s c e n e s : and above a l l no 
c o n t i n u o u s argument as t o the amount of d r i n k a l l o w e d : 
I'm t o be the boss about t h a t , or i t ' s no go. 

Lowry's response t o t h e s e c h a s t i s e m e n t s was r e l a t i v e l y sober and 

s i n c e r e ( i f t h e r e was one t h i n g t h a t A i k e n had which Lowry's 

f a t h e r d i d n o t , i t was h i s son's r e s p e c t ) ; h i s degree of 

r e p e n t a n c e was another m a t t e r . Whether or not Lowry would have 

heeded A i k e n ' s r e p e a t e d warnings we s h a l l never know. The time 

had f i n a l l y come f o r the c h i l d t o break away from the " B e n e v o l e n t 

Eye" of t h e f a t h e r and b u i l d a l i f e of h i s own. With M a r g e r i e 

Bonner, t h i s i s what Lowry s e t out t o do i n D o l l a r t o n . 

A i k e n ' s r o l e as t e a c h e r i s perhaps more r e l e v a n t t o t h o s e 

i n t e r e s t e d i n h i s l i t e r a r y i n f l u e n c e on Lowry and v i c e v e r s a . 

From the v e r y b e g i n n i n g , and t h r o u g h o u t the l e t t e r s , Lowry 



X 

p r a i s e s and quotes from A i k e n ' s works, sometimes r e p r o d u c i n g 

e n t i r e poems from memory. A i k e n ' s c l a i m t h a t Lowry knew Blue  

Voyage b e t t e r than he h i m s e l f d i d ("Malcolm Lowry" 101) i s w e l l 

s u b s t a n t i a t e d by Lowry's f r e q u e n t a l l u s i o n s i n the l e t t e r s t o 

t h a t and o t h e r s of A i k e n ' s works. As l a t e as 1952 ( l e t t e r 84) 

Lowry c o u l d s t i l l remember and quote passages from B l u e Voyage. 

Yet w h i l e Lowry may have been the i n i t i a t o r of t h i s l i t e r a r y 

r e l a t i o n s h i p , A i k e n was a w i l l i n g and a c t i v e p a r t i c i p a n t . He 

a c c e p t e d the r o l e o f l i t e r a r y mentor w h o l e h e a r t e d l y and took i t 

upon h i m s e l f t o mould h i s p u p i l i n t o a s u c c e s s f u l w r i t e r . I n a 

22 J u l y 1929 l e t t e r t o h i s c h i l d r e n ( K i l l o r i n 153), b e f o r e 

Lowry's a r r i v a l i n M a s s a c h u s e t t s , A i k e n w r i t e s of t h e "young 

E n g l i s h m a n " who i s coming " t o be t a u g h t how t o w r i t e n o v e l s . " 

L a t e r , i n the U n i t e d S t a t e s and i n E n g l a n d , he h e l p e d Lowry w i t h 

h i s p o e t r y and f i r s t n o v e l , " s h a d i n g , a n n o t a t i n g , and c o n n o t a t i n g 

the d i s b u r s e m e n t s " of U l t r a m a r i n e ( l e t t e r 4) t o such an e x t e n t 

t h a t Lowry was e v e n t u a l l y t o c a l l the book a mere " s p e c t r e of 

[ A i k e n ' s ] d i s c a r d e d i d e a s " ( l e t t e r 1 3 ) . The t e a c h e r / p u p i l 

r e l a t i o n s h i p , t h e n , e x i s t e d from the v e r y b e g i n n i n g . In f a c t , i t 

may have been the s u c c e s s of the e x p e r i e n c e w i t h Lowry t h a t gave 

A i k e n the i d e a , some y e a r s l a t e r i n 1938, t o b e g i n h i s summer 

s c h o o l i n w r i t i n g . 

However, i f A i k e n perhaps imposed h i s i d e a s and l i t e r a r y 

t a s t e s too s t r o n g l y onto Lowry's e a r l y w r i t i n g s , Lowry e a g e r l y 

absorbed what i n f o r m a t i o n and guidance he c o u l d from h i s master. 

In f a c t , Lowry was not above p a s s i n g o f f A i k e n ' s words as h i s 

own; h i s i n t e n d e d i n c o r p o r a t i o n i n t o U l t r a m a r i n e of the "bone 



x i 

dream" from A i k e n ' s Great C i r c l e i s o n l y the most extreme example 

( l e t t e r 8 ) . In l e t t e r 13, Lowry a c t u a l l y l i s t s t h i n g s i n 

U l t r a m a r i n e which A i k e n , presumably because he had thought them 

up f i r s t , may "hook out" i f he "wants them [ h i m s e l f ] . " A poem, 

" I n Cape Cod With Conrad A i k e n , " o s t e n s i b l y w r i t t e n by Lowry and 

p u b l i s h e d i n the March 1930 F e s t i v a l T h e a t r e Programme, i s based 

upon a dream which A i k e n h i m s e l f had had i n Cape Cod ( K i l l o r i n 

153) and which A i k e n had a l s o " p a r t i a l l y t r a n s l a t e d i n t o a poem" 

(Ushant 167). Lowry used p h r a s e s from A i k e n ' s l e t t e r s f o r 

s i m i l a r p u r p o s e s . A i k e n ' s " i n d o o r marxmanshlp" pun ( l e t t e r 2 0 ) , 

f o r i n s t a n c e , appears l a t e r b o t h i n Lowry's poem, "Where D i d That 

One Go To ' E r b e r t , " and In Under the V o l c a n o ( 8 ) . S i m i l a r l y , the 

p r o t o t y p e of "Oedipuss," the C o n s u l ' s c a t i n Under the V o l c a n o 

( 8 9 ) , i s A i k e n ' s c a t , a p p e a r i n g by name i n l e t t e r 64. Moreover, 

A i k e n h i m s e l f has noted, b o t h i n Ushant and e l s e w h e r e , a d d i t i o n a l 

passages i n Under the V o l c a n o which were l i k e w i s e i n s p i r e d by 

h i m s e l f . The l i s t goes on. 

Not u n t i l much l a t e r , though, was A i k e n e x c e s s i v e l y b o t h e r e d 

by t h e s e c o n s c i o u s a t t e m p t s a t p l a g i a r i s m . Some time a f t e r the 

"bone dream" e p i s o d e , i n M e x i c o , he was s t i l l g i v i n g Lowry p o e t r y 

e x e r c i s e s t o complete ( l e t t e r 1 4 ) , and w e l l i n t o the 1940's Lowry 

c o n t i n u e d t o send h i s r o u g h l y hewn poems t o h i s master f o r 

c r i t i c i s m and c o r r e c t i o n : " I know you w i l l t e l l me i f I am 

f o o l i n g m y s e l f " ( l e t t e r 5 2 ) . Nor d i d A i k e n h e s i t a t e t o g i v e an 

honest o p i n i o n : " I l i k e the poems m o d e r a t e - l i k e . . . . Freedom 

comes a f t e r mastery not b e f o r e " ( l e t t e r 5 5 ) . 

The l i t e r a r y " r e l a t i o n s h i p , " t h e n , grew i n t o what c o u l d be 



x i i 

more a p t l y c a l l e d a " l i t e r a r y s y m b i o s i s , " w i t h the p a r t i c i p a n t s 

e i t h e r w o r k i n g t o g e t h e r , as t h e y d i d w i t h U l t r a m a r i n e and a t 

l e a s t one poem, "those cokes t o n e w c a s t l e b l u e s , " i n the F e b r u a r y 

1931 F e s t i v a l Theatre Review, or i n s t e a d , w o r k i n g s e p a r a t e l y , but 

c o n t i n u a l l y i n c o r p o r a t i n g the t h o u g h t s and p e r s o n a l i t y of the 

o t h e r i n t o ever new l i t e r a r y c r e a t i o n s . 

As f a t h e r and t e a c h e r , A i k e n s t o o d i n a p o s i t i o n of 

s u p e r i o r i t y t o Lowry; as " s y m b i o t i c s a i l m a k e r s " (Ushant 295), a 

l e s s o f t e n noted s i d e of the r e l a t i o n s h i p , the two were a t l e a s t 

e q u a l s . What i s perhaps more o f t e n f o r g o t t e n I s t h a t , d e s p i t e 

t h e i r age d i f f e r e n c e , he and Lowry were a l s o f r i e n d s . From t h e i r 

f i r s t meeting i n Cape Cod, the r e c k l e s s and f u n - l o v i n g Lowry no 

doubt p r o v i d e d A i k e n w i t h an i d e a l c o n f i d a n t e and d r i n k i n g 

companion a t a time when A i k e n h i m s e l f was e x p e r i e n c i n g a r a t h e r 

u n s e t t l e d p e r i o d of h i s l i f e a f t e r h i s break-up w i t h h i s f i r s t 

w i f e , J e s s i e MacDonald, and s e p a r a t i o n from h i s c h i l d r e n . 

C l a r i s s a L o r e n z ' s ( A i k e n ' s second w i f e ) t a l e s of A i k e n ' s and 

Lowry's a n t i c s i n Rye p r o v i d e some c l u e s t o t h i s s i d e of t h e i r 

f r i e n d s h i p ; the r e f e r e n c e s i n the l e t t e r s t o s i m i l a r e p i s o d e s -

d r i n k i n g and e a t i n g sausage r o l l s i n the S h i p I n n , l e a v i n g 

" s u r r e p t i t i o u s vomit under the p i a n o , " engaging i n "communistic 

t a l k under the banana t r e e s , " e t c . - - p r o v i d e more. F u r t h e r m o r e , 

l i k e A i k e n , Lowry c o u l d c e r t a i n l y be a s t i m u l a t i n g 

c o n v e r s a t i o n a l i s t and c o r r e s p o n d e n t ; i n t h i s r e s p e c t t h e y 

d e f i n i t e l y were, as A i k e n has s a i d , " a s t o n i s h i n g l y en r a p p o r t " 

("Malcolm Lowry" 102). 

Yet perhaps what A i k e n t h r i v e d on most d u r i n g t h e s e y e a r s 



x i i i 

was the i n t e n s e a d m i r a t i o n t h a t Lowry had f o r h i s work. In f a c t , 

w i t h time the t e a c h e r / p u p i l r e l a t i o n s h i p underwent a r e v e r s a l . 

A i k e n began t o send Lowry c o p i e s of h i s newly p u b l i s h e d books i n 

o r d e r t o once a g a i n hear the guaranteed and now much needed 

p r a i s e from h i s o l d p u p i l : 

B l e s s you Male. . . f o r a l l the g l o w i n g words and 
numbers and p h i n e p h l a t t e r i n g phrases about my l i t t l e 
dead s o n n e t s . . . . I rushed t o r e - r e a d the ones you 
l i k e d . . . i t ' s always such fun t o read one's own 
t h i n g s t h r o u g h somebody e l s e ' s eyes. . . a k i n d of 
t w i c e r e f l e c t e d n a r c i s s i s m . ( l e t t e r 58) 

B e f o r e l o n g the t e a c h e r was a c t u a l l y r e q u e s t i n g h i s p u p i l ' s 

a d v i c e . In 1944, A i k e n asked Lowry t o suggest some poems he 

might i n c l u d e i n T w e n t i e t h - C e n t u r y American P o e t r y ( l e t t e r 6 5 ) , 

and i n 1945, wanted a d v i c e about the s e l e c t i o n f o r h i s C o l l e c t e d 

Poems: " I v a l u e your judgement more h i g h l y than any o t h e r " 

( l e t t e r 69). In both c a s e s Lowry suggested h i s o l d f a v o u r i t e s , 

t h e ones he had o f t e n quoted i n h i s e a r l y l e t t e r s t o A i k e n , 

s e l e c t i o n s from The House of Dust, P r i a p u s and t h e P o o l , and even 

the "Goya" poem from B l u e Voyage. 

With the p u b l i c a t i o n and immediate s u c c e s s of Under the 

V o l c a n o f however, the l i t e r a r y r e l a t i o n s h i p between the two 

became somewhat s t r a i n e d . W h i l e Lowry was s t i l l t h i n k i n g of 

h i m s e l f as A i k e n ' s " o l d — & n e w - - p u p i l " ( l e t t e r 7 3 ) , A i k e n f e a r e d 

t h a t the p u p i l might have f i n a l l y s u r p a s s e d the m a s t e r . A l t h o u g h 

Lowry had, as e a r l y as 1940, i n t e n d e d Under the V o l c a n o t o be "a 

g e s t u r e on the p a r t of a g r a t e f u l p u p i l t o h i s m a s t e r " ( l e t t e r 

4 0 ) , and had even t h o u g h t of d e d i c a t i n g the n o v e l t o A i k e n 

( l e t t e r 48), A i k e n a p p e a r s t o have t a k e n the unexpected s u c c e s s 

of h i s f o r m e r l y drunken and u n r u l y protege w i t h some b i t t e r n e s s . 



x i v 

I n u n p u b l i s h e d l e t t e r s to John Davenport and Ed B u r r a i n the 

H u n t i n g t o n A i k e n C o l l e c t i o n , not t o mention a p u b l i s h e d l e t t e r i n 

the TLS some y e a r s a f t e r Lowry's d e a t h , A i k e n c o m p l a i n s b i t t e r l y 

about the many " l i f t i n g s " of h i s own i d e a s i n Under the V o l c a n o , 

d e s p i t e the f a c t t h a t Lowry h i m s e l f had acknowledged t h e s e 

" t h e f t s " seven y e a r s b e f o r e the p u b l i c a t i o n of the n o v e l i n 

l e t t e r 40: 

I t i s the f i r s t book of mine t h a t i s not i n one way or 
a n o t h e r p a r a s i t i c on your work. ( T h i s time i t i s 
p a r a s i t i c however on some of your w i s e c r a c k s i n Mexico. 
• • • 

I f you remember a t the time you s a i d you d i d n ' t mind 
about t h i s . . . . 

A i k e n , however, d i d mind. A l t h o u g h he made no mention of h i s 

f e e l i n g s t o Lowry, he undertook "a s t a r f i s h t u r n of h i s own" w i t h 

h i s p s e u d o - a u t o b i o g r a p h y Ushant (356, 361). T h i s time i t was he 

who i n c o r p o r a t e d Lowry's words i n t o a work of f i c t i o n . 

Lowry remained, perhaps v o l u n t a r i l y , unaware of A i k e n ' s 

dilemma. A i k e n appears t o have w r i t t e n Ushant p a r t l y i n an 

attempt t o come t o terms w i t h h i s mixed f e e l i n g s f o r Lowry. H i s 

p a t e r n a l and b r o t h e r l y a f f e c t i o n had f o r some time been a t war 

w i t h an i n e v i t a b l e and s t e a d i l y i n c r e a s i n g p e r c e p t i o n of l i t e r a r y 

r i v a l r y between t h e two. In h i s a u t o b i o g r a p h y , he p r e s e n t s both 

a s p e c t s of the r e l a t i o n s h i p , i f a d m i t t e d l y w i t h e x c e s s i v e and 

o v e r l y d r a m a t i c emphasis on the l a t t e r . Y e t , i n l e t t e r 83, b e f o r e 

s e n d i n g the book t o Lowry, A i k e n d i d a t t e m p t t o e x p l a i n i t s 

purpose: " I p r a y when you read i t you w i l l c o n t i n u a l l y s a y t o 

y o u r s e l f , t h i s guy l o v e s me, or he wouldn't be so b l o o d y c a n d i d 

about me." Lowry, however, responded w i t h the p r e d i c t a b l e 

e x c e s s e s of p r a i s e and absence of c r i t i c a l i n s i g h t : 



XV 

"A g r e a t book, i n many ways, t e c h n i c a l l y , a m a r v e l . . . 
. t h e r e a r e wonders of p r o s e , p r o f o u n d p e r c e p t i o n s and 
a p p e r c e p t i o n s and c o m p l e x i t i e s e x p r e s s e d i n m i r a c u l o u s 
l i m p i d i t y . " ( l e t t e r 85) 

While he complimented A i k e n ' s w r i t i n g s t y l e , Lowry made no 

attempt t o comment on the book's c o n t e n t . What Ushant c a l l e d f o r 

from Lowry was a t l e a s t an acknowledgement t h a t he u n d e r s t o o d the 

import of Hambo's r o l e i n the book. B e t t e r y e t , Lowry might have 

defended h i s p a s t b e h a v i o r and r e l a t e d t o A i k e n h i s own v e r s i o n 

of the s t o r y of t h e i r r e l a t i o n s h i p . Perhaps i n t h i s r e g a r d Lowry 

s t i l l remained A i k e n ' s p u p i l , i n c a p a b l e of c o n f r o n t i n g , l e t a l o n e 

c r i t i c i z i n g , h i s t e a c h e r . 

The p u b l i c a t i o n of Ushant i s supposed by many t o have 

r e s u l t e d i n a " l a s t i n g break" between A i k e n and Lowry. In t r u t h , 

t h e y had p r o b a b l y begun t o d r i f t a p a r t some y e a r s e a r l i e r . T h i s 

i s not s u r p r i s i n g , c o n s i d e r i n g t h a t t h e y had not seen each o t h e r 

f o r some f i f t e e n y e a r s . In the meantime t h e y had both r e m a r r i e d , 

moved t o o p p o s i t e ends of the c o n t i n e n t , and adopted l i f e s t y l e s 

t h a t were r a t h e r more s e t t l e d than t h e i r e a r l i e r c a r e f r e e and 

drunken r a m b l i n g s i n Cape Cod, Rye, and Cuernavaca. In f a c t , i n 

t h e i r l a t e r correspondence one o f t e n f i n d s b o t h w r i t e r s 

h e a r k e n i n g back t o the e a r l i e r p e r i o d of t h e i r f r i e n d s h i p : the 

" w o n d e r f u l summer" of 1929 i n Cape Cod, the escapades i n Rye and 

i t s S h i p I n n , the t r i p to S p a i n i n 1933, and t h e i r 1937 r e u n i o n 

i n Cuernavaca, A i k e n ' s "wedding p l a c e . " 

In e f f e c t , some time i n the l a t e 1940's t h e i r f r i e n d s h i p had 

s i m p l y stopped p r o g r e s s i n g . Yet t h e i r r e u n i o n i n 1954 c o u l d and 

s h o u l d have stopped the a t r o p h y i n g p r o c e s s . A i k e n was o v e r j o y e d 

a t the news of the Lowrys' a r r i v a l i n New Y o r k — " H a l l i l e u h " 



x v i 

b e g i n s h i s a n s w e r i n g t e l e g r a m ( l e t t e r 88)--and w i t h some 

d i f f i c u l t y and l i t t l e n o t i c e made the j o u r n e y from B r e w s t e r . 

U n f o r t u n a t e l y o l d b e h a v i o r p a t t e r n s r e s u r f a c e d , and Lowry d i d not 

have the c o u r t e s y t o undertake the r e u n i o n s o b e r . While A i k e n 

may have a c c e p t e d such b e h a v i o r from h i s son or p u p i l i n the 

p a s t , Lowry was now no l o n g e r e i t h e r ; the p r o d i g a l son was t h i s 

t i m e , and f i n a l l y , r e f u s e d the f a t h e r ' s b l e s s i n g . 



x v i i 

E d i t o r i a l Note 

The two major s o u r c e l i b r a r i e s f o r the Aiken/Lowry l e t t e r s 

a r e the U n i v e r s i t y of B r i t i s h Columbia L i b r a r y i n Vancouver, 

which houses t h e Malcolm Lowry M a n u s c r i p t C o l l e c t i o n , and the 

H u n t i n g t o n L i b r a r y i n San M a r i n o , c o n t a i n i n g the Conrad A i k e n 

M a n u s c r i p t C o l l e c t i o n . W h i l e a d d i t i o n a l l i b r a r i e s and 

i n d i v i d u a l s have been c o n t a c t e d , none of t h e s e brought t o l i g h t 

any l e t t e r s t h a t were not c o n t a i n e d i n one of t h e s e two 

c o l l e c t i o n s . As i s u s u a l l y the case i n such c o l l e c t i o n s of 

c o r r e s p o n d e n c e , l e t t e r s a r e m i s s i n g . T h i s i s p a r t i c u l a r l y t r u e 

of the e a r l y s t a g e s of Lowry and A i k e n ' s c o r r e s p o n d e n c e . S e c t i o n 

I , s p a n n i n g t h e y e a r s 1929-1938, c o n t a i n s o n l y l e t t e r s from 

Lowry; no doubt Lowry was too much on the move a t t h i s time of 

h i s l i f e t o have saved many of h i s p o s s e s s i o n s , l e t a l o n e h i s 

l e t t e r s . S e c t i o n s I I and I I I r e v e a l a more b a l a n c e d 

c o r r e s p o n d e n c e between the two, p a r t i c u l a r l y S e c t i o n I I (1939-

1941) which c o n s i s t s of an a l m o s t week by week back and f o r t h 

c o r r e s p o n d e n c e over the c o u r s e of a few months. L e t t e r s from 

Lowry t h a t appear t o e x i s t as d r a f t s o n l y ( a l t h o u g h even t h i s i s 

d e b a t a b l e s i n c e Lowry's l e t t e r s were o f t e n s e n t i n f a i r l y rough 

form) a r e i d e n t i f i e d as such i n a t e x t u a l note a t the end of the 

l e t t e r . 

In a l l c a s e s I have a t t e m p t e d t o t r a n s c r i b e the l e t t e r s as 

f a i t h f u l l y as p o s s i b l e from the h a n d w r i t t e n and typed o r i g i n a l s , 

or p h o t o c o p i e s of t h e s e i t e m s , l o c a t e d i n one of the two s o u r c e 

l i b r a r i e s . I have i n d i c a t e d the provenance of the l e t t e r s i n the 

h e a d i n g a t the t o p of each, p r o v i d i n g a d e s c r i p t i o n of the 



x v i i i 

o r i g i n a l , i t s l o c a t i o n , the e x i s t e n c e of any p h o t o c o p i e s of t h a t 

o r i g i n a l i n the a l t e r n a t i v e s o u r c e l i b r a r y , and, i f a p p l i c a b l e , 

the p u b l i c a t i o n r e f e r e n c e . I have been unable t o l o c a t e the 

o r i g i n a l s , or p h o t o c o p i e s of t h e s e , f o r seven of the l e t t e r s from 

A i k e n ( l e t t e r s 17, 19, 22, 26, 28, 33, and 7 4 ) . These items a r e 

p r i n t e d i n Joseph K i l l o r i n ' s S e l e c t e d L e t t e r s of Conrad A i k e n 

( 1 9 7 8 ) ; however, s i n c e the l o c a t i o n g i v e n f o r t h e s e items i n t h a t 

volume i s i n a c c u r a t e , I have had t o r e l y s o l e l y on K i l l o r i n ' s 

t r a n s c r i p t i o n s f o r the t e x t s of t h e s e l e t t e r s . I n a l l o t h e r 

c a s e s , the t r a n s c r i p t i o n i s my own, even where the i t e m has been 

p r e v i o u s l y p u b l i s h e d . T h i s proved t o be n e c e s s a r y s i n c e , i n many 

c a s e s , the A i k e n l e t t e r s i n S e l e c t e d L e t t e r s of Conrad A i k e n a r e 

p r i n t e d i n i n c o m p l e t e form, w h i l e items i n S e l e c t e d L e t t e r s of  

M a l c o l m Lowry (1969) a r e o f t e n r i d d l e d w i t h unacknowledged 

d e l e t i o n s , a l t e r a t i o n s , and t r a n s c r i p t i o n a l e r r o r s . 

The prime t e n e t of my e d i t o r i a l p r a c t i c e has been as c l o s e 

an adherence t o the o r i g i n a l t e x t of the l e t t e r s as p o s s i b l e . I 

have t h e r e f o r e chosen t o r e p r o d u c e a l l e r r o r s or i d i o s y n c r a s i e s 

i n s p e l l i n g , p u n c t u a t i o n , c a p i t a l i z a t i o n , e t c . For example, I 

have r e p r o d u c e d Lowry's u n p r e d i c t a b l e and o f t e n f a u l t y use of 

c o l o n s and s e m i c o l o n s , h i s f r e q u e n t use of ampersands, h i s 

f a i l u r e t o u n d e r l i n e book t i t l e s , h i s a l t e r n a t e use of d o u b l e and 

s i n g l e q u o t a t i o n marks, and v a r i o u s s p e l l i n g i n c o n s i s t e n c i e s and 

e r r o r s . In A i k e n ' s c a s e , I have r e t a i n e d h i s i n c o n s i s t e n t 

c a p i t a l i z a t i o n s , h i s u n u s u a l and o f t e n c r e a t i v e s p e l l i n g s , and 

even h i s t y p o g r a p h i c a l e r r o r s (where t h e y do not i n t e r f e r e w i t h . 

the sense of the word or s e n t e n c e ) . 



x i x 

Only i n c a s e s where p u n c t u a t i o n or s p e l l i n g e r r o r s (the 

l a t t e r a r e u s u a l l y t y p o g r a p h i c a l e r r o r s ) i n t e r f e r e w i t h the 

meaning have I a l t e r e d the t e x t . Where such c o n f l i c t s occur I 

have always p l a c e d my i n s e r t i o n or a l t e r a t i o n w i t h i n square 

b r a c k e t s and shown the change i n a t e x t u a l note appended t o the 

end of each l e t t e r and keyed by page and l i n e number. I have 

t r i e d t o keep such e d i t o r i a l t a m p e r i n g t o a minimum; however, i n 

some c a s e s a s p e l l i n g or t y p o g r a p h i c a l e r r o r c o u l d r e n d e r a word 

u n i n t e l l i g i b l e and i n t h e s e c a s e s I thought i t n e c e s s a r y t o s t e p 

i n . In such c a s e s the o r i g i n a l i s r e p r o d u c e d i n a t e x t u a l n o t e . 

Words i n the t e x t of the l e t t e r s t h a t were p a r t i a l l y 

i l l e g i b l e I have t r a n s c r i b e d as b e s t I c o u l d and p l a c e d w i t h i n 

square b r a c k e t s preceded by a q u e s t i o n mark; l u c k i l y t h i s o n l y 

o c c u r s t w i c e , and o n l y i n Lowry's l e t t e r s . 

There i s one case where I have made an a l t e r a t i o n f o r my own 

c o n v e n i e n c e : i n l e t t e r s 14, 16, and 78 I have changed Lowry's 

square b r a c k e t s t o round ones so as t o a v o i d c o n f u s i o n w i t h my 

own e d i t o r i a l i n s e r t i o n s . These a r e the o n l y i n s t a n c e s where 

Lowry uses square b r a c k e t s and I d i d not t h i n k the a l t e r a t i o n was 

a c r u c i a l one. However, once a g a i n the change i s acknowledged i n 

a t e x t u a l n o t e . 

Moreover, a l l d e l e t i o n s , i n s e r t i o n s and o t h e r a l t e r a t i o n s 

made by the a u t h o r s t h e m s e l v e s a r e shown i n t e x t u a l n o t e s . The 

d e l e t i o n s , where l e g i b l e , a r e shown e n c l o s e d w i t h i n diamond 

b r a c k e t s < >, the i n s e r t i o n s w i t h i n wavy b r a c k e t s { }. In some 

c a s e s the a l t e r a t i o n s may appear r e l a t i v e l y i n s i g n i f i c a n t , y e t t o 

a v o i d a p u r e l y s u b j e c t i v e c h o i c e of my own, I have d e c i d e d t o 



r e p r e s e n t a l l of t h e s e . The o n l y e x c e p t i o n s a r e the l e t t e r s 

which e x i s t as t y p e s c r i p t s o n l y ( t h e s e are d e s i g n a t e d as such i n 

the heading a t the t o p of each l e t t e r ) . In t h e s e cases I do not 

d u p l i c a t e c o r r e c t i o n s of t y p o g r a p h i c a l e r r o r s t h a t were made on 

the t y p e w r i t e r a t the time the l e t t e r was b e i n g t y p e d . • These I 

c o n s i d e r e d t o be m e r e l y s l i p s of the f i n g e r which the t y p i s t 

caught i m m e d i a t e l y as they o c c u r r e d . Moreover, Lowry's w i f e 

o f t e n typed h i s l e t t e r s f o r him, so t h e s e s o r t s of e r r o r s cannot 

even be c o n s i d e r e d Lowry's own. I do, however, show a l l 

a l t e r a t i o n s made by hand i n the t y p e s c r i p t s , even i f t h e s e a r e 

m e r e l y c o r r e c t i o n s of t y p o g r a p h i c a l e r r o r s . In a d d i t i o n , 

a l t e r a t i o n s done on the t y p e w r i t e r of a n y t h i n g o t h e r t h a n 

t y p o g r a p h i c a l e r r o r s ( e g . , d e l e t i o n s of words, e t c . ) are 

r e p r o d u c e d i n a t e x t u a l note and t h e r e d e s i g n a t e d as h a v i n g been 

done on the t y p e w r i t e r . F u r t h e r m o r e , e n t i r e l i n e s or paragraphs 

w r i t t e n by hand i n a t y p e d l e t t e r ( o r v i c e v e r s a ) a r e i d e n t i f i e d 

as such i n a t e x t u a l n o t e . However, s i n c e a l l s i g n a t u r e s a r e 

h a n d w r i t t e n , t h e y have not been noted or d e s i g n a t e d i n any 

p a r t i c u l a r way. 

Because t h e r e came t o be such a w e a l t h of t e x t u a l n o t e s , I 

chose not t o key them w i t h s u p e r s c r i p t numbers i n the t e x t of the 

l e t t e r s ; i n s t e a d t h e y f o l l o w the e x p l a n a t o r y n o t e s a t the end of 

each l e t t e r and a r e keyed by page and l i n e number ( b e g i n n i n g a t 

t h e s a l u t a t i o n ) . 

A l l s u p e r s c r i p t numbers r e f e r t h e r e a d e r t o e x p l a n a t o r y 

n o t e s appended t o t h e end of each l e t t e r . The o n l y e x c e p t i o n s 

a r e notes t h a t r e f e r the r e a d e r t o p h o t o g r a p h i c r e p r o d u c t i o n s i n 



x x i 

Appendix I . My c o n c e r n here was t h a t t h e r e a d e r not i n t e r e s t e d 

i n the t e x t u a l notes might miss the d i r e c t i o n t o the r e p r o d u c t i o n 

were t h i s i n f o r m a t i o n o n l y p r o v i d e d i n a t e x t u a l n o t e ; I have 

t h e r e f o r e i n c l u d e d these i n both the e x p l a n a t o r y and t e x t u a l 

n o t e s . I have not p r o v i d e d e x p l a n a t o r y notes f o r well-known 

p l a c e s or personages ( K a f k a , M e l v i l l e , H a r t Crane e t c . ) , nor have 

I f u l l y noted a l l r e l e v a n t p o i n t s of b i o g r a p h i c a l i n t e r e s t when 

t h e s e a r e c o v e r e d i n the i n t r o d u c t o r y p i e c e s a t the b e g i n n i n g of 

the t h r e e s e c t i o n s . 

R e p r o d u c i n g the o v e r a l l shape of each l e t t e r , p a r t i c u l a r l y 

the s p a c i n g and i n d e n t a t i o n , proved a more d i f f i c u l t m a t t e r . 

A g a i n , I have t r i e d t o r e f l e c t t h i s as b e s t I c o u l d , a l t h o u g h i n 

many c a s e s i t was d i f f i c u l t t o t e l l what the a u t h o r had h i m s e l f 

i n t e n d e d , p a r t i c u l a r l y i n m a n u s c r i p t o r i g i n a l s . In many of the 

e a r l y l e t t e r s from Lowry, f o r i n s t a n c e , he " i n d e n t s " h i s 

p a r a g r a p h s from the r i g h t r a t h e r t h a n t h e l e f t - h a n d s i d e . S i n c e 

i t was i m p o s s i b l e f o r me t o reproduce t h e s e i n my typed 

t r a n s c r i p t i o n , I have i n d e n t e d them f i v e spaces from the l e f t -

hand m a r g i n . A l l o t h e r paragraphs a r e l i k e w i s e i n d e n t e d f i v e 

spaces u n l e s s the a u t h o r had a p a r t i c u l a r f o r m a t , as A i k e n o f t e n 

d i d when he i n d e n t e d paragraphs from t h e end of the s a l u t a t i o n . 

The i n d e n t a t i o n of a l l s a l u t a t i o n s and c l o s i n g s I have t r i e d 

t o r e f l e c t as c l o s e l y as p o s s i b l e . In c a s e s where a l e t t e r ' s 

shape or l a y o u t p r e s e n t e d p a r t i c u l a r d i f f i c u l t i e s , I have 

i n c l u d e d a photocopy of the o r i g i n a l i n Appendix I , and d i r e c t e d 

the r e a d e r t o the r e p r o d u c t i o n i n b o t h the e x p l a n a t o r y and 

t e x t u a l n o t e s . Lowry's q u o t a t i o n s from A i k e n ' s (and o t h e r s ' ) 



x x i i 

works, i f i n d e n t e d i n the o r i g i n a l , a r e i n d e n t e d t e n spaces and 

s i n g l e - s p a c e d . 

Passages w r i t t e n i n the margins I have i n c o r p o r a t e d i n t o the 

t e x t of the l e t t e r s where a p p r o p r i a t e ( u s u a l l y t h e y have been 

keyed t o a s p e c i f i c p l a c e by the a u t h o r ) and i d e n t i f i e d i n a 

t e x t u a l n o t e . The o n l y e x c e p t i o n i s l e t t e r 14 where the' 

m a r g i n a l i a a r e d i r e c t comments on the l i n e s of p o e t r y which t h e y 

b o r d e r . In some cases I have i n t r o d u c e d dashes w i t h i n square 

b r a c k e t s on e i t h e r s i d e of the i n s e r t i o n so t h a t t h e s e passages 

c o u l d be more c l e a r l y i n c o r p o r a t e d i n t o the t e x t of the l e t t e r . 

I have double-spaced the t e x t s of the l e t t e r s w i t h the 

e x c e p t i o n of the address and i n d e n t e d p a s s a g e s ; t h e s e I have 

s i n g l e - s p a c e d f o r the r e a d e r ' s c o n v e n i e n c e t o s e t them o f f from 

the main body of the l e t t e r . In o t h e r ways I have a t t e m p t e d t o 

r e f l e c t the a u t h o r ' s s p a c i n g ; hence, where l i n e s a r e d o u b l e -

spaced i n the o r i g i n a l , I s k i p f o u r spaces i n my t e x t ( e x c e p t 

when a d o u b l e space i s used m e r e l y t o s e p a r a t e p a r a g r a p h s ) . 

The o n l y p l a c e where I have s u b s t a n t i a l l y a l t e r e d the format 

of t h e l e t t e r s i s i n the a d d r e s s and date of each. W h i l e I have 

a l w a y s r e t a i n e d the o r i g i n a l w o r d i n g of t h e s e , I have not always 

r e p r o d u c e d t h e i r l a y - o u t . A i k e n and Lowry were t h e m s e l v e s 

i n c o n s i s t e n t i n t h i s , a l t h o u g h u s u a l l y the a d d r e s s appears i n the 

t o p r i g h t - h a n d c o r n e r of the l e t t e r s where I have chosen t o put 

i t . Because many r e a d e r s w i l l be c o n s u l t i n g the l e t t e r s 

a c c o r d i n g t o the a d d r e s s from which t h e y were w r i t t e n or the d a t e 

of c o m p o s i t i o n , I thought i t b e s t t o s t a n d a r d i z e the l o c a t i o n of 

t h e s e f o r q u i c k and easy r e f e r e n c e . S i m i l a r l y , i n o r d e r t h a t the 



x x i i i 

t v o be c l e a r l y d i s t i n g u i s h a b l e , I have always s e p a r a t e d the 

address and the date by a double space. A g a i n , though, the d a t e 

i t s e l f , and i t s "wording," i s always t h a t of the a u t h o r . 

When no date or a d d r e s s i s w r i t t e n by the a u t h o r , I i n c l u d e 

my own w i t h i n square b r a c k e t s . These are u s u a l l y based upon 

i n t e r n a l e v i d e n c e w i t h i n the l e t t e r s and, where a v a i l a b l e , 

postmarks. Where l e t t e r h e a d paper i s used, I r e p r o d u c e i t s 

a d d r e s s w i t h i n square b r a c k e t s ( u n l e s s the a d d r e s s i s 

i n a p p r o p r i a t e f o r the time the l e t t e r was w r i t t e n ) and note i t i n 

a t e x t u a l n o t e . Because t h e y a r e o f t e n u n r e l i a b l e and 

m i s l e a d i n g , I have not d u p l i c a t e d l i b r a r i a n s ' or o t h e r p e o p l e s ' 

i n s c r i p t i o n s on the l e t t e r s r e g a r d i n g t h e s e m a t t e r s , e x c e p t f o r 

Conrad A i k e n ' s and, i n some c a s e s , M a r g e r i e Lowry's, which a r e 

then r e p r o d u c e d i n a t e x t u a l note o n l y . 

While d i f f e r e n t p h i l o s o p h i e s r e g a r d i n g e d i t o r i a l p r a c t i c e 

render i t i m p o s s i b l e f o r an e d i t o r t o p l e a s e a l l of h i s / h e r 

r e a d e r s , I hope t h a t t h i s volume w i l l s a t i s f y the m a j o r i t y . In 

any c a s e , I would r a t h e r be accused of b e i n g t o o m e t i c u l o u s t h a n 

not s u f f i c i e n t l y s o . While I have t r i e d t o c o n s i d e r the 

" r e a d a b i l i t y " of the l e t t e r s p r i n t e d h e r e , my p r i m a r y aim has 

been t o r e p r o d u c e the o r i g i n a l t e x t s as f a i t h f u l l y as p o s s i b l e . 



List of Abbreviations and Symbols 
Following is a l i s t of abbreviations and symbols used in this 
volume: 

MS manuscript original 
TS typescript original 
MSPC photocopied manuscript 
TSPC photocopied typescript 
H Huntington Library 
UBC University of British Columbia 
t i l l e g . ] i l l e g i b l e 
[typo.] typographical error 
< > deletion 
<< >> deletion within a deletion 
{ } insertion 
{{ }} insertion within an insertion 
[ ] editorial interpolation or alteration 
t? 1 doubtful reading 



1 

1929-1938 

— I too have heard the sea sound i n s t r a n g e 
w a t e r s — s h - s h - s h l i k e the hush i n a conch s h e l l . . . . 

12 March 1931 l e t t e r from Lowry t o A i k e n 



2 

1929-1938 

Some time i n 1927 or 1928, Lowry found i n h i s p o s s e s s i o n a 

copy of Conrad A i k e n ' s f i r s t n o v e l , B l u e Voyage, and t h e r e began 

h i s i d e n t i f i c a t i o n w i t h the American w r i t e r . At the t i m e , Lowry 

was c o n c e n t r a t i n g on w r i t i n g the Cambridge p r e v i o u s e x a m i n a t i o n s , 

a n e c e s s a r y p r e l u d e t o g a i n i n g e n t r a n c e t o the u n i v e r s i t y . In 

p r e p a r a t i o n f o r the exams, he s t a y e d a t 5 W o o d v i l l e Road i n 

B l a c k h e a t h , London, a t the "cramming s c h o o l " of the ex-Leys 

master, J e r r y K e l l e t t (Bradbrook, " L i t e r a r y F r i e n d s " 1 1 ) . I t i s 

from t h i s a d d r e s s t h a t Lowry wrote h i s f i r s t l e t t e r t o A i k e n a t 

h i s home In Rye, t o which he r e c e i v e d no r e p l y ; unbeknownst t o 

Lowry, A i k e n was a t the time h o l d i n g a temporary p o s i t i o n as 

t u t o r of E n g l i s h a t Harvard U n i v e r s i t y . Lowry wrote a n o t h e r 

l e t t e r a week or two l a t e r on 12 March 1929, t h i s time a s k i n g 

A i k e n t o be h i s t u t o r . Lowry's f a t h e r had agreed to a l l o w h i s 

son t o spend the summer w i t h A i k e n o n l y on the c o n d i t i o n t h a t he 

f i r s t g a i n e n t r a n c e t o Cambridge U n i v e r s i t y . By the time of t h i s 

second l e t t e r t o A i k e n , Lowry had been a c c e p t e d by S t . 

C a t h a r i n e ' s C o l l e g e and, as p r e v i o u s l y agreed upon, h i s f a t h e r 

was now w i l l i n g t o a p p o i n t A i k e n a g u a r d i a n or t u t o r of h i s son 

f o r the d u r a t i o n of the summer. A i k e n , who was both i n need of 

money and impressed by Lowry's knowledge of h i s w r i t i n g s , agreed 

t o the arrangement, t e l l i n g Lowry t h a t i f he were s t i l l 

i n t e r e s t e d he would have t o make the j o u r n e y a c r o s s the A t l a n t i c 

t o Cambridge, M a s s a c h u s e t t s (CBC i n t e r v i e w 1961). W i t h i n a month 

Lowry had a c q u i r e d passage as a s t e e r a g e passenger aboard a cargo 

s h i p and t r a v e l l e d t o Boston v i a the West I n d i e s t o spend the 



3 

summer w i t h A i k e n . 

By O c t o b e r , Lowry had e n t e r e d Cambridge w i t h the i n t e n t i o n 

of t a k i n g an E n g l i s h T r i p o s . In August of the f o l l o w i n g year 

A i k e n h i m s e l f r e t u r n e d t o "Jeake's House" i n Rye w i t h h i s second 

w i f e , C l a r i s s a L o r e n z , and i t was a t t h i s time t h a t A r t h u r 0. 

Lowry put him i n l o c o p a r e n t i s of h i s son. For the next t h r e e 

y e a r s , Lowry was t o spend a l l of h i s v a c a t i o n s , w i t h i n t e r m i t t e n t 

v i s i t s t o h i s p a r e n t s i n C h e s h i r e and a t r i p t o Norway i n the 

summer of 1931, w i t h the A i k e n s i n Rye. These v a c a t i o n s i n c l u d e d 

a l e n g t h y break i n the summer from J u l y t o O c t o b e r , w i t h a month 

o f f a t both C h r i s t m a s and E a s t e r . I t i s d u r i n g t h i s p e r i o d , from 

September 1930 t o the summer of 1932, t h a t Lowry and A i k e n ' s 

f r i e n d s h i p and c o r r e s p o n d e n c e i s r i c h e s t . Together t h e y 

d i s c u s s e d t h e i r mutual a c q u a i n t a n c e s i n Rye and Cambridge, the 

l i t e r a r y i s s u e s of the t i m e , and t h e i r own w r i t i n g s . I t was a l s o 

a t t h i s time t h a t t h e y both c o n t r i b u t e d t o t h e Cambridge l i t e r a r y 

magazine, E x p e r i m e n t , and t o g e t h e r composed a poem f o r The  

F e s t i v a l T h e a t r e Review p r o t e s t i n g the c e n s o r s h i p of l i t e r a t u r e , 

"those cokes t o n e w c a s t l e b l u e s . " 

By June 1932, Lowry had g r a d u a t e d w i t h a t h i r d c l a s s honours 

degree i n E n g l i s h . A f t e r a b r i e f v i s i t t o the A i k e n s , he moved 

t o London where he was t o l i v e f o r the n e x t y e a r , s p e n d i n g most 

of h i s time d r i n k i n g i n London's F i t z r o v i a a r e a and t r y i n g t o 

p u b l i s h h i s f i r s t n o v e l , U l t r a m a r i n e . He was s t i l l , as he had 

been s i n c e 1929, d i s c u s s i n g the p r o g r e s s of U l t r a m a r i n e w i t h 

A i k e n , f e e l i n g i t t o be "a s p e c t r e of [ A i k e n ' s ] own d i s c a r d e d 

i d e a s " ( l e t t e r 13, p. 7 5 ) . In the s p r i n g of 1933, a few months 



4 

b e f o r e U l t r a m a r i n e was p u b l i s h e d , he t r a v e l l e d t o Granada w i t h 

the A i k e n s and t h e i r a r t i s t f r i e n d , Ed B u r r a , and i t was here 

t h a t he met Jan G a b r i a l whom he m a r r i e d i n P a r i s i n J a n u a r y 1934. 

The next e x i s t i n g l e t t e r t o A i k e n i s w r i t t e n from Cuernavaca 

i n 1937, a l t h o u g h Lowry had seen A i k e n i n the i n t e r i m s i n c e 

l e a v i n g England i n 1934. Jan had l e f t f o r New York a few months 

a f t e r t h e i r wedding, and Lowry f o l l o w e d her t h e r e i n the F a l l . 

I t was i n August 1936 t h a t A i k e n p a i d a spontaneous v i s i t t o 

Lowry i n New York, as d e s c r i b e d by Lowry i n h i s l e t t e r t o Seymour 

Lawrence which appeared i n the Conrad A i k e n i s s u e of Wake 

(87-88). In the F a l l of t h a t y e a r , Lowry and J a n moved t o Los 

A n g e l e s and t h e n t o A c a p u l c o , s e t t l i n g i n Cuernavaca some time i n 

December. In the meantime, A i k e n had moved t o Boston where he 

met Mary Augusta Hoover, an a r t i s t , w i t h whom he was l i v i n g i n 

the w i n t e r of 1936. The f o l l o w i n g May, he v i s i t e d the Lowrys i n 

Cuernavaca w i t h Ed B u r r a and h i s s o o n - t o - b e - w i f e , Mary Hoover, 

w i t h the i n t e n t i o n of o b t a i n i n g a " q u i c k " d i v o r c e from C l a r i s s a 

L o r e n z ; h i s n o v e l , A Heart f o r the Gods of M e x i c o , i s a f i c t i o n a l 

a c c o u n t of t h i s t r i p . In the c o u r s e of t h i s v i s i t , Lowry once 

a g a i n assumed the r o l e of a s o r t of p u p i l under A i k e n ' s t u t e l a g e , 

composing s o n n e t s i n C h a r l i e ' s Bar f o r A i k e n ' s p e r u s a l ( l e t t e r 

14, p. 7 8 ) . On J u l y 7 t h , t e n days b e f o r e l e a v i n g t o r e t u r n t o 

E n g l a n d , Conrad and Mary were m a r r i e d i n Cuernavaca. The Lowrys' 

m a r r i a g e , however, was d e t e r i o r a t i n g , and i n December 1937, Jan 

l e f t Lowry and r e t u r n e d t o Los A n g e l e s . As the l a s t two l e t t e r s 

of t h i s s e c t i o n r e v e a l , Lowry sank i n t o a s t a t e of a l c o h o l i c 

d e s p a i r , somehow got i n t r o u b l e w i t h the Mexican p o l i c e , and 



5 

ended up s p e n d i n g C h r i s t m a s and New Year's 1937/38 i n j a i l i n 

Oaxaca. I t was not u n t i l J u l y 1938 t h a t he, t o o , t r a v e l l e d t o 

Los A n g e l e s , no doubt i n the hopes of a t t e m p t i n g a r e c o n c i l i a t i o n 

w i t h J a n . 



6 

1: From LOWRY t o AIKEN 
MSPC UBC; B r e i t 3 

[ e a r l y 1929] 

I have l i v e d o n l y n i n e t e e n y e a r s and a l l of them more or l e s s 

b a d l y . And y e t t h e o t h e r day, when I s a t i n a L y o n s 1 (one of 

t h o s e grubby l i t t l e p l a c e s which poor Demarest l o v e d , and the 

g r u b b i e r the b e t t e r , and so do I ) 2 I became s u d d e n l y and 

b e a u t i f u l l y a l i v e . I read . . . I l a y i n the warm sweet g r a s s on 

a b l u e May morning, my c h i n i n a d a n d e l i o n , my hands i n c l o v e r , 

and drowsed t h e r e l i k e a bee . . . b l u e days b e h i n d me s t r e t c h e d 

l i k e a c h a i n of deep b l u e p o o l s of magic, e n c h a n t e d , s i l e n t , 

t i m e l e s s . . . days b e f o r e me murmured of b l u e sea mornings, 

noons of g o l d , green e v e n i n g s s t r e a k e d w i t h l i l a c . . . 3 

I s a t o p p o s i t e the Bureau-de-change. The g r e a t g r e y t e a urn 

p e r s p i r e d . But as I r e a d , I became c o n s c i o u s o n l y of a b l u r of 

f a c e s : I l e t the t e a t h a t had m y s t e r i o u s l y appeared grow clammy 

and m i l k s t a r r e d , the h a l f v e a l and ham p i e remain i n i t s c r i n k l y 

paper; v a g u e l y , as though she had been s p e a k i n g upon a n o t h e r 

c o n t i n e n t , I heard t h e g i r l o p p o s i t e me o r d e r some more Dundee 

cake. My p i p e went o u t . 

— I l a y by the hot w h i t e sand-dunes . 
S m a l l y e l l o w f l o w e r s , s a p l e s s and squat and s p i n y , 
S t a r e d a t the s k y . And s i l e n t l y t h e r e above us, 
Day a f t e r day, beyond our dreams and knowledge, 
P r e s e n c e s swept, and over us streamed t h e i r shadows, 
S w i f t and b l u e , or d a r k . . . 4 



7 

I p a i d the b i l l and vent o u t . I c r o s s e d the S t r a n d and walked 

down V i l l i e r s s t r e e t t o the Embankment. I l o o k e d up a t the sea 

g u l l s , h i g h i n s u n l i g h t . 3 The s u n l i g h t r o a r e d above me l i k e a 

v a s t i n v i s i b l e s e a . The crowd of f a c e s wavered and broke and 

f l o w e d . 8 Sometime when you come t o London, Conrad A i k e n , w i l s t 

hog i t over the way somewhere w i t h me?-7 You w i l l f o r g i v e my 

p r e s u m p t i o n , I t h i n k , i n a s k i n g you t h i s . 

I am i n f a c t h a r d l y c o n s c i o u s m y s e l f of my own p r e s u m p t i o n . 

I t seems q u i t e f a t e d t h a t I s h o u l d w r i t e t h i s l e t t e r j u s t l i k e 

t h i s on t h i s warm b r i g h t day w h i l e o u t s i d e a man s h o u t s 

Rag-a-bone, Rag-a-bone. My l e t t e r may not even i n t e r e s t you; I t 

may not be your i n t e n t i o n ever t o come t o London even t o c h i v y up 

your p u b l i s h e r s . 

While on the s u b j e c t of p u b l i s h e r s I might as w e l l s a y t h a t 

I f i n d a d i f f i c u l t y b o r d e r i n g upon i m p o s s i b i l i t y i n g e t t i n g your 

Nocturne of Remembered S p r i n g . 8 Have you got a s p a r e copy of 

t h i s i n R y e 9 t h a t you c o u l d s e l l me? I f you have, i t would be a 

good excuse f o r you t o w r i t e t o t e l l me so. You c o u l d a l s o t e l l 

me whether, i f you a r e coming t o London any t i m e , you would have 

any time t o see me. C h a r i n g X i s o n l y a q u a r t e r of an hour away 

from h e r e . But perhaps t h i s l e t t e r has i n f u r i a t e d you so much 

t h a t you have not r e a d thus f a r . t e - t h r u m t e - t h r u m ; 

t e - t h r u m t e - t h r u m ; 1 0 

Malcolm Lowry. 



8 

E x p l a n a t o r y Notes 
1 "Lyons": E n g l i s h tea-room. 
2 See A i k e n ' s Blue Voyage (London: G e r a l d Howe, 1927): " I 

remember t h a t you r e f u s e d t o have t e a w i t h me, a t a Lyons or 
A.B.C. because t h e y were 'such grubby l i t t l e p l a c e s ' . . . But as 
f o r me, I l i k e them; and the g r u b b i e r the b e t t e r " ( 3 4 2 ) . W i l l i a m 
Demarest i s the p r o t a g o n i s t of Blue Voyage; the surname i s o f 
French' o r i g i n meaning "of the e a s t e r n s e a . " 

3 See A i k e n ' s " P a l i m p s e s t : A D e c e i t f u l P o r t r a i t , " C o t e r i e 5 
(Autumn 1920): 15. Lowry has quoted c o r r e c t l y from the poem 
( s t a r t i n g from " I l a y i n the warm sweet g r a s s " ) e x c e p t f o r h a v i n g 
d e l e t e d the hyphen i n " b l u e - s e a . " The poem i s r e p r i n t e d as p a r t 
IV, s e c t i o n s i i i and v of A i k e n ' s The House of Dust: A Symphony 
( B o s t o n : Four Seas, 1920). Cf. l e t t e r 34, p. 222, i n which Lowry 
mentions h i s r e a d i n g of " o l d C o t e r i e s . " 

*• " P a l i m p s e s t : A D e c e i t f u l P o r t r a i t , " 16. 

° See A i k e n ' s "Movements from a Symphony: Sudden Death," 
C o t e r i e 3 (Dec. 1919): "Smiled f o r a moment a t s e a - g u l l s h i g h i n 
s u n l i g h t " ( 5 6 ) . R e p r i n t e d as p a r t I I , s e c t i o n x of The House of  
Dust. 

6 See A i k e n ' s "Movements from a Symphony: 'Overtones,'" 
C o t e r i e 3 (Dec. 1919): " S u n l i g h t above him / Roars l i k e a v a s t 
i n v i s i b l e s e a " (53) and "The crowd of f a c e s wavers and b r e a k s and 
f l o w s " ( 5 4 ) . R e p r i n t e d as p a r t I I , s e c t i o n v i i of The House of  
Dust. 

7 See B l u e Voyage: " ' W i l s t hog i t w i t h me over the way?'" 
( 2 ) . The American e d i t i o n - - ( N e w York: S c r i b n e r ' s , 1927)--
c o n t a i n s a v a r i a n t s p e l l i n g : " ' W i l l s ' t ' " ( 2 ) . C f . a l s o A i k e n ' s 
"The Orange Moth," B r i n g ! B r i n g ! and Other S t o r i e s (New York: 
B o n i & L i v e r i g h t , 1925): "'Where a r e we g o i n g t o hog i t , 
t o n i g h t ? ' " (162) . 

B Conrad A i k e n , Nocturne of Remembered S p r i n g and Other  
Poems ( B o s t o n : Four Seas, 1917). 

9 In 1924 A i k e n bought "Jeake's House" i n Rye, Sussex. At 
the time of t h i s l e t t e r , however, he was l i v i n g i n Cambridge, 
M a s s a c h u s e t t s where he was a c t i n g as a t u t o r of E n g l i s h a t 
Harvard U n i v e r s i t y . Lowry has m i s t a k e n l y assumed t h a t A i k e n i s 
s t i l l l i v i n g i n E n g l a n d . 

1 0 "te-thrum t e - t h r u m " : R e f r a i n r u n n i n g t h r o u g h A i k e n ' s B l u e  
Voyage meant t o suggest the sound of a s h i p ' s engine (222, 223, 
224, 359, 360). 



T e x t u a l .Notes 

The crowd of f a c e s wavered\ The crowd {of f a c e s } 
wavered 

My l e t t e r may not even i n t e r e s t you;\ <It> <--this> 
{My} l e t t e r <of mine> may not even i n t e r e s t you; 
< p o s s i b l y i t may s t r i k e you as [ i l l e g . ] > . [the 
words "<--this> {My} l e t t e r <of mine>" o r i g i n a l l y 
appeared a t the end of the c l a u s e b e f o r e the 
s e m i c o l o n ; the t r a n s f e r was i n d i c a t e d by Lowry w i t h 
an arrow] 

i m p o s s i b i l i t y i n g e t t i n g \ i m p o s s i b i l i t y <to get> { i n 
g e t t i n g } 

w r i t e t o t e l l me s o . \ w r i t e <and> {to} t e l l me so. 

t e l l me whether, i f you a r e coming t o London any 
t i m e , you would\ t e l l me {whether,} i f you a r e 
coming t o London <soon> {any t i m e } , <if> you would 

away from h e r e . \ away from <me> h e r e . 



10 
2: From LOWRY t o AIKEN 

MS H; MSPC UBC; B r e i t 4 

Tuesday n i g h t . 
[12 March 1929] 

S i r . (which i s a c o l d but r e s p e c t f u l exordium) 

I t has been s a i d by no l e s s a personage t h a n Chamon L a l l 

once g e n e r a l E d i t o r of a q u a r t e r l y of which you were an American 

E d i t o r t h a t - - s o r r y I'm wrong. I t has been s a i d by no l e s s a 

personage than R u s s e l l G r e e n 1 (and I don't s a y t h a t i t i s an 

o r i g i n a l a p h o r i s m because one of h i s o t h e r s ' S e n t i m e n t a l i t y i s a 

name g i v e n to the emotions of o t h e r s ' i s sheer Oscar W i l d e ) t h a t 

the o n l y c r i t e r i o n of l o v e i s the degree of i m p a t i e n c e w i t h which 

you w a i t f o r the postman. 2 

W e l l , I am a boy and you ( r e s p e c t f u l l y a g a i n ) a r e a man o l d 

enough t o be my f a t h e r , and so I may not t a l k of l o v e i n the way 

t h a t R u s s e l l Green i n t e n d e d , but a l l the same, I may here 

s u b s t i t u t e l o v e f o r - - s h a l l we s a y - - f i l i a l a f f e c t i o n and, t o a p p l y 

the a p h o r i s m , s i n c e I wrote t o you, my a t t i t u d e towards postmen 

has c o m p l e t e l y changed. Once t h e y were m e r e l y b o u r g e o i s i e 

b e e t l e s c a r r y i n g t h e i r l o a d s . Now t h e y a r e d i v i n e but h o p e l e s s 

messengers. The m i r r o r o p p o s i t e the f o o t of my bed r e f l e c t s the 

window s e t between two m y s t e r i o u s green c u r t a i n s , t o the r i g h t of 

the head of my bed and t h i s window--I c h e a t m y s e l f t h a t t h i s i t 

i s good f o r my h e a l t h — I keep open a l l n i g h t . In t h e m i r r o r I 

can a l s o see the road b e h i n d me when i t i s l i g h t . E a r l y 

y e s t e r d a y morning, i t must have been about dawn, when I imagined 



11 

t h a t I c o u l d a c t u a l l y see i n the m i r r o r , I saw a long and never 

ending p r o c e s s i o n of postmen l a b o u r i n g along t h i s road. The 

l e t t e r s were d e l i v e r e d and among a great p i l e f o r other people 

was one f o r me from you. 

I cannot now remember what you s a i d . 

You were pleased t h a t I ended o f f my l e t t e r to you with t e - 

thrum te-thrum: te-thrum te-thrum: 3 but I can't remember a n y t h i n g 

e l s e except your handwriting. Of course i t was, as I r e a l i s e d 

b i t t e r l y when I woke up, merely a r o s e - f e s t o o n e d i l l u s i o n . 4 You 

had no i n t e n t i o n of w r i t i n g m e . [ — J c a n ' t express myself p r o p e r l y 

here s o r r y [ - - ] B u t I'm wandering o f f the p o i n t . 

The p o i n t i s t h i s . 

I suppose there are few t h i n g s you would hate more than to 

be i n v e s t e d with any academic a u t h o r i t y . Well, t h i s I s h a l l say. 

Next October I am going to Cambridge f o r three or four years to -

t r y and get an E n g l i s h T r i p o s and a d e g r e e . 9 U n t i l October I am 

more or l e s s of a f r e e lance and a p e r p e t u a l source of a n x i e t y to 

a bewildered parent. The bewildered parent i n q u e s t i o n would be 

w i l l i n g to pay you 5 or 6 guineas a week (I should say s i x . 

p e r s o n a l l y , but t a c i t l y ) i f you would t o l e r a t e me f o r any p e r i o d 

you l i k e to name between now and then as a member of your 

household. 

Let me hasten to say t h a t I would e f f a c e myself and not get 

i n the way of your i n s p i r a t i o n when i t comes t o d d l i n g along, that 

my a p p e t i t e i s f l e x i b l e . a n d u s u a l l y e n t i r e l y s a t i s f i e d by cheese, 

t h a t although I can't p l a y c h e s s 8 and know l i t t l e of the 

i n t r i c a c i e s of g l a d i o l i — I too have heard the sea sound i n 



12 

s t r a n g e w a t e r s — s h - s h - s h l i k e the hush i n a conch s h e l l , T and I 

can w i e l d a f a i r t e n n i s r a c k e t . 

A l l I want t o know i s why I c a t c h my b r e a t h i n a s o r t of 

agony when I r e a d ; 

The l a z y sea-waves crumble a l o n g the beach 
With a w h i r r i n g sound l i k e wind i n b e l l s 
He l i e s o u t s t r e t c h e d on the y e l l o w wind-worn sands 
Reaching h i s l a z y hands 
Among the g o l d e n g r a i n s and s e a - w h i t e s h e l l s . . . s 

And I want to be i n Rye a t t w i l i g h t and l e a n m y s e l f by the w a l l 

of the a n c i e n t t o w n — m y s e l f , l i k e a n c i e n t w a l l and d u s t and s k y , 

and the p u r p l e dusk, grown o l d , grown o l d i n h e a r t . 9 Remember 

when I w r i t e l i k e t h i s , remember t h a t I am not a s c h o o l b o y 

w r i t i n g a g u s h i n g l e t t e r t o J e f f r e y F a r n o l 1 0 or somebody. 

(Remember too t h a t you must r e s p e c t me a l i t t l e f o r h a v i n g 

such an i n t e n s e a d m i r a t i o n f o r your p o e t r y . I know you a r e a 

g r e a t man i n America and t h a t you have your own s c h o o l of 

f o l l o w e r s , but t o me--in the d i s m a l c i r c l e i n which I move nobody 

had ever heard of you, my most i n t e l l e c t u a l moments, such as t h e y 

a r e , b e i n g spent e n t i r e l y a l o n e , i t was as though I had 

d i s c o v e r e d you and I l i k e t o p r e s e r v e t h i s a b s u r d i d e a i n my 

c h i l d i s h mind and g i v e m y s e l f a g r e a t d e a l of unearned c r e d i t f o r 

h a v i n g done s o . ) 1 1 

W e l l , t o c o n t i n u e I won't weary you by e u l o g i s i n g what you 

know y o u r s e l f t o be good (good i s q u i t e s t u p e n d o u s l y the wrong 

word but I don't want t o appear t o gush, you understand.) 

I know a l m o s t b e f o r e you r e p l y - - i f you do r e p l y - - t h a t you 

a r e e i t h e r away or t h a t you would not have the s l i g h t e s t 

i n t e n t i o n of a c t i n g f o r the s h o r t e s t p e r i o d of time as my 



13 

g u a r d i a n and/or t u t o r , but a t any r a t e do you mind r e a d i n g t h i s 

l e t t e r s y m p a t h e t i c a l l y because you must have been p r e t t y much the 

same as me i n h e a r t when you were a k i d ? And I do want t o l e a r n 

from you and t o read your e a r l i e s t and most i n a c c e s s i b l e works 

and perhaps even your c o n t r i b u t i o n s t o the D i a l . 3 - 2 I go back 

home (here i s my a d d r e s s — I n g l e w o o d , C a l d y , C h e s h i r e ) next 

Monday. Nobody reads a t home: the o n l y paper we t a k e i s The 

B r i t i s h Weekly; t h e r e a r e few books i n the house more e x c i t i n g 

t h a t R e l i g i o n s and R e l i g i o n by James Hope M o u l t o n 1 - 3 ( a l t h o u g h a 

c a r e f u l s e a r c h e r might f i n d i n a somewhat i n a c c e s s i b l e r e g i o n 

Donne, C h a t t e r t o n , The S m e l l of L e b a n o n , 1 4 Crabbe's I n e b r i e t y and 

B l u e Voyage) and a l t h o u g h I have had a c e r t a i n amount of y o u t h f u l 

s u c c e s s as a w r i t e r of s l o w and s l i p p e r y b l u e s 1 B i t i s as much as 

my l i f e i s worth t o p l a y a n y t h i n g i n the h o u s e — t h a t doesn't 

worry me so much--but when t h e y see me w r i t i n g a n y t h i n g s e r i o u s 

t h e y don't e x a c t l y d i s c o u r a g e me but t e l l me t h a t i t s h o u l d be 

s u b o r d i n a t e t o my r e a l work. What my r e a l work i s , heaven o n l y 

knows, as the o n l y o t h e r department t h a t I have had any s u c c e s s 

i n , i s i n w r i t i n g s e r i o u s l y and t h a t s u c c e s s r a r e l y meant 

a c c e p t a n c e but q u i t e o f t e n s i n c e r e encouragement from people 

whose o p i n i o n c o u l d h a r d l y be t a k e n t o be humble. 

But I don't want t o worry you w i t h a n y t h i n g I've w r i t t e n and 

indeed a f t e r r e a d i n g t h i s r a c k e t y i n c o h e r e n c e you would p r o b a b l y 

be e x t r e m e l y a v e r s e t o b e i n g w o r r i e d i n t h a t way. Look here you 

don't hate me a l r e a d y do you? (hate i s too d i g n i f i e d a word.) 

Now i_f you a r e i n London any time between when you r e c e i v e 

t h i s l e t t e r and Sunday ( i n c l u s ) c o u l d you l e t me know, because 



14 

you see we have put t h i n g s on somewhat of a b u s i n e s s f o o t i n g ? 

• I c o u l d meet you anywhere i n London. And a n y t i m e . Between 

now and Montag. I f not w r i t e t o my a d d r e s s i n the d i s m a l swamp. 

K l i o k i l o - . ' 1 * 

C M . Lowry. 



15 

Explanatory Notes 
1 Russell Green (b. 1893) succeeded Chaman Divan L a l l 

(b. 1892) as editor of the London l i t t l e magazine C o t e r i e f A 
Quarterly: Art. Prose, and Poetrv. Chaman L a l l acted as editor 
from 1919-20, Russell Green from vinter 1920-21, and l a t e r , 1925-
27, when the journal was continued under the t i t l e Nev Coterie. 
Conrad Aiken vas an American editor of Coterie from December 1919 
-Winter 1921 and "appeared to be the agent between the journal 
and i t s sizeable number of regular American contributors'* 
( T o l l e r s , B r i t i s h L i t e r a r y Magazines 110). A l l three editors 
included t h e i r own work in the journal. 

2 Both aphorisms are exact quotations from Russell Green's 
"Aphorisms," Coterie 5 (Autumn 1920): 36-37. 

3 See l e t t e r 1, n. 10, p. 8. 

* See Aiken's "Cabaret," Coterie 3 (Dec. 1919): "And dance 
once more in a rose-festooned i l l u s i o n " (52). This poem vas 
reprinted as part I I I , section ix of The House of Dust. 

* Lovry vas accepted at St. Catharine's College, Cambridge 
in March 1929 and entered the College in October. In June 1932 
he received a t h i r d - c l a s s honours degree. Triposes are the 
examinations taken for the honours degree. 

" Chess games figure prominently in Blue Voyage. 
7 See Blue Voyage: "The sound of the sea came s o f t l y here, 

muted, l i k e the hush heard i n a conch-shell: Sh-sh-sh" (16) and 
"...the softened sh. Sh. of the sea" (47). 

* Aiken, "Movements from a Symphony: 'Overtones,'" 54. 
Lovry has omitted the period a f t e r " b e l l s , " otherwise the passage 
i s quoted c o r r e c t l y . See l e t t e r 1, n. 6, p. 8. 

* See Aiken's "Seven Twilights," Priapus and the Pool and 
Other Poems (Nev York: Boni & L i v e r i g h t , 1925): 

Nov by the v a i l of the l i t t l e tovn I lean 
Myself, l i k e ancient v a i l and dust and sky. 
And the purple dusk, grovn old, grovn old in heart. (80) 

x o John J e f f r e y Farnol (1878-1952), English n o v e l i s t ; author 
of The Broad Highvav (1910) and The Amateur Gentleman (1913) 
amongst others. 

1 1 In fact, Russell Lovry, Malcolm's brother, claims that i t 
vas he. vho f i r s t introduced Malcolm to Aiken's Blue Voyage 
(Bradbrook, Malcolm Lovrv: His Art and Earlv L i f e x i i i ) . 



16 
1 2 A i k e n was a c o n t r i b u t i n g e d i t o r of The D i a l from 1917-19 

( a l t h o u g h h i s name does not appear on the masthead i n 1919) 
( J o o s t , Years of T r a n s i t i o n : The D i a l 1912-1920 196). 

1 3 James Hope Moulton (1863-1917), c l a s s i c a l s c h o l a r 
educated a t the Leys S c h o o l and K i n g ' s C o l l e g e , Cambridge; a u t h o r 
of R e l i g i o n s and R e l i g i o n : A Study of the S c i e n c e of R e l i g i o n .  
Pure and A p p l i e d (London: C h a r l e s H. K e l l y , 1913). H i s f a t h e r , 
Rev. W i l l i a m F i d d i a n M o u l t o n , was a t one time head master of the 
Leys S c h o o l , Cambridge which Lowry (and h i s b r o t h e r s ) a t t e n d e d 
from 1923-Easter 1927. 

1 4 The S m e l l of Lebanon: Twenty-four S y r i a n F o l k - s o n g s , 
c o l l . S.H. Stephan, t r a n s . E. Powys Mathers ( [ L e i p z i g ] : T a l y b o n t 
D y f f r y n M e r i o n e t h , 1928) [ s e l e c t i o n r e p r i n t e d from Modern  
P a l e s t i n i a n P a r a l l e l s t o the Song of Songs, 1923]. 

1 5 Lowry had by t h i s t i m e , w i t h Ronald H i l l , p u b l i s h e d two 
songs: Three L i t t l e Dog-Gone M i c e : J u s t the L a t e s t C h a r l e s t o n  
F o x - T r o t Ever (London: Worton David L t d . , 1927) and I've S a i d  
Good-Bve t o Shanghai (London: B. Feldman & Co., 19 2 7 ) . 

1 8 " K l i o k l i o " : A r e c u r r i n g r e f r a i n i n A i k e n ' s Blue Voyage 
used t o s u g g e s t the c r i e s of s e a g u l l s (304, 305, 307, 309, 310, 
312) . 

T e x t u a l Notes 

Date [the envelope i s postmarked 13 March 1929] 

10.3 once g e n e r a l E d i t o r \ once { g e n e r a l } E d i t o r 

10 .10 ( r e s p e c t f u l l y a g a i n ) \ ( r e s p e c t f u l l y { a g a i n } ) 

10.18-19 window s e t between two m y s t e r i o u s green c u r t a i n s , t o 
the r i g h t of the head of my bed\ [the words " s e t 
between two m y s t e r i o u s green c u r t a i n s , " o r i g i n a l l y 
appeared a f t e r the word "bed"; the t r a n s f e r was 
i n d i c a t e d by Lowry w i t h an arrow] 

11.1-2 m i r r o r , I saw a l o n g and never e n d i n g p r o c e s s i o n \ 
m i r r o r , {I saw} a l o n g {and never ending} 
p r o c e s s i o n 

11.2 l a b o u r i n g \ labour<ed>{ing} 

11.3-4 g r e a t p i l e f o r o t h e r p e o p l e was\ g r e a t p i l e { f o r 
o t h e r people} was 

11.10-11 of w r i t i n g me.[--]can't e x p r e s s m y s e l f p r o p e r l y here 
s o r r y ! — ] \ of w r i t i n g me. <You d i d n ' t l i k e the way 



17 

I asked i f you would have time ever t o see me i n 
London when you might have time but h a r d l y time 
enough t o t r o u b l e about h a v i n g a l u n c h on someone 
you'd never seen. I perhaps d i d n ' t make i t c l e a r 
enough t h a t I'd go anywhere w i t h i n my r e a c h from 
P i m l i c o t o the I s l e of Dogs i f o n l y t h e r e was h a l f 
a chance of s e e i n g you. And then i t i s p o s s i b l e I 
s h o u l d have s e n t a p o s t a l o r d e r i n a n t i c i p a t i o n f o r 
Nocturne of Remembered S p r i n g because even i f you 
hadn't got i t I t a k e i t even though you would have 
found i t a n u i s e a n c e ( s p e l l i n g mine) you would have 
s e n t the p o s t a l o r d e r back which would have meant 
a t l e a s t a c a u t i o u s l e t t e r of some s o r t on i t . > 
{ [ — I c a n ' t e x p r e s s m y s e l f p r o p e r l y here s o r r y ! — ] } 

11.11 B u t \ <Sorry> {But} 

11.14 I s h a l l s a y \ I < w i l l > { s h a l l } say 

11.23 L e t me\ L e t < [ i l l e g . ] > me 

12.15 (Remember t o o t h a t \ (Remember {too} t h a t 

12.16 I know you a r e \ I know <that> you a r e 

12.21 p r e s e r v e t h i s a b s u r d i d e a \ p r e s e r v e t h i s < c h i l d i s h 
absur> a b s u r d i d e a 

12.22-3 f o r h a v i n g done s o . \ f o r <having done> <{doing}> 
{ h a v i n g done} so. 

12.25 t o be\ <is> {to be} 

12.27-8 b e f o r e you r e p l y - - i f you do r e p l y — t h a t you a r e \ 
b e f o r e you r e p l y { — i f you do r e p l y - - } t h a t you a r e 

13.15-16 w r i t i n g a n y t h i n g 
{ s e r i o u s } t h e y 

s e r i o u s t h e y \ w r i t i n g a n y t h i n g 



18 

3: From LOWRY t o AIKEN 
TS H; u n p u b l i s h e d 

[Inglewood, C a l d y ] 

[ M a r c h / A p r i l 1929] 

Comments about the poems: 

I have i n c l u d e d o n l y the poems which I thought would a i d you 

i n g e t t i n g a b e t t e r u n d e r s t a n d i n g of what type of person I am. 

That does not mean t h a t I'm a r a v i n g r a d i c a l or some m a l a d j u s t e d 

f o o l t r y i n g t o c o m p l a i n about my f o r t u n e s . As a matter of f a c t , 

I am q u i t e c a r e f r e e and easy t o get a l o n g w i t h . I have o n l y one 

word t o s a y i n defense f o r my work and m y s e l f ; we're both young 

and c o u l d s t a n d a g o o d l y amount of p o l i s h i n g . Mr. A i k e n , I p l e a d 

w i t h you t o g i v e me a f r a n k c r i t i c i s m and a word of a d v i c e . I 

need i t b a d l y i n the r i g h t way. And t h a t i s : Do you t h i n k I 

have any i n d i v i d u a l s t y l e of my own or am I u n c o n c i o u s l y 

i m i t a t i n g someone's work. I have been t o l d by some t h a t I have a 

tendency t o r e l y upon Whitman. I t h i n k n o t . I f e e l t h a t my work 

i s g o i n g t o be and i s d i f f e r e n t b o t h i n t e x t and s p i r i t . But do 

I show i t . P l e a s e g i v e me your f r a n k e s t o p i n i o n . 

In my p r e l u d e t o the I r o n and S t e e l s e r i e s , 1 I have p l a c e d 

m y s e l f b e s i d e s Whitman and Sandburg as a s i n g e r . I f e e l t h a t I 

have a r i g h t t o . I d i d not i n t e n d the eyes of m o r t a l man t o read 

a word of the i r o n and s t e e l group u n t i l I had e s t a b l i s h e d m y s e l f 

as a s i n g e r comparable t o b o t h . Perhaps the day w i l l never come, 

i f i t d i d n ' t I i n t e n d e d t o d e s t r o y e v e r y word, because I , o n l y a 

n i n e t e e n year o l d y o u n g s t e r , would be c a l l e d a f o o l f o r 



19 

a t t e m p t i n g t o even t h i n k m y s e l f a man comparable i n s t a n d i n g t o 

Whitman and Sandburg. As you r e a d the P r e l u d e p l e a s e remember 

t h a t I haved l i v e d everyword and t h a t a l l I need i s a b e t t e r 

medium of e x p r e s s i o n f o r c l e a r e r t h o u g h t s and words. I hope t h a t 

I w i l l r e c e i v e e i t h e r your honest encouragement or your f r a n k e s t 

d i s c o u r a g e m e n t . 

P l e a s e excuse poor t y p i n g . 



[Poems e n c l o s e d w i t h l e t t e r ] 

Spiderweb 

The moment hangs from Heaven l i k e a webbed 
B r i d g e t o t h a t i n v i s i b l e w h e r e i n 
N e c e s s i t y ' s d i m e n s i o n s sometimes win 
Harbors of a i r , from which the s t o r m has ebbed. 

But we a r e s p i d e r s . And w i t h w a i t i n g eyes 
We see s a i l by, beyond o l d r e a c h and hope, 
Doomed wings of a d i s t a n c e , s m a l l as p e r i s c o p e , 
W h i l e d i n i n g on a d i e t of dead f l i e s : 

The b l a c k and g o l d , the g r o s s and g u l l i b l e , 
We a r e t h o s e s p i d e r s who of t h e m s e l v e s have spun 
Nets of sad time t o sway a g a i n s t the s u n -
Broken by s e c r e t s time can never t e l l . 

A l c o h o l i c 

I d i e d so many t i m e s when drunk 
That sober I became 
L i k e water where a s h i p was sunk 
That never knew i t s name. 

Old b a r n a c l e s upon my s i d e s 
Ringed round w i t h p i t c h and t o s s 
Were g i v e n me by mermaid b r i d e s , 
Immaculate as moss. 

Here now, w i t h n e i t h e r k i n nor q u e s t , 
I am so f u l l of sea 
That whales may make of me a n e s t 
And go t o s l e e p i n me. 

(Those a n g e l s of the upper a i r 
Who s i p of the d i v i n e 

May f i n d a haven h o l i e r 
but l e s s goodbye than mine.) 



Dark P a t h 

By no s p e c i f i c d a r t of g o l d , 
No s i n g l e s i n g i n g have I found 
T h i s p a t h . I t t r a v e l s , dark and c o l d , 
Through dead v o l c a n o e s underground. 

Here f l i c k e r y e t the s u l p h u r o u s 
c h a r r e d ends of f i r e s l o n g s i n c e I knew. 
Long s i n c e , I t h i n k , and t h i n k i n g t h u s , 
I g n i t e , d a e m o n i c a l l y ; anew. 

Y e t , b u r n i n g , b u r n i n g , b u r n i n g L o r d , 
Know how t h i s p a t h must l i k e w i s e come 
Through m u l t i t u d i n o u s d i s c o r d 
The a w f u l and the l o n g way home. 

Sonnet 

T h i s r u i n now, where m o o n l i g h t walks a l o n e 
U n c o v e r i n g the cobweb and the r o s e , 
I have been here b e f o r e ; l o v e d each dim s t o n e ; 
I f t h e r e were shadows I was one of t h o s e . 
There l i s t e n i n g , as i n a s h e l l , I heard 
Through some i n v i s i b l e , u n l e t t e r e d whole 
One t r u e , i f not a t a l l e t e r n a l , word 
Wrung from the w e i r d m u t a t i o n s of the s o u l ; 
P a l a c e or h o v e l , r u i n w i l l a t l a s t 
Make peace of what i s waste; t a k e f o r a time 
The hungry f u t u r e and the b l o o d y p a s t 
I n t o her n i g h t . Only the moon w i l l c l i m b 
Up broken s t a i r s t o towerd might have been 
And r e s t a l i t t l e , l i k e some poor, b l i n d queen. 

c h e e r y a i n ' t t h e y ? S p i r i t took the s p i d e r , don' 
know why- l o v e 1. 



22 

E x p l a n a t o r y Notes 
1 T h i s was presumably an e a r l y c o l l e c t i o n Lowry had made of 

h i s poems. No d r a f t of the s e r i e s i s e x t a n t . 

T e x t u a l Notes 

[ H a n d w r i t t e n note a t top of page r e a d s : " O r i g i n a l 
from Male apropos m a t e r i a l s e n t t o C.A. [[Conrad 
A i k e n ] ] a t Cambridge MASS"] 

19.7 P l e a s e excuse poor t y p i n g . \ [ h a n d w r i t t e n by Lowry a t 
bottom of page] 

e n c l o s u r e [4 poems; TS H] 



23 

4: From LOWRY t o AIKEN 
MS H; u n p u b l i s h e d 

[St C a t h a r i n e ' s C o l l . 
Camb.] 

[October 1930] 

My dear Conrad 

Many thanks f o r your l e t t e r ; and a l s o f o r s h a d i n g , 

a n n o t a t i n g , and c o n n o t a t i n g the d i s b u r s e m e n t s ; 1 m y s e l f have had 

q u i t e a s m o o t h l y s m i l i n g s o r t of l e t t e r from the o l d man,2 which 

presages w e l l f o r the f u t u r e . . . I've moved i n t o new rooms (but 

the same a d d r e s s ) and s p e n t y e s t e r d a y d e c o r a t i n g them, and drank 

a b o t t l e of w h i s k e y i n the p r o c e s s . H a l f my books seem t o have 

been s t o l e n , b l a s t somebody's eyes. But t o make i t worse I c a n ' t 

remember p r e c i s e l y what I d i d have. My S i r Thomas Browne's gone, 

anyway, I'm s u r e of t h a t : and a Thomas Heywood, i n the mermaid 

e d i t i o n , or d i d I l e n d t h a t t o somebody?: and ' D u b l i n e r s , ' - - w h y 

D u b l i n e r s ? — — 

'Experiment' i s o u t . 3 I ' l l send you one as soon as I can 

l a y hands on a copy. Everybody t h i n k s the f i r s t p r e l u d e ' s s w e l l 

— b u t most everybody i s m y s t i f i e d by the t h i r d . * Who i s t h i s 

p e r s o n who must be d i s e m b o w e l l e d , and shown i n the m a r k t p l a t z ? . 3 

But I dare say t h e y ' l l f i n d o u t , soon enough. There's a l a r g e 

p o s t e r of 'Experiment,' w i t h your name i n l a r g e l e t t e r s , and a l l 

the l i t t l e s u c k e r s i n s m a l l l e t t e r s . Damp from the womb! 

I p l a y e d hockey f o r Cambridge town a g a i n s t F e n s t a n t o n l a s t 

S a t u r d a y . I've d e c i d e d on hockey as a g a i n s t r u g g e r , because 

t h e i r team s e c r e t a r y c a l l e d round ( a c t u a l l y ! ) and s a i d t h a t I was 



wanted r because I h i t the b a l l f i r m l y and h a r d , and was r e a l l y 

q u i t e a p e r s o n . I'm p l a y i n g a g a i n s t P e t e r b o r o u g h to-morrow, and 

T r i n i t y H a l l c o l l e g e on S a t u r d a y , and my own c o l l e g e the week 

a f t e r next sometime which r e a l l y s h o u l d be damned good f u n . I t 

p l e a s e s me immensely p l a y i n g a g a i n s t my own c o l l e g e . Yet a t 

s c h o o l I s h o u l d have hated t o p l a y a g a i n s t my own house. . . 

S t i l l St Caths i s d i f f e r e n t . I t l o o k s l i k e a b a r r a c k s g e n e r a l l y . 

The d i n i n g room l o o k s l i k e a mortuary. The c o l l e g e t h a t god 

f o r g o t ! Or a moloch which, sometimes, r a i s e s i t s stone hand t o 

s t r i k e — --

N e a r l y a l l the o t h e r c o l l e g e s have something c l o i s t r a l and 

C a n t e r b u r y i a n about them, or have produced a Marlowe or a M i l t o n . 

I'm h a v i n g d i n n e r t o - n i g h t , i n Pembroke i n Grays' o l d room. And 

both Crashaw & C h r i s t o p h e r Smart l i v e d i n the same b l o c k ! . . 8 

C a n t e r b u r y C a t h e d r a l . 

C h r i s t , t h a t p l a c e has ceased t o be a f a c t : I f e e l i t , 

d a r k l y , i n my b l o o d ; i n the v e r y plasm of my b l o o d , as one might 

say: transmuted--by some k i n s h i p w i t h the i n s e n t i e n t as w e l l as 

the l i v i n g — i n t o the m a t r i x of my l i f e . The Norman tower. The 

dark e n t r y . The b a p i s t r y garden. T r i n i t y c h a p e l , where l i e the 

c a n o n i z e d bones of St W i l f r e d and St Odo! St Odo! . . 7 Or am I a t 

C r e c y , t h e n , w i t h the B l a c k P r i n c e ? I walk g r a v e l y b e s i d e him. 

My sword i s i n i t s l e a t h e r n s c a b b a r d . My l e a t h e r n s h i e l d i s 

embossed w i t h the l i l i e s of F r a n c e , the f l o w e r s - d e - l u c e . The 

s u r c o a t i s of q u i l t e d c o t t o n , f a c e d w i t h v e l v e t , and embroidered 

w i t h emblems i n s i l k and g o l d . . . 

W e l l , my boy, I s h a l l w r i t e you a l o n g l e t t e r , d i c t a t e d to 



25 

my t y p i s t . Remember what I've s a i d to you about d r i n k and women. 

I don't want you to get mixed up i n a n y - e r - d r i n k i n g bouts. I 

never d i d , and look what I am to-day. There's no need to t a l k 

about t h a t other l i t t l e matter, s e l f - a b u s e , of course not. I 

know you don't know a n y t h i n g about t h a t . You won't even be 

tempted. None of your b r o t h e r s have been tempted. None of the 

Lowry-Lbwries of Inglewood-Inglewood have ever drunk, or been 

tempted i n any way whatsoever. And money—please give me a 

c a r e f u l account of e v e r y t h i n g you spend--I t h i n k you spend too 

much money on s h o o t i n g , and r e p a i r i n g your g u n -

As ever 

Malcolm 

I have a gramophone, with 2 r e c o r d s . 

you don't mind w a i t i n g a l i t t l e while f o r your 'Blue 

Voyage.'? . . I ' d l i k e a game of ping-pong with you, my god! And 

a v i s i t to Mr Neeves. B Or a walk through Gods a c r e . 9 





E x p l a n a t o r y Notes 
1 L o v r y had been s e n d i n g c h a p t e r s of h i s n o v e l , U l t r a m a r i n e r 

t o A i k e n f o r c o r r e c t i o n s . U l t r a m a r i n e vas p u b l i s h e d i n June 1933 
by J o n a t h a n Cape. The m a n u s c r i p t o f U l t r a m a r i n e c o n t a i n e d i n t h e 
H u n t i n g t o n L i b r a r y ( A l k 3381] i s i n s c r i b e d by A i k e n : "June 4 
[1931] 10:30 p.m. Dear M a l c o l m — I v i n d my v a t c h f o r y o u — b u t you 
s h o u l d be v l n d i n g my v a t c h f o r me. — C i . " 

3 " o l d man": L o v r y and A i k e n ' s name f o r Lowry's f a t h e r , 
A r t h u r 0. L o v r y . A c c o r d i n g t o M u r i e l Bradbrook, i t i s "the 
r e g u l a r term o f a s h i p ' s c r e v f o r t h e M a s t e r " (Malcolm L o v r y 1 5 ) . 
In the 1976 N a t i o n a l F i l m Board documentary on L o v r y , V o l c a n o : An 
Inquiry Into t h e 1,1$$ and, p e a t h of. MfllCOlm hPWry, R u s s e l l L o v r y 
a l s o r e f e r s t o t h e i r f a t h e r as the " o l d man." 

s Experiment,, a Cambridge l i t e r a r y magazine, begun i n 1928 
under the e d i t o r s h i p of W i l l i a m Empson. The e d i t o r s from 1929 t o 
1931, J a c o b B r o n o v s k i and Hugh Sykes, changed t h e e d i t o r i a l 
p o l i c y and d e c i d e d t h a t t h e magazine " c o u l d r e p r e s e n t non-
Cambridge v r i t e r s " ( S a v y e r , B r i t i s h L i t e r a r y Magazines 177); 
hence t h e I n c l u s i o n o f A i k e n ' s poems, no doubt v i a L o v r y , i n the 
October 1930 i s s u e . 

* Conrad A i k e n , "Three P r e l u d e s , " E x p e r i m e n t 6 (Oct. 1930): 
33-6. These were l a t e r p u b l i s h e d as p r e l u d e s " I , " "X," and 
"XXXV" i n A i k e n ' s P r e l u d e s f o r Memnon (Nev York: S c r i b n e r ' s , 
1931). 

8 See "XXXV," P r e l u d e s f o r Memnon: "God t a k e h i s b o v e l s 
o u t , and break h i s bones, / And shov him i n the market as he 
i s . . ." ( 6 4 ) . 

" M i l t o n r e s i d e d i n C h r i s t ' s C o l l e g e from 1625-1632; M a r l o v e 
i n Corpus C h r i s t ! from 1581-1587; Thomas Gray i n P e t e r h o u s e from 
1734-38 and 1744-56; R i c h a r d Crashav i n Pembroke from 1631-34 and 
P e t e r h o u s e 1636-38 (he became a F e l l o v o f P e t e r h o u s e i n 1637); 
and C h r i s t o p h e r Smart vas a F e l l o v o f Pembroke i n 1745. 

7 S a i n t W i l f r i d , B i s h o p o f York, and S a i n t Odo of 
C a n t e r b u r y , Abbot of B a t t l e v e r e b o t h a t one time supposed t o be 
b u r i e d i n C a n t e r b u r y C a t h e d r a l . In the r e l i c l i s t a t C a n t e r b u r y 
C a t h e d r a l i s mentioned "a t o o t h of t h e Ven. Odo Abb. of B a t t l e " 
( P a r k e r , The C a t h o l i c E n c y c l o p e d i a 11:211). 

* Tom Neeves vas t h e ovner o f t h e S h i p I n n , Rye vhere L o v r y 
and A i k e n v o u l d d r i n k t o g e t h e r . See a l s o Lowry's l e t t e r t o Tom 
Neeves e n c l o s e d i n l e t t e r 84, p. 448. 

* "God's a c r e " : a cemetery. C f . A i k e n ' s poem, "God's A c r e , " 
P r l a n u s and the P o o l (Nev York: B o n i & L i v e r i g h t , 1925) 28-31. 



28 

Textual Notes 

Address [Lowry has used a St. Catharine's letterhead card; 
I have quoted the letterhead as the heading for the 
l e t t e r ] 

2 3.16 marktplatz?.\ <market> marktplatz?. 

23.20 I played hockey\ <I have a ga> I played hockey 

23.22 I\ <myself> {1} 

24.17 in my blood; in the very plasm\ in my blood; <into> 
in the very plasm 

24.25 of quilted cotton,\ of <cotton> quilted cotton, 

25.14 you\ <[illeg.]> you 

25.14-16 you don't mind [. . . .] Gods acre.\ [written at top 
of f i r s t page] 



29 

5: From LOWRY t o AIKEN 
MS H; u n p u b l i s h e d 

2 B a t e m a n s t r e e t 
Cambridge. 

[December 1930] 

My v e r y dear o l d Conrad: 

I am a h e l l of a god-awful c o r r e s p o n d e n t as you know, 

but C h r i s t m a s i s coming, and Donner and B l i t z e n a r e h a v i n g t h e i r 

manes combed, and anyway I owe you one. I am w o r k i n g hard h e r e , 

m o s t l y on the n o v e l . 1 C h a r l o t t e H a l d a n e 2 (the w i f e of J.B.S.) 

has o f f e r e d me her body i f I f i n i s h the r e v i s i o n of i t t h i s term. 

T h i s i s a l l r i g h t but I t o l d her t h a t I would masturbate a f t e r 

f i n i s h i n g each c h a p t e r i n t h a t case w i t h the r e s u l t t h a t I would 

run out of semen b e f o r e l a moment c r i t i q u e . I t h i n k t h i s i s v e r y 

funny. She i s v e r y p r e t t y . I don't t h i n k I have ever seen 

anybody so p r e t t y . I read the f i r s t c h a p t e r , r e v i s e d and 

i n t e n s i f i e d and p o l i s h e d ; and she was a b i t drunk and f e l l down 

on her knees and wept; so I d i d n ' t have the h e a r t t o t e l l her 

t h a t i f t h e r e was a n y t h i n g good about i t i t had been c o p i e d from 

you. C h r i s t what a b r e e z e ! 

Everybody i n Cambridge now says C h r i s t what a b r e e z e ; and 

one i s not j e e r e d a t f o r an u n c r i t i c a l remark i f one says such 

and such a t h i n g i s the 'bees knees' because I t e l l them you say 

i t . 3 Everybody thought your poems were m a r v e l l o u s , and t h i n k s 

you a r e a g r e a t man which you a r e , and a g e n t l e man because you 

s a y C h r i s t what a b r e e z e , and bees knees. 

I drank a l o t of w h i s k e y w i t h C h a r l o t t e Haldane l a s t n i g h t 

who i s a don's w i f e and was n e a r l y s i c k i n t o her mouth when I was 



30 

k i s s i n g h e r . She says she l o v e s me. T h i s i s r a t h e r awkward, but 

v e r y g r a t i f y i n g . She has j u s t p u b l i s h e d a n o v e l , C h a t t o and 

Windus, on monyzygotic t w i n s . I t i s good and I have r e v i e w e d i t 

f a v o u r a b l y i n an Oxford paper R e v o l t . 4 I t i s not o v e r f l o w i n g 

w i t h s e n s i b i l i t y : and the a r c h i t e c h t o n i c s a r e a l l away t o h e l l : 

i t i s n o t h i n g v e r y much, you u n d e r s t a n d , o n l y v e r y e x c i t i n g and 

q u i t e a m u s i n g l y bawdy. I t i s f u l l of b l o o d y a w f u l cock, however, 

even worse t h a n U l t r a m a r i n e i n t h a t r e s p e c t i f you can b e l i e v e 

i t . I t s a m a t e u r i s h , but e x c i t i n g . She i s a f i r s t - r a t e b i o l o g i s t 

and she wants t o meet you. T h i s i s not a v e r y good l e t t e r . I t 

i s s o r t of e a r l y P o r t r a i t of the A r t i s t b u s i n e s s , w i t h o u t 

c o h e s i o n , however, and a s p r i n k l i n g of bad Hemingway. Never 

mind. There i s a dons' w i f e i n T r i n i t y who has Gonorrhea. Three 

of my f r i e n d s have Gonorrhea and I go w i t h them t o Addenbrooks 

h o s p i t a l and see them i r r i g a t e d . As f o r me, I w i s h I had 

Gonorrhea, because t h a t would mean I'd had a good fuck which I 

haven't f o r the h e l l of a t i m e . I'm a l l i n h i b i t e d i n t h a t 

d i r e c t i o n , and have l o s t my jumbly g i r l , and am h a v i n g a bad time 

w i t h m a s t u r b a t i o n . I t h i n k I am g l a d I have l o s t my jumbly g i r l . 

Thank god I won't have t o buy her h o r r i d l i t t l e s i s t e r a 

C h r i s t m a s p r e s e n t ! I t ' s damned good your h a v i n g a r a d i o : but I 

l i k e a gramophone b e t t e r sometimes, you get such a w f u l programmes 

from 2LO, & o c c a s i o n a l y even K o n i g w u s t e r h a u s e n * l e t s you down. I 

know a man who makes the n o i s e s i n b r o a d c a s t p l a y s from the B.B.C 

& we went down t o London b r i e f l y on one o c c a s i o n and I saw how i t 

was done. I a l s o know a man c a l l e d R e d g r a v e , 8 who reads p o e t r y 

t h e r e . He read The H o l l o w men l a s t week, and we a l l want him t o 



31 

b r o a d c a s t you and he wants t o and i s g o i n g t o i f he can and I 

have l e n t him my P r i a p u s and the P o o l because you c a n ' t buy i t i n 

E n g l a n d . The man who makes the n o i s e s i s a homosexual, but q u i t e 

d e c e n t , and I know him because we are t a k i n g p a r t i n a f i l m 

c a l l e d Bank H o l i d a y , 7 a s o r t of 'Last Moment' b u s i n e s s , next 

March. S t r a n g e ! 

I have been e l e c t e d the E d i t o r of Cambridge P o e t r y — 

p u b l i s h e d by the Hogarth P r e s s e v e r y year i n Hogarth L i v i l n l g 

P oets s e r i e s . 8 God--God knows why. Not o n l y my p o e t i c f a c u l t y 

but a l s o my c a p a c i t y f o r p l a g i a r i s m has gone west. But t h i s 

seems t o be an honour. In f a c t i t was the o n l y a m b i t i o n I had 

l e f t up h e r e . I must be the f i r s t E d i t o r who doesn't know the 

d i f f e r e n c e between a t r o c h e e and a spondee: and h a r d l y between a 

sonnet and a c h a n t - r o y a l . 

However. My o t h e r a m b i t i o n i s t o s t o p m a s t u r b a t i n g . Which 

i s j u s t b l o o d y i m p o s s i b l e . I f t h e r e were a book on t h a t t h e r e 

would be some sense i n making me E d i t o r ! I l o v e e v e r y t h i n g , from 

soap d i s h e s t o medicine b o t t l e s . T h i s i s damned a w f u l , and a l l -

p o i s o n i n g : as you remarked 'the most a l l p o i s o n i n g of a l l 

i l l n e s s e s . But we r e t u r n t o our v o m i t . ' . . 9 Yet ah remain, 

n l g g a h , and ahs so mighty dat de t o r n a d o e s and de h u r r i c a n e s dey 

j u s t f o l l o w me aroun' l i k e l i t t l e pet dogs, yeah, j u s t l i k e 

l i t t l e p e t s dogs, an ah s p i t s l i g h t n i n g an ah b r e a t h e s thunder 

and ah'm the DOOM of I s r a e l . . . And ah'm the champion 

w i r e p u l l e r i n Tennessee--

I'd j u s t l o v e a copy of John D e a t h , x o Conrad, i t was sweet 

of you t o suggest i t . And I ' l l buy a S e l e c t e d poems 1 1 o f f you--



32 

and by god I haven't got that copy of Blue Voyage yet, curse me 

and curse me. Well, I ' l l see you soon, and we'll break the 

bloody buskins of the town, and drown in the white winds of the 

r e a l day. 

Better to f a l l with Icarus than thrive with Smith. 1 2 

Malcolm. 



33 

E x p l a n a t o r y Notes 
1 U l t r a m a r i n e . 
2 C h a r l o t t e (Franken) Haldane (1894-1969), a u t h o r ; m a r r i e d 

t o the B r i t i s h b i o c h e m i s t and g e n e t i c i s t , John Burdon Sanderson 
Haldane (1892-1964). C h a r l o t t e Haldane h o s t e d a l i t e r a r y c i r c l e 
a t her "Roebuck House" i n Cambridge i n t o which Lowry was 
i n t r o d u c e d by John Davenport i n 1929. Among the a r t i s t s t o 
g a t h e r t h e r e were W i l l i a m Erapson, M i c h a e l Redgrave, Hugh Sykes 
D a v i e s , M a r t i n Case, and K a t h l e e n R a i n e . Her n o v e l , I Br i n g Not .. 
Peace--(London: C h a t t o & Windus, 1 9 3 2 ) — p o r t r a y s Lowry as "James. 
Dowd." 

3 C f . A i k e n ' s Great C i r c l e (New York: S c r i b n e r ' s , 1933): 
" ' C h r i s t , what a b r e e z e 1 " (221, 222), and " ' I t was the c a t ' s 
pajamas. I t was the bee's knees'" (315). 

* Lowry i s r e f e r r i n g t o Haldane's n o v e l B r o t h e r t o B e r t 
(London: C h a t t o & Windus, 1930); a c c o r d i n g t o Haldane, t h i s n o v e l 
was i n s p i r e d by Johannes Lange's Crime as D e s t i n y : A Study of  
C r i m i n a l Twins which she t r a n s l a t e d I n 1931 ( T r u t h W i l l Out 2 9 ) . 
I have been unable t o l o c a t e Lowry's r e v i e w . 

s "Konigs Wusterhausen": l o c a t i o n of D e u t s c h l a n d s e n d e r , a 
l o n g wave, a r t s and e d u c a t i o n , r a d i o s t a t i o n i n Germany. 

s S i r M i c h a e l Scudamore Redgrave (1908-85). B r i t i s h s t a g e 
and f i l m a c t o r , educated a t C l i f t o n C o l l e g e and Magdalene 
C o l l e g e , Cambridge. Redgrave was one of the members of C h a r l o t t e 
Haldane's l i t e r a r y s e t and a j o i n t e d i t o r ( w i t h John Davenport 
and Hugh Sykes) of Cambridge P o e t r y , 1930, Hogarth L i v i n g P o e t s 
13 (London: Hogarth P r e s s , 1930), i n which was p u b l i s h e d Lowry's 
poem, "For N o r d a h l G r i e g S h i p ' s F i r e m a n . " I n h i s a u t o b i o g r a p h y , 
In My Mind's Eye, Redgrave speaks of r e a d i n g E l i o t ' s "The 
W a s t e l a n d " over the B.B.C., but not "The H o l l o w Men" ( 7 4 ) . 
A c c o r d i n g t o M u r i e l Bradbrook, the o n l y person o t h e r t h a n Conrad 
A i k e n t o r e c e i v e an o f f i c i a l r e v i e w copy of Under the Volcano was 
M i c h a e l Redgrave, "'the a c t o r , an o l d and good c o l l e g e f r i e n d of 
mine [ L o w r y ' s ] ' " ( 1 5 ) . 

7 The f i l m Bank H o l i d a y (or Three on a Weekend i n the 
U.S.A.) was d i r e c t e d by S i r C a r o l Reed (1906-1976) and produced 
by Edward B l a c k i n 1938. The s t o r y was w r i t t e n by Hans W i l h e l m 
and Rodney A c k l a n d . I t would seem t h a t the f i l m took l o n g e r t o 
produce t h a n Lowry had e x p e c t e d and he stopped " t a k i n g p a r t " i n 
i t , f o r h i s name does not appear amongst the c a s t . The f r i e n d 
whom Lowry mentions h e r e , however, c o u l d v e r y w e l l be h i s f r i e n d 
from the Leys S c h o o l and Cambridge, M i c h a e l Rennie (1909-1971) 
who p l a y e d the p a r t of the guardsman i n Bank H o l i d a y . 

e See n. 6 above. The proposed i s s u e of Cambridge P o e t r y t o 
be e d i t e d by Lowry was never p u b l i s h e d . 



34 

° See B l u e Voyage; " T h i s i s what i t i s t o be i n l o v e . 
U n m i t i g a t e d s u f f e r i n g . The most a l l - p o i s o n i n g of a l l i l l n e s s e s . 
And n e v e r t h e l e s s , i t ' s the c h i e f motive o f a l l a r t — v e r e t u r n t o 
our v o m i t " ( 1 9 5 ) . See a l s o U l t r a m a r i n e ; " — l e t them r e t u r n t o 
t h e i r own v o m i t — " ( 4 0 ) . 

3-° Conrad A i k e n , John Deth: A M e t a p h y s i c a l Legend, and Other 
Poems (New York: S c r l b n e r ' s , 1930). 

" Conrad A i k e n , S e l e c t e d Poems (New York: S c r i b n e r ' s , 
1929). 

x a Frank S m i t h i s a c h a r a c t e r i n B l u e Voyage. See Lowry's 
u n p u b l i s h e d l e t t e r t o N o r d a h l G r i e g o f 8 September 1931 i n t h e 
U.B.C. S p e c i a l C o l l e c t i o n s : "was i t not b e t t e r t o f a l l w i t h 
I c a r u s t h a n t h r i v e w i t h S m i t h ? " C f . a l s o B l u e Voyage: " B e t t e r be 
l i k e Smith and g a t h e r my rosebuds v h i l e I may . . ." ( 1 6 2 ) . 

T e x t u a l Notes 

29.9 r u n out of semen\ r u n out of <shot> {semen} 

29.9 l a \ <the> ( l a . } 

29.11 anybody\ <anything> anybody 

29.12 p o l i s h e d ; \ p o l i s h e d < l i k e an a p p l e > ; 

29.13 v e p t ; so I d i d n * t \ wept; <my good god> so I d i d n ' t 

29.17 i f one\ i f <you> (one) 

29.22 w i t h C h a r l o t t e Haldane l a s t n i g h t \ w i t h C h a r l o t t e 
Haldane <who i s > l a s t n i g h t 

30.3-4 r e v i e w e d i t f a v o u r a b l y i n an O x f o r d paper R e v o l t . \ 
r e v i e w e d i t ( f a v o u r a b l y i n an O x f o r d paper R e v o l t \ . 

30.10-11 I t i s s o r t \ I t i s <a> s o r t 

30.13 i n T r l n i t y \ i n <Ca> T r i n i t y 

30.21 your h a v i n g a r a d i o : \ your h a v i n g <gone> a r a d i o : 

30.23 & o c c a s i o n a l y \ & <some> o c c a s i o n a l y 

30.24 who makes\ who < l e t s > makes 

30.27 ve a l l \ <I> ve a l l 
31.7 I have been e l e c t e d t h e E d i t o r \ I have been 

<offered> ( e l e c t e d ) the E d i t o r < s h i p > 



35 

31.9 Not o n l y my p o e t i c f a c u l t y \ < [ i l l e g . ] > Not <even 
[ i l l e g . ] > o n l y my p o e t i c f a c u l t y 

31.11-12 I had l e f t up h e r e . \ I had { l e f t } up h e r e . 

31.16 a book\ <on> {a} book 

31.19 as you remarked 'the most\ as you remarked <of> 'the 
most 

31.22 aroun'X <about> {aroun'} 

31.27 S e l e c t e d poems\ <s>{S}elected poems 



36 

6: From LOWRY to AIKEN 
MS H; u n p u b l i s h e d 

Globe H o t e l 
H i l l s Road--Camb. 

Wednesday 
[12 March 1931] 

W e l l , buddy, you know what a damned a w f u l c o r r e s p o n d e n t I am by 

now which i s a l l the f a u l t of my g o d - c o m p l e x — i s i t ? - - a n y w a y here 

I am a g a i n 'as l a r g e as l i f e and t w i c e as u n n a t u r a l ' , a l i t t l e 

b i t t i g h t , or a t any r a t e a p l e a s a n t j i n g l e , which i s i n f o r m i n g 

my c o n s c i o u s n e s s of how p l e a s a n t i t w i l l be t o g e t down t o Rye 

a g a i n and see you: t h a t i s not t o say t h a t my c o n s c i o u s n e s s i n 

t h i s r e g a r d i s any the l e s s i n t e n s e when I am c o l d l y and 

d e s p a i r i n g l y s o b e r . I don't know so much about the c o n t i n u e d 

d e s p a i r , i n many r e s p e c t s i t ' s j u s t so much b l o o d y nonsense, but 

i n o t h e r r e s p e c t s my l a c k of i n d i f f e r e n c e towards l i f e b e i n g 

d i v i d e d by t h i s p e r s i s t e n t 3, LXX/.333, X i s deep r o o t e d i n an 

honest enough t r a n s m i s s i o n . R o y a l l Snow, Who would w i s h t o be 

R o y a l l Snow? 2 or Mr_§_ Untermeyer, the f i r s t ? 3 or any of the 

i g n o b l e army of unmartyrs Who a r e i n c a p a b l e of o b j e c t i f y i n g t h e i r 

own m i s e r y . 

The i n f l u e n c e t h a t keeps me away from St C a t h a r i n e s r e a l l y 

r e v e a l s t o me how l i t t l e t o m y s e l f Death ever l e a v e s me. At a l l 

e v e n t s the f o r c e of t h i s r e v u l s i o n has kept me away now f o r a 

whole term from my own c o l l e g e ; I hate t o c o n n e c t the p l a c e w i t h 

a n y t h i n g but the b u t t e r y * who you can buy s h e r r y or t o g i v e a 

g l i m p s e of the c u r i o s i t y t h a t has been on the p o i n t of moving me. 

Now however I am a s k i n g m y s e l f i f I s h a l l s t a y away f o r ever from 



37 

the fear of t h i s muddle about motives. An i n t r i c a t e t a n g l e ! . . 

Anyway, to h e l l with i t . Are we no g r e a t e r than the noise we 

make along l i f e ' s b l i n d atomic p i l g r i m a g e whereon by c r a s s chance 

b i l l e t e d we go because our b r a i n s and bones and c a r t i l a g e w i l l 

have i t so? . . One m i l d , two b i t t e r s , one G i n . De Kuyper's o l d 

square f a c e . * 

Our f a t h e r which a r t i n e a r t h 
our mother which a r t i n t u r d . . . 

as M a r t i n C a s e 6 remarked 

Thursday. 

. . . Well, f o r C h r i s t sake, away with a l l t h i s 

melancholy. To day has dawned l i k e the f i r s t day, the b l e s s e d 

day of days, when god saw t h a t i t was good-- --I have been down 

the road as f a r as the V a r s i t y Express Motors L t d to buy a 

t i c k e t , March 14th, no x 18736, r e f no 611, from Cambridge to 

London, pick up a t Drummer s t , Run. Time 1:30, f o r 1 a d u l t s a t 

5/-, no c h i l d r e n a t nothing, r e t u r n i n g date n o t h i n g and time a l s o 

nothing or l e s s than nothing, which w i l l land me i n Regent s t . 

whence I s h a l l get d i r e c t l y as I can to Rye. I don't know what 

time I s h a l l a r r i v e at Rye, so don't bother J e r r y 7 to get me any 

supper, but i f you c o u l d leave me a couple of h a r d - b o i l e d 

h e n - f r u i t i n a cupboard somewhere t h a t would be--the bees knees 8 

I was going to say-- --

Yes, t h i s l a t e s t Cambridge sausage was as c l e v e r a piece of 

work as ever you saw i n a b l e e d i n g l i f e t i m e , a monster of more 

than c a l c u l a t i o n , as you would say, which has l e f t me q u i t e 



38 

e x h a u s t e d . 

How i s t h e A u s t r i a n g i r l ? I b e l i e v e you showed me her 

photograph on one o c c a s i o n and i t seemed t o me t h e n t h a t she was 

d e f i n i t e l y one of the guards. Am I r i g h t ? . . A k i n d of F r a u 

F l e t c h e r c h e n . Or i s she F r a u l e i n ? Anyway we s h a l l see what we 

s h a l l see what we s h a l l see--

The p r e l u d e s (which I d i d not a c k n o w l e d g e ) — w e l l ! J u s t - e r -

w e l l ! I f you won't j e e r a t me f o r an u n c r i t i c a l remark, as 

Cummings might have s a i d , t h e y are among t h e huge f r a g i l i t i e s 

b e f o r e which comment i s d i s g u s t i n g . Darks edge remains my 

f a v o u r i t e among them. 9 

Which I d i d not acknowledge? And a f t e r a l l why s h o u l d I ? 

. . . i s t h i s mr_ demarest? not w i l l i a m demarest? not w i l l i a m 

demarest of Yonkers? . . 1 0 Y e t , even s o , whats' h i s a d d r e s s ? 

B e s i d e s I wanted to w a i t developments which took the form of 

o t h e r c o n t r i b u t i o n s — o t h e r w i s e the book would be a book of 

p r e l u d e s p u b l i s h e d by the Hogarth p r e s s , your o l d f r i e n d s , 1 1 & no 

more, which would be a f a r b e t t e r book anyway than t h e p o s t u l a t e d 

a n t h o l o g y , but s c a r c e l y a c c o r d i n g to the academic p o i n t s of the 

compass. A c t u a l l y the c o n t r i b u t i o n s have been so g r i m , e i t h e r of 

the : 

'--the wind was soughing i n the b o u g h s — ' type 

or the when d e a t h came the c r i t i c 
d e a t h came 

when i n t o 
when d e the 

a t roo 
h m t y p e - -

and i n the l a t t e r case b e i n g w i t h o u t any p o e t r y s e p a r a b l e and 

u n i d e n t i f i a b l e w i t h the s o - c a l l e d s t r a n g e n e s s t o j u s t i f y i t s 



3 9 

e x i s t e n c e on paper a t a l l t h a t the p r o j e c t has been postponed and 

w i t h i t i n e v i t a b l y our f o u l crime a g a i n s t t r u t h t r a - l a . . . 

Meantime, "The dead man spoke t o me & begged a penny' (which 

was not among the ones you s e n t me but which I l e a r n t by h e a r t 

some time ago,) i s i n c r e a s i n g l y seeming t o me t o be one of the 

g r e a t e s t poems ever w r i t t e n . 

'poor d e v i l why he wants t o c l o s e h i s eyes 
he wants a c h a r i t y t o c l o s e h i s eyes 
and f o l l o w s me w i t h o u t s t r e t c h e d palm, from w o r l d t o 

w o r l d , 
and house t o house & s t r e e t t o s t r e e t 
under the s t r e e t lamps & a l o n g dark a l l e y s 
& s i t s b e s i d e me i n my room, & s l e e p s 
U p r i g h t w i t h eyes wide open by my bed . . . 

& . . . & a l l the w h i l e 
h o l d s , i n t h a t v o i d of an u n f o c u s s e d s t a r e , 
My own poor f o o t s t e p s , s a y i n g , I have r e a d 
Time i n the r o c k & i n the human h e a r t 
space i n the b l o o d s t r e a m , & t h o s e l e s s e r works 
w r i t t e n by r o s e & w i n d f l o w e r on the summer, sung 
by water & snow, d e c i p h e r e d by the eye 
t r a n s l a t e d by the s l a v e s of memory, 
& a l l t h a t you be you & I be I 
or a l l t h a t , by i m a g i n a t i o n a p i n g 
God, the supreme poet of d e s p a i r , 
I may be you, you me, b e f o r e our time 
knowing the rank i n t o l e r a b l e t a s t e of d e a t h 
& w a l k i n g dead on the s t i l l l i v i n g e a r t h - - 1 2 

I always t h i n k of you b e i n g damned a n g r y w i t h me 

f o r coming back l a t e from H a s t i n g s [? a s e n t v ] 

Malcolm 



40 

E x p l a n a t o r y Notes 
1 LXX d i v i d e d by .333 ( " t h i s p e r s i s t e n t 3"). y i e l d s a 

r e c u r r i n g d e c i m a l : 210.210210. 
2 R o y a l l Henderson Snow, American c r i t i c who r e v i e w e d 

A i k e n ' s P r i a p u s and the P o o l i n "Agonized A d o r a t i o n , " New  
R e p u b l i c 21 June 1922: 113. 

3 "Mrs Untermeyer, the f i r s t ? " : Jean S t a r r (1886-1970), 
American poet and f i r s t w i f e of the American w r i t e r and e d i t o r , 
L o u i s Untermeyer (1885-1977). L o u i s Untermeyer was the a u t h o r of 
a number of c r i t i c a l r e v i e w s of A i k e n ' s p o e t r y and e d i t o r of 
s e v e r a l a n t h o l o g i e s of American and B r i t i s h p o e t r y t h a t i n c l u d e d 
A i k e n ' s work. See A i k e n ' s "The I v o r y Tower: L o u i s Untermeyer as 
C r i t i c , " New R e p u b l i c 10 May 1919: 58-60, and Untermeyer's r e p l y 
i n the same i s s u e , 60-61. 

4 " b u t t e r y " : In the c o l l e g e s of O x f o r d and Cambridge t h i s 
i s the p l a c e where a l e , b r e a d , b u t t e r , e t c . a r e k e p t . The 
" r e s i d e n c e " of members of the c o l l e g e i s r e c o r d e d by the 
appearance of t h e i r names i n the b u t t e r y - b o o k s . 

3 John de Kuyper & Sons i s a d i s t i l l i n g company, founded i n 
1695, makers of square face g i n and v a r i o u s l i q u e u r s . C f . 
U l t r a m a r i n e : " '. . . have a s l i c e of o l d s q u a r e f a c e ' " (49) and 
" ' o l d s q u a r e f a c e , p l e a s e ' " (151). 

6 M a r t i n Case was a s t u d e n t of b i o c h e m i s t r y a t Cambridge and 
an a s s i s t a n t of J.B.S. Haldane. A c c o r d i n g t o M u r i e l Bradbrook, 
he and Lowry met a t the Haldane's r e s i d e n c e d u r i n g one of 
C h a r l o t t e Haldane's l i t e r a r y s o i r l e s a f t e r which t h e y became 
f r i e n d s and d r i n k i n g companions ( 1 2 9 ) . C h a r l o t t e Haldane's 
n o v e l , B r o t h e r t o B e r t (see l e t t e r 5, n. 4, p. 3 3 ) , i s d e d i c a t e d 
t o M a r t i n Case. The passage quoted by Lowry seems t o be an echo 
of A i k e n ' s poem, "Changing Mind," from John Deth and Other Poems: 

My f a t h e r which a r t i n e a r t h 
From whom I got my b i r t h , 
What i s i t t h a t I i n h e r i t ? 

My mother which a r t i n tomb 
Who c a r r i e d s t me i n t h y womb, 
What i s i t t h a t I i n h e r i t ? (120) 

n " J e r r y " : Nickname of A i k e n ' s second w i f e , C l a r i s s a M. 
L o r e n z (1899- ), t o whom A i k e n d e d i c a t e d B l u e Voyage. Lowry 
thought the d e d i c a t i o n of Blue Voyage t o "C.M.L." s i g n i f i c a n t 
because i t c o i n c i d e d w i t h h i s own i n i t i a l s : C l a r e n c e Malcolm 
Lowry. L o r e n z i s the a u t h o r of L o r e l e i Two: My L i f e w i t h Conrad  
A i k e n ( A t h e n s : U of G e o r g i a P, 1983). 

"bees knees": see l e t t e r 5, n. 3, p. 33. 



41 
9 A p p a r e n t l y A i k e n had s e n t Lowry some of h i s p r e l u d e s t o be 

i n c l u d e d i n the next i s s u e of Cambridge P o e t r y which Lowry was 
e d i t i n g . The l a s t l i n e of p r e l u d e " X X X I I I " r e a d s : "At the 
d a r k ' s edge how g r e a t the d a r k n e s s i s " ( P r e l u d e s f o r Memnon 6 2 ) . 

1 0 W i l l i a m Demarest i s the p r o t a g o n i s t of A i k e n ' s B l u e  
Voyage. See Blue Voyage: " ' I s t h i s Mr. Demarest?'" (6.) and 
" S a i n t W i l l i a m of Yonkers" (144). 

1 1 Leonard and V i r g i n i a Woolf a t The Hogarth P r e s s had 
p u b l i s h e d A i k e n ' s S e n l i n : A B i o g r a p h y i n 1925. 

1 2 See A i k e n ' s "XLV," P r e l u d e s f o r Memnon (New York: 
S c r i b n e r ' s 1931) 79-80. The f i r s t l i n e of the poem (as Lowry 
c o r r e c t l y s t a t e s ) r e a d s : "The dead man spoke t o me and begged a 
penny." Lowry has quoted c o r r e c t l y from the poem e x c e p t f o r 
v a r i o u s a l t e r a t i o n s i n p u n c t u a t i o n : he has o m i t t e d the upper 
case l e t t e r s a t the b e g i n n i n g of each l i n e , the dash a f t e r "Poor 
d e v i l , " and commas a f t e r "why" ( 1 . 1 ) , "eyes" ( 1 . 2 ) , " s t r e e t " 
( 1 . 4 ) , " a l l e y s " ( 1 . 5 ) , "bed" ( 1 . 7 ) , " h e a r t " ( 1 . 1 1 ) , "eye" ( 1 . 
1 4 ) , "you" ( 1 . 1 6 ) , " I " ( 1 . 1 6 ) , " i m a g i n a t i o n " ( 1 . 1 7 ) , and 
" d e a t h " ( 1 . 2 0 ) ; he has a l s o i n s e r t e d commas a f t e r " w o r l d " ( 1 . 
3 ) , " s a y i n g " ( 1 . 1 0 ) , and " t h a t " ( 1 . 1 6 ) , s e p a r a t e d " s t r e e t l a m p s " 
i n t o two words, r e p l a c e d "and" by and the f i n a l p e r i o d a f t e r 
" e a r t h " by a dash. 

T e x t u a l Notes 

36.4 j i n g l e , which i s i n f o r m i n g \ j i n g l e , {which}, i s 
i n f o r m i n g 

36.11-12 r o o t e d i n an honest enough t r a n s m i s s i o n . \ r o o t e d i n 
{an} honest {enough} t r a n s m i s s i o n . 

of o b j e c t i f y i n g V of <a> o b j e c t i f y i n g [above t h i s 
l i n e i s w r i t t e n "Wednesday."] 

get d i r e c t l y as I can t o Rye.\ get <me « a s b e s t I 
may t o Rye>> > d i r e c t l y as I can t o Rye. 

we s h a l l s e e — 
The p r e l u d e s ( w h i c h \ we s h a l l see<. . .>{--} 

<The p r e l u d e s (which I d i d 
not acknowledge) & a f t e r a l l why s h o u l d I ? <<(>> i s 
t h i s mr demarest? not w i l l i a m demarest? not 
w i l l i a m demarest of Y o n k e r s , & anyway whats' h i s 
address <<?)>> ?> 

The p r e l u d e s (which 

36.14 

37.19 

38.6-7 

38.8 j e e r a t me f o r \ j e e r a t me <for> f o r 



42 

38.16 o t h e r w i s e the book would be a book of p r e l u d e s \ 
o t h e r w i s e <there would be j u s t > {the book would be} 
a book of p r e l u d e s 

38.29 and i n the l a t t e r case b e i n g w i t h o u t any p o e t r y 
s e p a r a b l e \ and { i n the l a t t e r case being} w i t h o u t 
any p o e t r y <which was> s e p a r a b l e 

39.5 i n c r e a s i n g l y \ (more and more) { i n c r e a s i n g l y } 

39.12 & s l e e p s \ & sleeps<.> 

39.29 [? a s e n t v ] \ [ d o u b t f u l r e a d i n g ] 



43 

7: From LOWRY t o AIKEN 
MS H; u n p u b l i s h e d 

[ S t . C a t h a r i n e ' s 
C o l l e g e , Cambridge] 

F r i d a y 
[24 A p r i l 1931] 

' - - f o r J e s u s s a k e — ' 
' - - f o r J e s u s s a k e - - ' 1 

W e l l I've j u s t had a motorcar t u r n over on me a t f i f t y - f i v e and 

I'm p r e t t y dopey anyhow; and moreover i n s e v e r a l s o r t s of s h i t e 2 

--from the ' p a r r o t s p a l t r y pigment' t o 'bombs from the b i s o n ' s 

bung' 3 and any o t h e r s o r t o f . p i c k l e d noblemen you l i k e t o t h i n k 

of and I f e e l so t h a t e v e r y time I r e a d a l i n e I break a b l o o d -

v e s s e l . But t o be s p e c i f i c and m o s t l y matter of f a c t , & t o 

answer the o l d man's g u t - l i f t i n g q u e s t i o n s . 4 ( I ) The s u b j e c t i s 

g e n e r a l E n g l i s h L i t e r a t u r e , ( I I ) the exam i s on the 20th. May 

a l t h o u g h t h i s i s s u b j e c t t o s l i g h t a l t e r a t i o n f o r e and a f t ( I I I ) 

There i s o n l y one E x a m i n a t i o n but s p r e a d out t h r e e hours morning 

and a f t e r n o o n f o r t h r e e days or t h r e e days and a h a l f & t h e r e a r e 

no d i f f e r e n t s u b j e c t s m e r e l y papers on d i f f e r e n t departments of 

E n g l i s h L i t e r a t u r e , f i r s t , an o r i g i n a l e s s a y on a s u b j e c t we 

don't know y e t , any g i v e n s u b j e c t ; second, a paper on Chaucer & 

L a n g l a n d and/or the L i f e & Thought of t h a t p e r i o d - - y o u answer 

o n l y s i x q u e s t i o n s out of a whole gamut; t h i r d , the E l i z a b e t h a n s 

--Ben Jonson & h i s c i r c l e and/or L i f e & Thought of t h a t p e r i o d ; 

f o u r , Shakespeare by h i m s e l f , c o n t e x t s , f o l i o s , rhymes, rythms 

danks & d a r k s , 3 imponderables & i m p a l p a b l e s , the whole of him but 

w i t h p a r t i c u l a r a t t e n t i o n t o Antony & C l e o p a t r a & Hamlet & 



Measure f o r Measure; f i v e - - R e s t o r a t i o n comedy, Wycherley & so 

f o r t h and/or L i f e & Thought of t h a t p e r i o d ; s i x — G e n e r a l 

c r i t i c i s m paper, A r i s t o t l e — P l a t o — M a t t h e w A r n o l d — C o l e r i d g e and 

a w r i t e r : seven, the P r e r a p h a e l i t e s , even down t o Mr P r e r a p h a e l 

h i m s e l f : e i g h t , the V i c t o r i a n s (and the O r i g . C o n t r i b u t i o n ) . . . 

T h i s i s not q u i t e s p e c i f i c because t h e r e w i l l be q u e s t i o n s 

backwards and forwards on the whole range of L i t e r a t u r e which i s 

i m p o s s i b l e t o f o r e s e e . 

( I V ) — h o w w e l l p r e p a r e d i s he i n each s u b j e c t ? . . Come on 

po f e e t ah needs you now—remember when ah was a c h i l e you 

promised t o be k i n d t o me-- — 6 

What a b o u t : — i n r e a l ' o l d man' s t y l e - - --something l i k e t h i s 

w i t h m o d i f i c a t i o n s ? . He has a good and c l e a r u n d e r s t a n d i n g of 

the t r e n d of L i t e r a t u r e and of the n a t u r e of the q u e s t i o n s 

i n v o l v e d i n the t r i p o s , he i s a l i t t l e weak on L a n g l a n d and on 

R e s t o r a t i o n comedy & I have t o l d him t o work t h o s e up d u r i n g the 

month l e f t t o him, and a l s o t o r e v i s e the ' c r i t i c i s m ' & t o do as 

much g e n e r a l r e v i s i o n as i s r e a s o n a b l y p o s s i b l e . As f a r as I can 

judge from the papers of former y e a r s which Malcolm h a s — e r — 

showed me t h e y a r e o f t e n of a type which s u g g e s t s t h a t i n 

p r e p a r a t i o n f o r them the s t u d e n t may w e l l be b l u r r e d as t o the 

r e a l meaning, the sturm und drang of L i t e r a t u r e , and hate i t ever 

a f t e r ; moreover the time i s so l i m i t e d , t h a t f o r a n s w e r i n g them 

one has t o have a mind l i k e a s o r t of machine gun, you have no 

time t o t h i n k i f you a r e t o answer the n e c e s s a r y number of 

q u e s t i o n s , and no t i m e , e x c e p t ( w i t h l u c k ) i n the e s s a y t o l e t 

y o u r s e l f go on something you r e a l l y l o v e ! Your answers have t o 



45 

be staccato and angry, and a brutal concision is demanded of the 

student. I think success in t h i s strange examination depends a 

good deal on temperament. Malcolm is a slow writer, & an even 

slower thinker, an abnormally slow thinker, which although not 

i t s e l f a f a u l t makes him a bad examinee. I have done everything 

in my power to correct t h i s for his exam but i t is one of those 

things I have found not only cannot be corrected but ought not to 

b e — i t might make h i m — t e e - h e e ! — a r t i f i c i a l and false in his 

reasoning in later l i f e . The thought of f a i l i n g him worries him 

on your account and he is quite capable of forgetting a l l he ever 

learnt in a f l a s h . Shortly, I think he is the sort of person who 

can never be tested adequately in the improptu manner demanded by 

the t r i p o s . I know he w i l l do his best--I don't.think he w i l l 

f a i l , heavens knows we have worked hard enough! tchtch joke 

over--but i f he gets in one of his unreasoning panics--say over 

the Preraphaelites--he c e r t a i n l y w i l l - -

It is impossible to be more s p e c i f i c than t h i s because the 

whole thing is one subject & i f you go down badly in one 

department i t a f f e c t s the whole thing. I think a pass is a l l one 

can expect for someone as temperamentally involved as Malcolm. 

And even a pass with honours could not add to the value of his 

degree when he gets i t because he w i l l have to take another 

subject next year,--only a f t e r that does he become e l i g i b l e for 

the degree--"7 

Experiment has come out, a noble looking paper. The London 

Mercury says a sketch written in a mixture of Negro Greek 



4 6 

American and ( o c c a s i o n a l y E n g l i s h - - t h a t s me--& a fragment from 

Work i n P r o g r e s s a r e the o n l y t h i n g s which l i v e up t o the 

E d i t o r i a l which i s f u l l of post-war-group g u f f . s Heinemann 

p u b l i s h i t , by the way. They have t a k e n no n o t i c e of my 

c o r r e c t i o n of the p r o o f s , the dashes a r e a l l t o o l o n g , i t s f u l l 

of m i s p r i n t s , & the t i t l e i s wrong. I t makes me s i c k t o look a t 

i t so I won't send i t you t i l l I p l u c k up c o u r a g e . 

I'm damned s o r r y about P e t e ' s b o o k * - - i t ' s s u r e t o p i c k up 

though--& anyway i t s ' of h i s t o r i c a l importance or b i b l i o g r a p h i c a l 

r a t h e r as b e i n g the o n l y decent s t u d y of your work; t h a t makes i t 

of h i s t o r i c a l importance as w e l l f o r f u t u r e b i o g r a p h e r s w i l l 

always have t o r e f e r t o i t & a l l t h i s time anyway i t w i l l be 

s e l l i n g s p l e n d i d l y as I g u e s s e . 1 0 

B u r r a 1 1 must have been a t r i a l f o r t h a t l o n g . L o v e l y ! 

Thank God D o l l y ' s 3 - 2 got a j o b . I was t h i n k i n g l a s t n i g h t of her 

s a y i n g - - I ' m so e x c i t e d you GNAW, I must always get a l i t t l e b i t 

aTIPSY you GNAW MRS CHERRY MRS CHERRY oh I'm so e x c i t e d you GNAW. 

J e s u s b l o o d y c h r i s t I was n e a r l y s i c k when I thought of h e r - - I 

wonder why she knocked a t my door the l a s t n i g h t a l l the 

same-- — 

Don't t e l l the o l d man about the motor a c c i d e n t because 

h e ' l l t h i n k a l l s o r t s of t h i n g s which a r e p r o b a b l y t r u e ; anyway 

i f t h i n g s get r e a l l y d e s p e r a t e I can always use i t i n t h r e e 

weeks. There were t h r e e of us i n the c a r , Davenport m y s e l f & 

F o r m a n , 1 3 & we were a l l p i e e y e d & d e c i d e d t o go t o a f r i c a and 

j u s t s a t on the a c c e l e r a t o r f o r about t w e n t y m i l e s t i l l the t h i n g 

j u s t o v e r t u r n e d from sheer v e x a t i o n . None of us were k i l l e d , but 



47 

p e r s o n a l l y I wish I had been. 

We got o f f with b r u i s e d h i p s & banged heads. Not so hot. 

I'm s o r r y the o l d man should give you t h i s t r o u b l e of 

q u e s t i o n s b l a s t him. However. . 

I should l i k e to d i e s a i d W i l l i e 
i f my poppa could d i e too--

w o t t h e h e l l 

my love to J e r r y 

Male 

don't t e l l him t h a t a l l I know of the L i f e & Thought of any 

p e r i o d i s that people once wore t i g h t s . 



48 

E x p l a n a t o r y Notes 
1 Q u o t a t i o n from Lowry's "Punctum I n d i f f e r e n s S k i b e t Gaar 

V i d e r e , " Exper intent 7 ( S p r i n g 1931): 64. T h i s s t o r y was 
r e p r i n t e d i n r e v i s e d form as " S e d u c t i o Ad Absurdum," The B e s t  
B r i t i s h S h o r t S t o r i e s of 1931. ed. Edward O'Brien (New York: 
Dodd, Mead 7 & Co., 1931) 89-107, and was l a t e r r e w r i t t e n and 
i n c o r p o r a t e d i n t o c h a p t e r IV of U l t r a m a r i n e : see U l t r a m a r i n e , 
101, 177, 241. 

2 C f . Great C i r c l e : ". . . I'm j u s t a g o o d - f o r - n o t h i n g 
s h i t e " ( 2 9 ) . 

3 See U l t r a m a r i n e : "'And the p a r r o t ' s household pigment 
s t r e w n a l o n g the deck . . .'" (271) and "'Bombs from the b i s o n ' s 
bung, eh?'" (271). 

4 Presumably Lowry's f a t h e r had been q u e s t i o n i n g A i k e n about 
P a r t I of the upcoming T r i p o s which Lowry was t o w r i t e , as he 
says h e r e , on 20 May 1931. 

s "danks & d a r k s " : Cf. B l u e Voyage: "How had i t so managed 
t o c o m p l i c a t e i t s e l f w i t h e v i l and s e n s u a l i t y and the danks and 
d a r k s of s e x ? " (119). 

6 See U l t r a m a r i n e : " ' l e f f o o t f o l l o w r i g h t f o o t and r i g h t 
f o o t f o l l o w l e f ' f o o t : remember, f e e t , when I was a c h i l e y e r 
promised t o be k i n d t o me!'" ( 2 5 9 ) . 

7 Lowry wrote P a r t I I of the T r i p o s a t the end of h i s t h i r d 
y e a r , June 1932, and a f t e r t h i s r e c e i v e d h i s B.A. honours degree. 

a Lowry i s r e f e r r i n g t o Exper iment 7 ( S p r i n g 1931) i n which 
h i s s h o r t s t o r y "Punctum I n d i f f e r e n s S k i b e t Gaar V i d e r e " i s 
p u b l i s h e d ( 62-75). The London Mercury XXI11.138 ( A p r i 1 1931): 
522 c o n t a i n s a r e v i e w of t h i s i s s u e of E x p e r i m e n t . The passage 
quoted by Lowry runs as f o l l o w s : 

. . . a s k e t c h , which i s c e r t a i n l y not a c a d e m i c a l , 
w r i t t e n i n a m i x t u r e of American, Negro, Greek, and 
o c c a s i o n a l l y E n g l i s h . But w i t h the e x c e p t i o n of t h i s 
s k e t c h , and an e x t r a o r d i n a r y fragment from Mr. James 
J o y c e ' s Work i n P r o g r e s s , the magazine does not appear 
t o t r a n s c e n d the s p i r i t of academicism . . . . 

The e r r o r i n the t i t l e mentioned by Lowry i s perhaps the "Gaar" 
which i n Norwegian s h o u l d be "Gar." 

9 Houston P e t e r s o n , The Melody of Chaos (New York: Longmans, 
Green, & Co., 1931). T h i s was the f i r s t f u l l l e n g t h s t u d y of 
A i k e n ' s work. 

1 0 "as I gesse": r e c u r r i n g phrase i n Chaucer's The  
C a n t e r b u r y T a l e s . 



49 
x a- Edward John B u r r a (1905-76), B r i t i s h p a i n t e r whom A i k e n 

met i n Rye i n 1931, and w i t h whom he remained l i f e l o n g f r i e n d s . 
I t was w i t h B u r r a t h a t the A i k e n s (and Lowry) t r a v e l l e d t o S p a i n 
i n 1933, and t o Cuernavaca i n 1937. Two of B u r r a ' s p a i n t i n g s — 
" B l u e s For Ruby M a t r i x " (1933) and "John Deth" ( 1 9 5 2 ) - - a r e based 
on poems by A i k e n . 

1 2 D o r i s ( " D o l l y " ) L e w i s , t h e s t e p - d a u g h t e r of A i k e n ' s 
f r i e n d i n South Yarmouth, C h a r l e s D. V o o r h i s , w i t h whom Lowry 
f e l l i n l o v e i n the summer of 1929 (Day 107). The l a s t l i n e of 
t h i s paragraph i s perhaps an a l l u s i o n t o the c o n c l u s i o n of B l u e  
Voyage. 

1 3 John Davenport (1908-66), the c r i t i c and j o u r n a l i s t , met 
Lowry i n Cambridge when he was a c t i n g as e d i t o r of Cambridge  
P o e t r y , and i t was he who i n t r o d u c e d Lowry i n t o C h a r l o t t e 
Haldane's l i t e r a r y s a l o n . The two became g r e a t d r i n k i n g 
companions and met s e v e r a l t i m e s d u r i n g the l a t e r y e a r s of 
Lowry's l i f e . With Dylan Thomas, Davenport i s the a u t h o r of The  
Death of the K i n g ' s Canary (London: H u t c h i n s o n , 1976). 

Thomas Forman was a Cambridge f r i e n d t o whom, w i t h E l i z a b e t h 
Cheyne, Lowry d e d i c a t e d U l t r a m a r i n e . A c c o r d i n g t o Douglas Day, 
Forman had g i v e n the c a r t o Lowry who had l a t e r " d i s e m b o w e l l e d i t 
on a g r e a t tombstone of a r o c k " ( 1 8 1 ) ; c f . a l s o A i k e n ' s 25 A p r i l 
1931 l e t t e r to W a l t e r P i s t o n i n which he mentions Lowry's 
a c c i d e n t ( K i l l o r i n 174). 

[On the v e r s o of the f i r s t two pages a r e t y p e d 
passages, one w i t h h a n d w r i t t e n a l t e r a t i o n s , from 
U l t r a m a r i n e ; the t h i r d page i s w r i t t e n on the v e r s o 
of a March 1931 cover of S t . C a t h a r i n e ' s C o l l e g e  
Magazine 3 

T e x t u a l Notes 

43.3 t u r n over on me\ t u r n over {on} me 

43.6 and any o t h e r s o r t \ and {any} o t h e r s o r t 

43 .8 But t o be s p e c i f i c \ {But} <T>{t}o be s p e c i f i c 

43.9 ( I ) The s u b j e c t \ ( I ) The<re a r e ) s u b j e c t 

43.11 a l t h o u g h t h i s i s \ a l t h o u g h { t h i s } i s 

43.12 one E x a m i n a t i o n but spread o u t \ one E x a m i n a t i o n 
{but} s p r e a d out 

43.17 t h a t p e r i o d — y o u answer\ t h a t period--<and> you 
answer 



50 

43.18- 19 the E l i z a b e t h a n s - - B e n Jonson & h i s c i r c l e \ the 
E l i z a b e t h a n s - - < S h a k e s p e a r e > <{Heywood}> {Ben 
Jonson} & h i s c i r c l e 

43.19 L i f e & Thought of t h a t p e r i o d ; \ L i f e & Thought {of 
t h a t p e r i o d } ; 

44.5 the V i c t o r i a n s (and the O r i g . C o n t r i b u t i o n ) . . .\ 
the V i c t o r i a n s {(and the O r i g . C o n t r i b u t i o n ) } . ; . 
[the i n s e r t i o n i s w r i t t e n a t the bottom of the 
page ] 

44.12 What about:\ What about<?>{:} 

44.12-13 l i k e t h i s w i t h m o d i f i c a t i o n s ? . \ l i k e t h i s { w i t h 
m o d i f i c a t i o n s ? } . 

44.18 As f a r as I \ <From what> As f a r as I 

44.23 moreover the t i m e \ moreover <they> the time 

44.23-4 t h a t f o r a n s w e r i n g them one has t o \ t h a t { f o r 
answering them} one has t o 

44.24 a mind l i k e a s o r t of machine gun,\ a mind l i k e a 
(machine gun t o answer them> s o r t of machine gun, 

45.6 c o r r e c t t h i s f o r h i s exam b u t \ c o r r e c t t h i s { f o r h i s 
exam} but 

45.6-7 one of those t h i n g s I have found\ one of those 
t h i n g s <which <<cannot be c o r r e c t e d ) ) not> I have 
found 

45.7 cannot be c o r r e c t e d but ought not t o be--\ cannot be 
c o r r e c t e d but <which> ought not t o be--

45.8 make him--tee-hee1--\ make him <as>--tee-hee!--

45.10 f o r g e t t i n g \ < f a i l i n g > f o r g e t t i n g 
45.15-16 u n r e a s o n i n g p a n i c s - - s a y over the P r e r a p h a e l i t e s - - h e 

c e r t a i n l y w i l l - - \ u n r e a s o n i n g p a n i c s <he c e r t a i n l y 
w i l l > - - s a y over the P r e r a p h a e l i t e s - - h e c e r t a i n l y 
w i l l - -

45.19- 20 a l l one can e x p e c t \ a l l <you> one <could> {can} 
expect 

45.21 And even a p a s s \ And {even a} pass 

45.22-3 another s u b j e c t next y e a r , - - o n l y a f t e r t h a t does he\ 
another s u b j e c t next y e a r , < & > — { o n l y } < — t h e n ) 
{ a f t e r t h a t } does he 



51 

46.1 E n g l i s h — t h a t s me—& a £ragment\ E n g l i s h ! - - t h a t s me 
— } & a fragment 

46*11 b i o g r a p h e r s \ < v r i t e r s > b i o g r a p h e r s 

46.18-20 — I wonder why she knocked a t my door the l a s t n i g h t 
a l l the s a m e — — \ — { 1 } wonder wh<at>{y> she 
knocked a t {my} door <for> the l a s t n i g h t <though> 
a l l the s a m e — --

46.25 p i e e y e d \ <plssed> p i e e y e d 

46.26 j u s t s a t \ j u s t < [ i l l e g . ] > s a t 

47.11 people once wore t i g h t s . \ p e o p l e {once} wore t i g h t s . 



52 

8: From LOWRY t o AIKEN 
MS H; MSPC UBC; B r e i t 7 

8 Plympton s t r e e t 
[ S t . C a t h a r i n e ' s . 
C o l l e g e , Cambridge] 

[June 1931 ] , 

My dear Conrad: 

I t was v e r y good of you t o w r i t e me about the t r i p e o s as f o r 

t h a t I c a n ' t t e l l as y e t , but we d i d our best--we. d i d our b e s t . 

I wrote a f a i r l y good e s s a y on T r u t h & P o e t r y , q u o t i n g y o u r s e l f 

l i b e r a l l y not t o s a y l i t e r a l l y , and Poe and the Melody of C h a o s ; 1 

I was a l l r i g h t on the c r i t i c i s m paper, and I t h i n k I b l u f f e d my 

way t h r o u g h on L i t e r a t u r e from 1785 t o the p r e s e n t day. - - I knew 

my Keats b e t t e r t h a n I thought I d i d , f o r i n s t a n c e ; & on the 

whole I have n o t h i n g to c o m p l a i n about from the p a p e r s , (which 

I ' l l t r y & get t o g e t h e r & send y o u ) , and I f I have f a i l e d , and 

t h a t s ' on the c a r d s , I was more s t u p i d a t the time than I 

t h o u g h t . 

Meantime I have been l e a d i n g a d i s o r d e r e d and r a t h e r 

d e s p a i r i n g e x i s t e n c e , and you can p r o b a b l y guess a t the r e a s o n 

why I was i n c a p a b l e of r e p l y i n g p r o m p t l y : your t e l e g r a m , 2 

however, brought me to my senses and made me f e e l r i g h t l y ashamed 

of m y s e l f . 

My d. & r . d . e 3 i s due t o a c o m p l e x i t y of m e l a n c h o l y r e a s o n s 

none of which a r e e i t h e r p a r t i c u l a r l y complex, m e l a n c h o l y , or 

r e a s o n a b l e , and I have made up my mind about o n l y one p o i n t i n 

t h i s b u s i n e s s of l i v i n g which i s t h a t I must, and as soon as 

p o s s i b l e , i d e n t i f y a f i n e r scene. I must i n o t h e r words g i v e an 





54 

imaginary scene i d e n t i t y through the immediate sensation of 

actual experience etc. This, you say, I may have already done in 

some part, and is becoming with me a desire for retrogression, 

for escaping from the subtle and sophisticated: that i t is not 

deep-rooted in honest transmission at a l l and has nothing to do 

with r e a l l y wanting more experience and to rub off more 

prejudice, to use more hardship, load myself with finer mountains 

and strengthen more my reach, 4 that would stopping home among 

books (even though I should reach Homer!) but is nothing more 

than wanting a l t e r n a t e l y to k i l l Liverpool and myself: that I am 

in truth--aIthough occasionaly s t r a i n i n g at p a r t i c l e s of l i g h t in 

the midst of a great darkness--'a small boy chased by the 

f u r i e s ' 9 & you can sympathise with me as such. Well--if t'were 

so t'were a grievous f a u l t - - -- s 

I prefer to think sometimes that i t is because I r e a l l y want 

to be a man rather than a male, which at present I'm not, and 

that I want to get from somewhere a frank and fearless w i l l which 

roughly speaking does not put more mud into the world than there 

is at present. Nonsense. 

Then I must read,--I must read,--I must read! Dostoievsky & 

Dante: Donne, Dryden, Davenant and Dean Inge. . . 7 Again, 

nonsense; but then at the moment I despair of a l l l i t e r a t u r e 

anyway. If I could read Homer--however much he may have roared 

in the pines, I'm sure I should hate him: Donne means damn a l l 

to me now, Herrick is t e r r i b l e , Milton I can't read 4 wouldn't' i f 

I could: a l l restoration comedy & most a l l greek tragedy is a 

bore. . . Tolstoy? My god what a bloody awful old writer he was! 



55 

Well, there is M e l v i l l e & Goethe, you say. 

Well, there was the story of Hamlet, I said and f e l l into 

s i l e n c e - -

(By the bye Experiment was reviewed in the Times L i t Sup of 

a week or two back side by side with a review of Martin 

Armstrongs' collected,--or are they selected?--unaffected, 

undetected and well-connected poems, I can't remember whether the 

review was a favourable one or not, I rather fear not--of my own 

contribution i t remarked that i t was a kind of prose fugue, with 

recurring themes, consisting of the rough talk of s a i l o r s or 

something, ' e f f e c t i v e l y c o n t r i v e d ' 8 --I can't remember i t in 

d e t a i l but I f e l t quite pleased. I haven't sent you a copy of i t 

because the punctuation, length of dashes & so forth, was a l l 

wrongly done & I was sure i t would give you a pain in the neck to 

look at: t h i s is a rather s e l f i s h reason for as a matter of fact 

the rest of the paper in my opinion is well worth reading so I 

might send you a copy after a l l ! ) 

I am delighted to hear that a novel 9 is under way: i t is 

r e a l l y quite intolerable that I should have been so long sending 

you the bone dream--1 0 

Here i t is however. . . 

It occurs to me also, & with some horror, that I have not 

paid you the f 4 I owe you. This has not been because I could • 

not afford to pay i t but simply because I have wasted my 

substance in riotous l i v i n g - - I have just put i t o f f , & o f f , & 

there is no doubt whatever but that you could do as well with the 

four pounds as I could do well without i t , but as I write this i t 



56 

so happens I have o n l y a f a r t h i n g i n my pocket: moreover I can 

never t h i n k of the p e c u l i a r circumstances under which the debt, 

or 3/4 of i t , was accrued, without t e r r o r , inchoate f l a s h e s of 

nightmare--and perhaps t h i s p r o c r a s t i n a t i o n i s due i n a very 

s m a l l p a r t to the f a c t that to pay the debt means w r i t i n g about 

the circumstances & t h e r e f o r e remembering them. No, I am not Mr. 

Sludge the medium, nor was meant to be . . . 1 1 But I wish I knew 

where the h e l l t h a t three pounds was a l l the same; the memory of 

Delores von Hempel i s l i k e a miasmic stench from the d o c k s . 1 2 A 

pock-marked, E u r a s i a n , memory--

The reason why I have a f a r t h i n g , and not a halfpenny or a 

penny or a half-crown i n my pocket i s a p e c u l i a r one. The other 

n i g h t I was walking o u t s i d e a F u l l e r s cafe, the windows looked 

something l i k e S e l f r i d g e s 1 3 & not v e r y d i f f e r e n t from any of the 

other modern b u i l d i n g s e r e c t e d a l l over London or Cambridge 

except perhaps i n s i z e , - - a l l the windows were f i l l e d with 

c h o c o l a t e s or c h o c o l a t e coloured cakes,--I was i n d e s p a i r , when 

suddenly I caught s i g h t of myself i n the shop window & saw myself 

murmuring: Can he warm h i s blue hands by h o l d i n g them up to the 

grand n o r t h e r n l i g h t s ? Would not Lazarus r a t h e r be i n Sumatra 

than here? Would he not r a t h e r l a y him down lengthwise along the 

l i n e of the E q u a t o r ? 1 4 . . When a t t h a t moment a s m a l l boy 

suddenly came up to me, a small & very grimy u r c h i n , & s a i d 

'Would you l i k e a f a r t h i n g ? ' So I r e p l i e d 'Well why not keep i t — 

i t s ' good luck to have a f a r t h i n g ? Besides I haven't got a penny 

to give you f o r i t . And he s a i d 'No, I don't want i t , I've 

g i v i n g my good luck to you.' He then ran away. Strange! 



7 am. 

I am K i n g E l e p h a n t Bag 
K i n g E l e p h a n t Bag 
from de rose pink mountains. 

I e n c l o s e you a l e t t e r from one Edward O ' B r i e n , 1 3 a l l the 

more m y s t e r i o u s because he f a i l e d t o t a k e any n o t i c e of my r e p l y 

. . . Moreover h i s l e t t e r m i s c a r r i e d t o m e - - i t pursued N o x o n 1 6 

h a l f round Europe--!, s e n t him h o p e f u l l y my b i o g r a p h y ( i n cameo), 

as i t appears a t the back of the l e t t e r - - a t the same time g i v i n g 

away t h a t I was an E n g l i s h w r i t e r , not an American. I f you have 

any n o t i o n what O'Brien means, meant, or i n t e n d s , i f a n y t h i n g , 

c o u l d you l e t me know some time i f your b r a i n w i l l f u n c t i o n i n 

t h a t d i r e c t i o n ? . . I never s u b m i t t e d him any s t o r y , & the o n l y 

s t o r y he can have read from E x p e r i m e n t i s the one about the 

m i c k e y , 1 7 a l l of which improves the j o k e . 

I can assume o n l y t h a t he d i d mean t o p u b l i s h the t h i n g i n 

the 1931 volume, American & have a l r e a d y informed the o l d man on 

t h i s s c o r e to c o u n t e r a c t -in p a r t the e f f e c t of my ( p o s s i b l e ) 

f a i l u r e i n the exam which gawd f o r b i d . O'Brien e i t h e r i g n o r e d or 

d i d n ' t r e c e i v e a c o u p l e of r e p l i e s , so I s e n t him a w i r e a s k i n g 

him i f he c o u l d g i v e me some i n f o r m a t i o n 'as was g o i n g t o P e r u , ' 

& r e c e i v e d the answer. 'O'Brien i n the B a l k a n s — O ' B r i e n , ' which 

seems t o me funny. S t i l l , I would l i k e your a d v i c e . I t i s a 

n i c e p o i n t . 

And i t ' s t h a t s t o r y , you know, i n a l l i t s p r i s t i n e b e a u t y , 

Conrad, f u l l of 'stop i t s - h e - m u t t e r e d . ' t h e y g r o w l e d ' s ' & t h e y 

howled's & 'There are you b e t t e r now's,' & f a r away, yo h a i , ' s 



long ago, yo ho. 



59 

["Bone Dream": enclosed with l e t t e r ] 1 8 

386 . 

p a i r of wings as you ever saw on a b l e e d i n g sparrow, and a l l of 

them on t h e i r way to a s t a r , or maybe i t was god i t s e l f . And 

a f t e r t h a t , a l i t t l e time, I was e a t i n g a s k e l e t o n , beginning 

with the f e e t and working up the l e g s , and d r y going i t was too, 

what with no sauce, never a drop of mustard nor W o r c e s t e r s h i r e , 

and the bones g e t t i n g b i t t e r e r and b i t t e r e r j u s t l i k e s e a - p i e as 

I crawled up through the p e l v i s and the r i b s - - ' ' 

' - - l i k e the s t o r y of the f e l l e r who dreamt he saw the 

r e s u l t s o f - - s t o p me i f you've heard i t - - ' 

'--and the spine t a s t i n g l i k e the dead sea, l i k e ashes i n 

the mouth, & worse as I got towards the s k u l l , and the s k u l l 

i t s e l f a black mouthful of c h a r c o a l , which I s p i t out. And 

Behemoth h i m s e l f then I saw, of course you know who he. i s , i n the 

v e r y a c t of b i t i n g the conningtower o f f an i n t e r s t e l l a r 

submarine, one of those e t h e r - g o i n g c r a f t with one eye, and a l l 

t h i s was a l i t t l e way o f f to the southwest from a pink s t a r - - I 

f o r g e t i t s name--that was wearing white drawers on i t l i k e a 

woman--' 

(P.T.O.) 



60 

E x p l a n a t o r y Notes 
1 Houston P e t e r s o n , The Melody of Chaos; see l e t t e r 7, 

n. 9, p. 48. 
2 A i k e n ' s t e l e g r a m has not been l o c a t e d . 
3 "d. & r.d.e": See above: " d i s o r d e r e d and r a t h e r 

d e s p a i r i n g e x i s t e n c e . " 
4 See U l t r a m a r i n e : " . . . nor i s i t enough t o do t h e s e 

t h i n g s i n o r d e r t o l o a d o n e s e l f w i t h f i n e r mountains, to i d e n t i f y 
a f i n e r scene . . ." (253). 

5 See U l t r a m a r i n e (142). 
s J u l i u s Caesar I I I . i i . 8 1 : " I f i t were s o , i t was a g r i e v o u s 

f a u l t . " 
7 S i r W i l l i a m D'avenant (1606-68), d r a m a t i s t ; s a i d t o be the 

godson of Shakespeare; made poet l a u r e a t e i n 1638. 
W i l l i a m R a l p h Inge (1860-1954), dean of S t . P a u l ' s 

C a t h e d r a l , London, 1911-34; p h i l o s o p h e r whose "Outspoken E s s a y s " 
were p u b l i s h e d i n two s e r i e s , 1919 and 1922. 

s See The Times L i t e r a r y Supplement Thursday, 4 June 1931: 
450. The r e v i e w of Experiment 7 c o n t a i n s the f o l l o w i n g r e f e r e n c e 
t o Lowry: "Mr. Malcolm Lowry c o n t r i b u t e s a s h o r t s t o r y 
c o n s i s t i n g a l m o s t e n t i r e l y of the rough d i a l o g u e of a group of 
s a i l o r s p l a y i n g c a r d s ; a k i n d of prose fugue w i t h r e c u r r e n t 
themes, e f f e c t i v e l y c o n t r i v e d . " On the same page i s an 
u n f a v o u r a b l e r e v i e w of the B r i t i s h p o e t , M a r t i n Armstrong's 
(1882-1974), C o l l e c t e d Poems. Armstrong was a f r i e n d of A i k e n ' s 
who m a r r i e d the l a t t e r ' s f i r s t w i f e , J e s s i e Macdonald. 

9 P r o b a b l y G r e a t C i r c l e . 
1 0 "bone dream": T h i s was a passage from A i k e n ' s G r e a t  

C i r c l e which Lowry had wanted t o i n c o r p o r a t e i n t o U l t r a m a r i n e ; 
A i k e n r e f u s e d . The passage, i n Lowry's h a n d w r i t i n g , would seem 
t o have been e n c l o s e d w i t h t h i s l e t t e r ; i t appears i n Great  
C i r c l e (84) i n a somewhat r e v i s e d form. See the "bone dream" 
appended t o the end of t h i s l e t t e r . 

1 1 A l l u s i o n t o T.S. E l i o t ' s , "The Love Song of J . A l f r e d 
P r u f r o c k " : "No! I am not P r i n c e Hamlet, nor was meant t o be." 

1 2 Cf. U l t r a m a r i n e : "A miasmic s t e n c h r o s e from the docks" 
( 1 1 8 ) . 

1 3 " S e l f r i d g e s " : department s t o r e i n London. 
1 4 See M e l v i l l e ' s Moby-Dick, N o r t o n C r i t i c a l E d i t i o n (New 

York: N o r t o n , 1967) 19. 

http://III.ii.81


61 
x s Edward Joseph H a r r i n g t o n O'Brien (1890-1941) was born i n 

the U.S., but r e s i d e d i n England f o r most of h i s l i f e . He i s 
b e s t known as an e d i t o r and a n t h o l o g i s t , e s p e c i a l l y as an 
a u t h o r i t y on the s h o r t s t o r y ; from 1915 t o 1941 he a n n u a l l y 
e d i t e d The Best S h o r t S t o r i e s . Lowry's s t o r y , " S e d u c t i o Ad 
Absurdum" was p u b l i s h e d i n The Best B r i t i s h S h o r t S t o r i e s of 1931 
(New York: Dodd, Mead, & Co., 1931) 89-107. A c c o r d i n g to 
C l a r i s s a L o r e n z , Lowry's s t o r y caused the volume t o be banned 
from B r i t i s h p u b l i c l i b r a r i e s ("Misadventure," Psalms and Songs 
59). The " e n c l o s e d " l e t t e r from O'Brien i s m i s s i n g . 

1 6 G e r a l d Forbes Noxon (1910- ), Canadian-born w r i t e r and 
r a d i o producer who s t u d i e d a t T r i n i t y C o l l e g e , Cambridge and 
became p u b l i s h i n g - e d i t o r of Exper intent i n 1928 . He and Lowry met 
i n 1929 when Lowry s u b m i t t e d h i s s t o r y " P o r t Swettenham" t o 
E x p e r i m e n t . Lowry i n t r o d u c e d Noxon t o A i k e n i n the summer of 
1930, and i n 1933 Noxon and h i s w i f e , B e t t y , s u b l e t Jeake's House 
w h i l e Lowry and the A i k e n s t r a v e l l e d i n S p a i n ( T i e s s e n 7 ) . In 
1940 the two r e g a i n e d c o n t a c t i n Canada ( w i t h A i k e n ' s h e l p ) and 
remained f r i e n d s u n t i l Lowry's death i n 1957; c f . l e t t e r 49, 
p. 279. I t was w i t h G e r a l d and B e t t y Noxon t h a t Lowry and h i s 
w i f e s t a y e d i n 1944 a f t e r t h e i r D o l l a r t o n shack burned down; c f . 
l e t t e r 67, p. 349, and l e t t e r 70, p. 360. 

1 7 " P o r t Swettenham," Experiment 5 (Feb. 1930): 22-26. 
R e p r i n t e d i n r e v i s e d form as "On Board the West Hardaway," S t o r y 
I I I . 1 5 (Oct. 1933): 12-22, and l a t e r reworked t o become c h a p t e r V 
of U l t r a m a r i n e . 

i e See n. 10 above. 

[Note w r i t t e n by A i k e n i n l e f t - h a n d margin of f i r s t 
page: "No d a t e : w r i t t e n from St C a t h . . C o l l e g e t o 
me, a t Rye--the 8 Plympton s t r e e t i s of c o u r s e M's 
j o k e - - i t was my_ a d d r e s s i n the o t h e r Cambridge. 
C . A . " ] 

T e x t u a l Notes 

52.8-9 & on the whole\ {&} on the whole 

54 . 2 e x p e r i e n c e e t c . \ experience<.> {etc.} 

54.3 becoming w i t h me a d e s i r e \ becoming { w i t h me} a 
d e s i r e 

54.24-5 damn a l l t o me now,\ damn a l l t o me {now}, 

55. 5 a week or two back s i d e by s i d e w i t h \ a week or two 
back <next two> s i d e by s i d e w i t h 



62 

55.8-9 - - o f my own c o n t r i b u t i o n \ - - o f my < [ i l l e g . ] > {own} 
c o n t r i b u t i o n 

55.11-12 - - I c a n ' t remember i t i n d e t a i l b u t \ - - I c a n ' t 
remember { i t i n d e t a i l } <anyway> {but} 

55.14 w r o n g l y done & I \ w r o n g l y done & < [ i l l e g . ] > I 

55.15 t o l o o k a t : \ t o look a t < i t > : 

55.15 t h i s i s a r a t h e r s e l f i s h \ t h i s i s {a} r a t h e r s e l f i s h 

55.16 the r e s t of the paper i n my o p i n i o n i s w e l l w o r t h 
r e a d i n g \ the r e s t of the paper { i n my o p i n i o n } i s 
w e l l worth r e a d i n g <in my o p i n i o n ) 

55.27 I c o u l d do w e l l w i t h o u t i t , but as I w r i t e \ I c o u l d 
do { w e l l } w i t h o u t i t , but <as i t happ> as I w r i t e 

56.5 t o pay the debt means\ t o pay the debt <or w r i t e 
about i> means 

56.11 a f a r t h i n g , and not a h a l f p e n n y \ a f a r t h i n g , and <a> 
not a h a l f p e n n y 

56.13 w a l k i n g o u t s i d e a F u l l e r s cafe',\ w a l k i n g o u t s i d e 
<the Fu> a F u l l e r s c a f e , 

56.15 a l l over London or Cambridge,\ a l l over London {or 
Cambr i d g e } , 

56.24 So I r e p l i e d \ So I <said> r e p l i e d 

57.2 I am K i n g E l e p h a n t Bag\ I am K i n g E l e p h a n t <b>{B}ag 

57.7 Moreover h i s l e t t e r \ <However> {Moreover} <the> 
{ h i s } l e t t e r 

57.8 - - I s e n t him h o p e f u l l y my b i o g r a p h y \ - - I s e n t him 
{ h o p e f u l l y } my b i o g r a p h y 

57.10-11 I f you have any n o t i o n \ <Have> { I f } you {have} any 
n o t i o n 

57.14 from E x p e r i m e n t \ from <mine> E x p e r i m e n t 

57.16-17 p u b l i s h the t h i n g i n the 1931 volume, American & 
have a l r e a d y \ p u b l i s h the t h i n g i n <Best s h o r t > the 
1931 volume, American<. But w i l l I get f o r c e d out 
f o r b e i n g E n g l i s h ? > & have a l r e a d y 

57.19 0 * B r i e n \ < [ i 1 l e g . ] > { 0 } ' B r i e n 



63 

e n c l o s u r e ["Bone Dream"; MSPC UBC. Note w r i t t e n by A i k e n on 
v e r s o : "A fragment of Great C i r c l e (or B. Voyage? 
I c a n ' t f i n d i t ) which Male proposed to i n c o r p o r a t e 
i n U l t r a m a r i n e - - I s a i d No! The i n t e r p o l a t i o n a t 
l e f t i s M a l e ' s I t h i n k . C.A."] 

59.6 no sauce,\ no <sour> sauce, 

59.8-12 the r i b s - - ' 
" - - l i k e the s t o r y [. . .] heard i t - - ' 
'--and the s p i n e [. . .] mouth / \ the ribs<,>{--'} 

<and the> <{And the} s p i n e t a s t i n g l i k e the dead 
s e a , l i k e ashes> 

{ ' - - l i k e the s t o r y of the < f e l l > <chap> 
{ { f e l l e r } } <I dreamt about once) who dreamt he saw 
the r e s u l t s o f - - s t o p me i f you've heard i t - - ' } 
[ t h i s paragraph i s w r i t t e n i n the l e f t - h a n d margin 
of the page and i s the " i n t e r p o l a t i o n " mentioned by 
A i k e n above] 

{'--and the s p i n e t a s t i n g l i k e the dead s e a , 
l i k e ashes} i n the mouth, 

59.13 c h a r c o a l , \ <ashes> { c h a r c o a l } , 

59.18-19 l i k e a woman--'\ l i k e a woman--' 
<'I knew a chap once who dreamt 

he saw) 
(P.T.O.) [the "P.T.O." may have been added 

l a t e r by A i k e n t o d i r e c t the r e a d e r t o h i s note on 
the v e r s o ] 



64 

9: From LOWRY t o AIKEN 
MS H; u n p u b l i s h e d 

[ S t . C a t h a r i n e ' s 
C o l l e g e , Cambridge] 

[June 1931] 

I thought S o c r a t e s might be i n the n o v e l 1 so am s e n d i n g you t h i s . 

See page 471 of s i x p l a y s . 2 I t ' s not bad, but not r e a l l y good. 

They're too many p i p e s of pan & fauns & females p l a y i n g l e a d e n 

f l u t e s : & A r i s t o p h a n e s gets, h i c c u p s . Such rugs & j u g s & c a n d l e 

l i g h t s : which reminds me t h a t I saw the A n t i g o n e & the L y s i s t r a t a 

e x c e e d i n g l y w e l l done here a t the F e s t i v a l . . . 3 W e l l , as I s a i d 

b e f o r e , i t s not good, but might suggest something t o you, i t i s 

a f t e r a l l , S o c r a t e s s p e a k i n g & he says something about a 

w i n d f l o w e r , t o o . . .* And t a l k i n g about the F e s t i v a l - - w h e n i s 

Cambridge g o i n g t o see you? C o u l d you f o r i n s t a n c e i n v i t e 

y o u r s e l f on her t h i s week end, say the 1 8 t h - 2 3 r d , or a r e you too 

busy, & r o o t e d ? I t would be s w e l l t o see you though. 



65 

E x p l a n a t o r y Notes 
1 Conrad A i k e n , Great C i r c l e (New York: S c r i b n e r ' s , 1933). 
2 See C l i f f o r d Bax, " S o c r a t e s , " S i x P l a v s (London: V i c t o r 

G o l l a n c z L t d . , 1931) 461-578. Page 471 i s the page on which the 
t e x t of the p l a y a c t u a l l y b e g i n s . I t i s u n c l e a r whether Lowry 
has s e n t A i k e n a copy of S i x P l a y s or m e r e l y a t r a n s c r i p t i o n of 
s p e c i f i c passages from Bax's p l a y . 

3 The F e s t i v a l T h e a t r e , Cambridge. 

* See " S o c r a t e s , " S i x P l a v s : 

S o c r a t e s : ". . . 1 next went t o a c e l e b r a t e d 
s c i e n t i s t . He t o l d me e x a c t l y how e v e r y t h i n g i s 
c o n s t r u c t e d — f r o m a w i n d f l o w e r t o the M i l k y Way 
i t s e l f — a n d proceeded t o a s s u r e me t h a t the n o t i o n of 
human i m m o r t a l i t y i s a f a i r y - s t o r y f i t o n l y f o r 
nursemaids." (543) 

T e x t u a l Notes 

64.1 I thought S o c r a t e s \ <471> 
I thought S o c r a t e s 

64.1-2 s e n d i n g you t h i s . See page 471 of s i x p l a y s . I t s ' 
not bad,\ s e n d i n g you t h i s . {See page 471 of s i x 
p l a y s . } I t s ' not bad, [the i n s e r t i o n i s w r i t t e n 
a t the t o p r i g h t - h a n d s i d e of the page] 



66 

10: From LOWRY to AIKEN 
MS H; MSPC UBC; unpublished 

Hotell Parkheimen 
Dr'ammensveien 2 
Oslo. 

[Summer 1931] 

Hi there, Colonel Aiken--

SS Fagervik 1 --of which, curiously, very many happy 

memories--has been l a i d up & I am here waiting a few days for 

another ship. It is a swell place; but the swellest place in i t , 

up in the mountains, is c a l l e d Frognersaeteren. 2 The language is 

quite f a n t a s t i c , & driven into myself. I do l i t t l e else but read 

Tauchnitz e d i t i o n s ; 3 and so doing I have discovered one f i r s t 

rate author, an American, J u l i a n Green,* who writes in French, 

which is translated back again into English. So. 

My writing has changed--my hair i s going gray--I enclose you 

a poem about ducks which is in the Tauchnitz anthology of English 

poetry of English & American authors!* Take i t to the Ship Inn 

with you i f you are in Rye, order a half quatern--& I beg of you 

to drink my health--& have a good laugh! And there's another one 

by Gerald Gould, too. 6 

Once I could play panjo f i n e - -

Nobody speaks English here, & in the only conversation I 

have had about Literature I was surprised to discover that the 

most famous English writer here was Gibson. 7 As the conversation 

progressed I noticed that somehow they'd got his c h r i s t i a n name 

wrong, Henry instead of W i l f r i d . I pointed t h i s mistake out, & 

seeing my chance which I had been waiting for a l l t h i s time, I 



t o l d , s t u m b l i n g l y , your famous s t o r y about F r o s t & Gibson a t the 

E n g l i s h f a i r . They were a s t o n i s h e d a t the i r r e l e v a n c e of t h i s 

because, as I l a t e r d i s c o v e r e d , t h e y were t a l k i n g a l l t h i s w h i l e 

about H e n r i k I b s e n -

I s t h a t funny? 

I t i s p e r f e c t l y f a l s e — I have j u s t made i t up. 

Anyhow, 

Heaps of 
l o v e . 

Malk 



[Drawing on verso of l e t t e r ! 8 
68 



69 

E x p l a n a t o r y Notes 
x Lowry s a i l e d to Norway aboard the S.S. F a g e r v l k I n the 

summer of 1931. 
3 In F r o g n e r s a e t e r e n there vas a-veil-known r e s t a u r a n t and 

r e s o r t frequented by a r t i s t s . I t i s p o s s i b l e t h a t t h i s i s where 
L o v r y met the Norwegian w r i t e r , Nordahl G r i e g (1902-1943). Cf. 
a l s o Ultra.ma.rlne (17). 

* Baron C h r i s t i a n Bernhard von T a u c h n i t z (1816-1895), 
founder of a p u b l i s h i n g house a t L e i p z i g which i n 1841 began 
i s s u i n g a c o l l e c t i o n of B r i t i s h and American Authors. 

J u l l e n H a r t r l d g e Green (1900- ), P a r i s - b o r n , American 
w r i t e r , c h r i s t e n e d " J u l i a n " but chose to keep the French s p e l l i n g 
of the name. Lovry seems to have been q u i t e f a m i l i a r v i t h 
Green's work, e s p e c i a l l y The Patk Journey (1929) ( F r . Leviathan, 
1929) which he owned and which i s mentioned i n h i s Dark as the 
Grave Wherein Mv F r i e n d Is L a i d (New York: New American L i b r a r y , 
1968). 

» The " e n c l o s e d " poem i s m i s s i n g . 

• G e r a l d Gould (1885-1936), B r i t i s h j o u r n a l i s t , poet, and 
c r i t i c . 

7 W i l f r i d Wilson Gibson (1878-1962), B r i t i s h poet and 
p l a y w r i g h t . 

" T h i s drawing i s an i m i t a t i o n of the famous p a i n t i n g , "The 
S h r i e k " (1893; 1895 l i t h o g r a p h ) , by the Norwegian p a i n t e r Edvard 
Munch (1863-1944). Lowry may have viewed Munch's p a i n t i n g s while 
i n O s l o . 

T e x t u a l Notes 

66.19 Gibson.\ <Wilfrld> Gibson. 

66.20 I n o t i c e d \ I <[11leg.]> n o t i c e d 

67.3-4 they were t a l k i n g a l l t h i s while about Henrik Ibsen 
— \ they were t a l k i n g { a l l t h i s w h i l e ! about Henrik 
I b s e n — 

http://Ultra.ma.rlne


70 

11: From LOWRY to AIKEN 
MS H; unpublished 

21 Woodland Gardens 
Highgate 

London 
N I C 

c/o John Davenport 

' [Summer/Autumn 1932] 

My dear Conrad: 

I would have w r i t t e n you before t h i s o n l y I got beaten up i n 

an Ulyssean b r a w l 1 near K l e i n f e l d s ' i n C h a r l o t t e s t r e e t the f i r s t 

n i g h t of my a r r i v a l , 2 and have been n u r s i n g an i n j u r e d c h i n and a 

t w i s t e d l i p s i n c e then; not so hot. I can't achieve a 

V e n i v i d i v i c i 3 look a t a l l i n the l o o k i n g g l a s s , but no doubt I 

s h a l l get b e t t e r - - --

I s h a l l descend on Rye sometime on Wednesday, I seem to 

remember t h e r e ' s a t r a i n gets i n round about 4, but don't depend 

on t h a t because I don't know whether i t ' s s t i l l running; i f 

you're out I ' l l put up a t the Ship or The George or the 

Mermaid-- 4 

As a matter of f a c t I d i d w r i t e at l e n g t h four days ago, a 

dead l e t t e r 'that s e l f - c o n s c i o u s , h a l f - l i t e r a r y , h i n t i n g t h i n g 

which I always achieve,—how d i s g u s t i n g ! ' : 3 and I t o r e i t up. 

o~i\.y*. Gi yo< 

Malcolm 



71 

E x p l a n a t o r y Notes 
1 Cf. the brawl scene a t the end of the " N i g h t t o w n " e p i s o d e 

( c h a p t e r I I ) of Joyce's U l y s s e s . 
2 A f t e r g r a d u a t i n g from Cambridge i n June 1932, Lowry j o i n e d 

the A i k e n s i n Rye and from t h e r e moved t o London where he took up 
w i t h h i s o l d f r i e n d s , John Davenport (see a d d r e s s above) and Hugh 
Sykes D a v i e s . A c c o r d i n g t o Douglas Day, K l e i n f e l d was the 
p u b l i c a n of the F i t z r o y Tavern on C h a r l o t t e S t r e e t (Malcolm  
Lowry: A B i o g r a p h y 147). I t i s p o s s i b l e t h a t Lowry was u s i n g 
Davenport's a d d r e s s as h i s m a i 1 i n g a d d r e s s , and not a c t u a l l y 
s t a y i n g w i t h him. 

3 " V e n i v i d i v i c i " : " V e n i , v i d i , v i c i , " L a t i n ; " I came, I 
saw, I conquered." 

4 A l l a r e i n n s i n Rye. 
5 See Blue Voyage: "The l e t t e r s had been i n h i s v e r y w o r s t 

v e i n - - t h e s o r t of d i s i n g e n u o u s , h i n t i n g t h i n g , s e l f - c o n s c i o u s and 
l i t e r a r y , which he always a c h i e v e d (how r e v o l t i n g ) when the 
o c c a s i o n was e m o t i o n a l l y i m p o r t a n t " (126). 

s " 6l^<* (c[\f<=< ": Greek, " s i l e n c e s i l e n c e . " 



12: From LOWRY t o AIKEN 
MS H; u n p u b l i s h e d 

Conrad A i k e n Jeakes House Rye 

Conrad may I come down and see you 

today i t i s u r g e n t but I ask w i t h 

a bowed mind M a l e 1 

[London] 

[ F e b r u a r y 1933] 



73 

E x p l a n a t o r y Notes 
1 Lowry was p r o b a b l y hoping t o ask A i k e n ' s a d v i c e r e g a r d i n g 

the p u l l i n g of O'Brien's The Best S h o r t S t o r i e s of 1931 from 
l i b r a r i e s because of numerous " o b s c e n i t i e s " i n Lowry's 
c o n t r i b u t i o n , " S e d u c t i o Ad Absurdum." 

T e x t u a l Notes 

[ T h i s l e t t e r was p r o b a b l y not s e n t i n t h i s form but 
i s perhaps a d r a f t f o r a t e l e g r a m . I t i s w r i t t e n 
a t the bottom of a 14 F e b r u a r y 1933 l e t t e r t o Lowry 
from h i s f a t h e r ] 



13: From LOWRY t o AIKEN 
MS H; MSPC UBC; u n p u b l i s h e d 

[London] 

[ e a r l y 1933] 

Some more c r a c k s . 

H i l l i o t i s a man who a d m i t t e d l y l i v e s i n " i n t r o v e r t e d 

comas" 1 & t h a t i s p a r t of h i s t r o u b l e , however t y p i c a l i t may be: 

h i s i s a v i c a r i o u s n e s s beyond a statement of v i c a r i o u s n e s s 

because i t i s u n o b j e c t i f i a b l e , he i s never s u r e t h a t any emotion 

i s h i s own, & he q u i t e g e n u i n e l y i s "cuckoo", he i s a poet who 

c a n ' t w r i t e & may never be a b l e t o . And t h i s i s where I must t r y 

t o f i n d some m i t i g a t i n g f a c t o r i n i t s b e i n g p a r a s i t i c on "Blue 

Voyage". F i r s t , I f i n d i t i n U l t r a m a r i n e however much a c e n t o 

b e i n g w r i t t e n a t a l l , i t has g i v e n me f o r a t i m e , a dominant 

p r i n c i p l e --& i f B l u e Voyage does t h a t f o r 1/1,5000 of i t s 

p u b l i c , what about the o t h e r 14999? Second, under the r e i g n of 

Bloom & Sweeney, 2 a g r e a t e r freedom seems t o be p e r m i t t e d , t h e s e 

a r e b e i n g absorbed i n t o the r a c i a l c o n s c i o u s n e s s : Blue Voyage, 

a p a r t from i t s b e i n g the b e s t n o n s e c u l a r s t a t e m e n t of the p l i g h t 

of the c r e a t i v e a r t i s t w i t h the courage t o l i v e i n a modern 

w o r l d , has become p a r t of my c o n s c i o u s n e s s , & I cannot c o n c e i v e 

of any o t h e r way i n which U l t r a m a r i n e might be w r i t t e n . 

I am p r o b a b l y t o blame f o r c e r t a i n s l a v i s h n e s s e s i n Chapter 

I I I , because t h e y ' r e not good enough, (but I c o u l d n ' t do i t i n 

any o t h e r way),--& a l s o f o r s h e l t e r i n g my P r o t e a n n a t u r e behind a 

c e r t a i n u n d e r s t a n d i n g of The Waste Land. P h i l o s o p h e r s & 

t i n k l e t o n k l e e t c c o u l d be hooked out i f you want them y o u r s e l f . 3 



( S h a n t i h means a song & a b r o t h e l as w e l l as the Peace t h a t 

P a s s e t h a l l understanding)"* N e v e r t h e l e s s I have s a t & read my 

b l a s t e d book w i t h i n c r e a s i n g m i s e r y : w i t h a m i s e r y of such 

i n t e n s i t y t h a t I b e l i e v e m y s e l f sometimes t o be d i s p o s s e s s e d , a 

s p e c t r e of your own d i s c a r d e d i d e a s , whose o n l y c l a i m t o d i g n i t y 

e x i s t s i n t h o s e i d e a s . Never mind--the book knows i t s got a 

paper c o v e r , - - f o r g i v e the f o r g o i n g somewhat pompous c r a c k s — 

someone s a i d "a s e e r & a p a t h f i n d e r " - -

W e l l : once more I am 

a s k i n g you the way--

Malcolm 



76 

E x p l a n a t o r y Notes 
1 Dana H i l l i o t i s the p r o t a g o n i s t of U l t r a m a r i n e . See 

U l t r a m a r i n e : ". . . a man who b e l i e v e d h i m s e l f t o l i v e i n 
i n v e r t e d , or i n t r o v e r t e d , commas . . ." ( 1 9 ) . 

2 "Bloom & Sweeney": i . e . , James Joyce and T.S. E l i o t . 
3 " P h i l o s o p h e r s and t i n k l e t o n k l e " : See U l t r a m a r i n e : 

" P h i l o s o p h e r s m a i n t a i n t h a t two and two make f o u r . But e v e r y 
l i t t l e doggie knows more" ( 2 6 9 ) ; " . . . the goat b e l l s g o i n g 
t i n k l e t o n k l e t a n k l e tunk--" ( 3 4 ) ; " T i n k l e t o n k l e t a n k l e tunk. 
S p i n k l e s p o n k l e s p a n k l e " ( 1 1 9 ) . 

* " S h a n t i h " : See the l a s t l i n e of T.S. E l i o t ' s The Waste  
Land: " s h a n t i h s h a n t i h s h a n t i h " and U l t r a m a r i n e : "she s h a n t i h " 
(59) . 

T e x t u a l Notes 

[Note w r i t t e n by A i k e n a t t o p of f i r s t page: "3 
pages m i s s i n g - - C . A . " On the v e r s o of the two 
e x t a n t pages a r e typed passages from U l t r a m a r i n e 1 

74.2 who a d m i t t e d l y l i v e s \ who { a d m i t t e d l y } l i v e s 

74.4 a v i c a r i o u s n e s s beyond a s t a t e m e n t of v i c a r i o u s n e s s \ 
a v i c a r i o u s n e s s beyond < v i c a r i > a s t a t e m e n t of 
v i c a r i o u s n e s s 

74.6 he q u i t e g e n u i n e l y i s "cuckoo"\ he q u i t e g e n u i n e l y 
<does t h i n k i n o t h e r p e o p l e s terras> i s "cuckoo" 

74.6 he i s . a p o e t \ he<'s> {is.} a poet 

74.9-10 I f i n d i t i n U l t r a m a r i n e however much a c e n t o b e i n g 
w r i t t e n \ I f i n d i t i n <the book> { U l t r a m a r i n e } 
{however much a cento} b e i n g w r i t t e n 

74.11 B l u e Voyage\ <it> {Blue Voyage} 

74.12 the o t h e r 14999?\ the o t h e r <1,49> 14999? 

74.12 under the r e i g n \ <with> {under} the r e i g n 

74.13-14 these a r e b e i n g a b s o r b e d \ these <have> {are} b e i n g 
absorbed 

74.15 a p a r t from i t s b e i n g the b e s t \ a p a r t from { i t s } 
b e i n g the b e s t 

74.20 (but I c o u l d n ' t \ (but I < l i k e > c o u l d n ' t 



77 

74.22-3 The Waste Land. P h i l o s o p h e r s [. . .] y o u r s e l f . 
( S h a n t i h \ The Waste Land. { P h i l o s o p h e r s & t i n k l e 
t o n k l e e t c c o u l d be hooked out i f you want them 
y o u r s e l f . } ( S h a n t i h 

75.2 I have s a t & r e a d \ I {have} s a t & r e a d 



78 

14: From LOWRY t o AIKEN 1 
MS H; MSPC UBC; u n p u b l i s h e d 

[ C h a r l i e ' s Bar] 
[Cuernavaca, Mexico] 

[Summer 1937] 

Work f o r C o n r a d . 2 

S t r i c t l y i m p e r s o n a l e x e r c i s e s i n e x c e s s . 

(1) 
P r e l u d e t o Mammon.3 

S i r : d r i n k i n g i s a problem w i t h o u t doubt: 
Whether or not we l i k e i t , whether or not 
The goddamn t h i n g w i l l put you on the s p o t 
With h e e b i e j e e b i e s hebephrene or gout: 
Or lumbago* w i l l s e t you t a p p i n g out 
On b r a s s f e r r u l e t o s t o o l , t o r e s t , t o r o t . 
Though r o t t i n g ' s a f i n e pastime f o r a s o t 
I t seems when we e x c r e t e we s h o u l d not s h o u t ; 
While even when we r e s t i t ' s more d i s c r e e t 
That we s h o u l d unambiguously r e s t . 
What o t h e r s t h i n k i s one torment of d r i n k 
But t h e s e have dung not dew upon t h e i r f e e t 
Whose d r y c o n c e r n f o r us i s m a n i f e s t 
In the u b i q u i t y of the parched s o u l ' s s t i n k . 

- - T h i s was an i a m b i c pentametre t h a t was: gawd knows 
what t h i s i s but c a l l i t 

(2) 
P r e l u d e t o a n o t h e r d r i n k 

T h i s t i c k i n g i s the most t e r r i b l e of a l l 
(Oh yeah.) y 0 u hear t h i s sound on s h i p s , you hear i t on t r a i n s 

I t i s the death-watch b e e t l e a t the r o t t e n t i m b e r of 
the w o r l d 

And i t i s d e a t h t o you t o o ; f o r w e l l you know 
That the h e a r t ' s t i c k i s f a i l i n g a l l the w h i l e 
Always u b i q u i t o u s & s t i l l more s l o w . 
In the c a n t i n a t h r o b s the r e f r i g e r a t o r 
And a g a i n s t the s t r e e t the gaunt s t a t i o n hums. 
What can you say f a i r l y of a f a t man 
With a bent hand behind him & a c i g a r e t t e i n i t ? 
Yet d e a t h i s i n the room, t h e r e i s d e a t h everywhere: 
That man c a r r i e s i t though I c a n ' t see h i s f a c e : 
The upturned s p i t o o n s mean i t , i t i s i n the g l a s s , 
The g i r l who r e f i l l s i t pours a g l a s s of d e a t h 
And i f t h e r e ' s d e a t h i n her t h e r e i s i n me. 



(Or, the 2 stag 
beetles battle 
to death. On the c a l e n d a r , s e t to the f u t u r e , the two s t a g s 
S t i l l , we take b a t t l e 
ourselves To d e a t h : man p a d d l e s h i s c o r a c l e t o the moon 
seriously.) Which, seen a l s o i n l i g h t , i s as d i v i s i b l e as d e a t h . 

Gawd knows what t h a t was & C h r i s t knows what t h i s i s , 

(though we a r e coming back t o the i a m b i c pentametre,) so 

suppose we c a l l i t , 

( 3 ) 
P r e l u d e t o a n o t h e r d r i n k . 

(daughter;— 
especially 
when the 
announcer 
pronounces 
his r*s 
l i k e w's.). 

-Is t h i s an a i r p l a n e r o a r i n g i n my room? 
What i s i t t h e n , an i n s e c t , god knows what: 
God p r o b a b l y does know which i s the p o i n t ; 
Or d i d k n o w — l e a v e i t a t t h a t — s o m e s o r t of h o r n e t . 
A i r p l a n e or a e r o p l a n e or j u s t p l a i n p l a n e , — 3 
Some h i n t of something more than t h i s i s h e r e . 
I n s e c t , v i s i o n , or t e r r e s t r i a l v i s i t o r , - -
Some h i n t of something more than t h i s i s h e r e . 
Some h i n t i s here & what s h o u l d i t be but t h i s ? 
To watch t h i s g u e s t , t o see what i t does. 
I t t a x i e s l i k e an Avro s k i d d i n g t h r o u g h the f l y i n g 

f i e l d ' 
R i s e s l i k e a S o p w i t h , 8 f l i e s i n t o a rage 
Bangs a g a i n s t the l i g h t , s e t t l e s on the p r i n t e d page 
S o a r s : then f a l l s : then c a n ' t get up 
When I t r y t o h e l p him h i s hands evade my h e l p — 
I m y s e l f s e e i n g the o n l y p o s s i b l e e x i t . 
So God watches us w i t h l i d s which move n o t . 
But t h i s i s a r e p e t i t i o n of an ' i d e a ' 
B e f o r e the t e r r i b l e d e l i r i u m of God. 

Here we a r e , the o l d i a m b i c a g a i n , j u s t t o show my o l d 

Conrad I've d i d my l e s s o n s , but God & mezcal h e l p me I c a n ' t 

t h i n k of a n y t h i n g t o c a l l i t but 

(4) 
P r e l u d e t o a n o t h e r d r i n k . 

Where a r e the f i n e l y drunk? the g r e a t d r u n k a r d ? 
T h i s imponderable, s m a l l m y s t e r y 
P e r p l e x e s me a t m i d n i g h t c o n s t a n t l y 
Where i s he gone & t a k i n g whence h i s t a n k a r d ? 
Where a r e a l l gone my f r i e n d s the g r e a t unanchored? 
They d r i n k no more: t h e y go t o bed a t t h r e e 
I n a f t e r n o o n y e t dream more e a s i l y — 
- - ( L i v e r s a t l a s t of l i v e s f o r which t h e y h a n k e r e d ! ) -
Of e n d l e s s c o r r i d o r s of boots t o l i c k , 
Or a t the end of them a l l the Pope's t o e . 



Where a r e your f r i e n d s you f o o l you have but one 
And t h a t a f r i e n d who a l s o makes you s i c k 
But much l e s s s i c k t h a n t h e y : & t h i s I know 
S i n c e I am the l a s t d r u n k a r d . And I d r i n k a l o n e . 

W e l l : my h o s t i n C u a n t l a vent n u t s . Had t o be h e l d down 

t a k e n t o h o s p i t a l . I t was t r y i n g — f o r him, t o o , I guess,--& I 

g l a d J a n 7 was s p a r e d the e x p e r i e n c e . 

( I t s u d d e n l y o c c u r s t o me how much I l o v e you b o t h . 3 You 

o l d M e p h i s t o p h e l e s . Be happy, you two. I k i n d of f e e l you 

w i l l . ) 

Come t o C h a r l i e ' s , where I am, soon: o l d A g g i e ' s got the 

o r r o r s somethink o r f u l . 

Male 



81 

E x p l a n a t o r y Notes 
1 See Appendix I , p. 484, f o r p h o t o g r a p h i c r e p r o d u c t i o n of 

t h i s l e t t e r . 
2 As Lowry's t u t o r , A i k e n had been i n the h a b i t of g i v i n g 

h i s s t u d e n t p o e t r y e x e r c i s e s t o c o m p l e t e ; t h i s l e t t e r appears t o 
have been one of Lowry's assignments w h i l e A i k e n was v i s i t i n g him 
i n Mexico i n the summer of 1937. Cf'. A i k e n ' s Ushant: An E s s a y 
(New York: D u e l l , S l o a n and P e a r c e , 1952): ". . . t h a t c l i m a c t i c 
t a l k between them . . . a t C h a r l i e ' s p l a c e . . . when t h e y had 
f i n i s h e d w i t h Hambo's (Lowry's] e x e r c i s e i n s o n n e t - f o r m — 
' A i r p l a n e , or a e r o p l a n e , or j u s t p l a i n p l a n e . . •. ' " ( 352). C f . 
a l s o A i k e n ' s comments on these poems i n "The A r t of P o e t r y IX" 
( 9 9 ) . 

3 Pun on A i k e n ' s P r e l u d e s f o r Memnon. 
4 In both Ushant and A Heart f o r the Gods of Mexico (London: 

M a r t i n Seeker, 1939), A i k e n w r i t e s of Lowry's h a v i n g lumbago when 
he saw him i n Mexico; Lowry c l a i m e d he had c o n t r a c t e d i t from h i s 
swimming p o o l (Day 220). 

s A c c o r d i n g t o C l a r i s s a L o r e n z , t h i s l i n e was the one out of 
t h i s b a t c h of Lowry's " v e r y f i n e " poems t h a t A i k e n e s p e c i a l l y 
l i k e d ( L o r e l e i Two 3 ) . C f . a l s o n. 2 above. 

6 "Avro" and " s o p w i t h " are both makes of a i r p l a n e s . 

•7 Jan G a b r i a l (1911- ), born J a n i n e Vanderheim, Lowry's 
f i r s t w i f e whom he m a r r i e d i n J a n u a r y 1934. 

e "you b o t h " : Conrad A i k e n and h i s new w i f e , Mary (Hoover) 
A i k e n (1907- ), whom he m a r r i e d on 7 J u l y 1937. A i k e n had gone 
t o Mexico t o o b t a i n a d i v o r c e from h i s second w i f e , C l a r i s s a 
L o r e n z , and t o marry Mary Hoover. 

T e x t u a l Notes 

( L e t t e r h e a d r e a d s : "VAUGHN-AlKEN, P u b l i s h e r ' s 
R e p r e s e n t a t i v e Apartado 7162, Mexico C i t y , MEXICO." 
On each of the t h r e e pages Lowry has i n s e r t e d an 
"a" i n t o the "VAUGH{a}N" and b e s i d e "AIKEN" a pun 
on an E n g l i s h a u t h o r ' s name as f o l l o w s : " - - i t ' s a 
M a r v e l l ! " ; " - - a h e r r i c k ! (pardon, j u s t a l i t t l e 
o n a m a t o p o e i < [ i l l e g . ] > ( c ! } ) " ( i n the o r i g i n a l t h i s 
i s e n c l o s e d w i t h i n square b r a c k e t s ; here and 
elsewhere i n t h i s l e t t e r I have changed them t o 
round b r a c k e t s t o a v o i d c o n f u s i o n w i t h my e d i t o r i a l 
notes and a l t e r a t i o n s ] ; " — a l l Donneations p l e a s e 
t o L o w r y / C h a r l i e s . " Note w r i t t e n by A i k e n a t t o p 
of f i r s t page: "Sent t o me by hand from C h a r l i e ' s 



Bar i n Cuernavaca, 1937. C.A." See Appendix I , p. 
484, f o r photographic r e p r o d u c t i o n of t h i s l e t t e r ] 

But these\ But th<o>{e}se 

concern f o r us\ concern f o r <you> {us} 

(Oh yeah.)\ [ t h i s i s enclosed w i t h i n square 
brackets i n the o r i g i n a l ] 

death to you too;\ death to you {too}; 

though I c a n ' t \ though I can<no>{'}t 

b a t t l e \ <battle> b a t t l e 

(Or, the 2 s t a g b e e t l e s [. . . .] s e r i o u s l y . ) \ 
[enclosed w i t h i n square brackets i n the o r i g i n a l ] 

what t h i s i s , (though we [. . .] pentametre,) so 
suppose\ what t h i s i s , {(}though we are coming back 
to the iambic pentametre,{)} so suppose [ t h i s 
phrase i s e n c l o s e d w i t h i n square b r a c k e t s i n the 
o r i g i n a l ] 

(daughter; e s p e c i a l l y when the announcer pronounces 
h i s r ' s l i k e w's.).\ [ i n the o r i g i n a l t h i s phrase 
appears i n the r i g h t - h a n d margin of the second page 
and i s e n c l o s e d w i t h i n square b r a c k e t s ] 

I myself s e e i n g \ <While> I myself see{ing} 

[. . .] d e l i r i u m of God. 
Here we a r e , \ [. . .] d e l i r i u m of God. 

<(4)> 
Here we are, 

- - ( L i v e r s a t l a s t [. . .] h a n k e r e d ! ) — \ {--}(Livers 
at l a s t of l i v e s f o r which they hankered{!}){--} 

my host\ my <friend> {host} 

t r y i n g - - f o r him, too, I guess,--\ t r y i n g { - - f o r him, 
too, I guess,--} 

( I t suddenly [. . . .] you w i l l . ) \ [enclosed w i t h i n 
square b r a c k e t s i n the o r i g i n a l ] 

somethink\ < [ i l l e g . ] > somethink 



83 

15: From LOWRY t o AIKEN 
MS UBC; B r e i t 15; Day 239 

[ H o t e l F r a n c i a ] 
[Apartado P o s t a l 
Num. 9 2.] 
[Oaxaca, Oax., Mex.] 

[December 1937) 

Dear o l d b i r d . 

Have now reached c o n d i t i o n of amnesia, breakdown, 

h e a r t b r e a k , consumption, c h o l e r a , a l c o h o l i c p o i s o n i n g , & God w i l l 

not l i k e t o know what e l s e i f he has t o which i s damned d o u b t f u l . 

A l l change h e r e , a l l change h e r e , f o r Oakshot, C o c k s h o t , 

Poxshot & fuck the whole b l o o d y l o t ! My o n l y f r i e n d 3 - here a 

t e r t i a r y who p i n s a medal of the V i r g i n of Guadalupe on my c o a t , 2 

f o l l o w s me i n the s t r e e t - - ( w h e n I am not i n p r i s o n , and he 

f o l l o w s me t h e r e too s e v e r a l t i m e s , ) & who t h i n k s I am J e s u s 

C h r i s t , which, as you know, I am not y e t , though I may be 

p r o g r e s s i n g towards t h i n k i n g I am m y s e l f . 

I have been i m p r i s o n e d as a spy i n a dungeon compared w i t h 

which the Chateau d ' i f 3 - - i n a f i l m - - i s a l i t t l e c o t t a g e i n the 

c o u n t r y o v e r l o o k i n g the s e a . 

I spend Christmas--New Years--Wedding Day 4 t h e r e . A l l ray 

m a i l i s l a t e . Where i t does a r r i v e i t i s a l l c o n t r a d i c t i o n & 

y o u r s i s c u t up i n t o l i t t l e h o l e s . 

Don't t h i n k I can go on. Where I am i t i s d a r k . 

L o s t . Happy New Year. 

Malcolm. 



84 

E x p l a n a t o r y Notes 

1 Lowry i s p r o b a b l y s p e a k i n g of h i s Zapotecan f r i e n d , Juan 
Fernando Marquez, who became the model f o r Dr. V i g i l and Juan 
C e r i l l o i n Under the Volcano and of Juan Fernando M a r t i n e z i n 
Dark as the Grave. Cf. Lowry's "Garden of E t l a , " U n i t e d N a t i o n s  
World 4 (June 1950): 45-7. 

2 Cf. Under the Volcano (200) i n which the C o n s u l remembers 
a beggar p i n n i n g two m e d a l l i o n s d e p i c t i n g the V i r g i n of Guadalupe 
on h i s c o a t - l a p e l . 

3 The Chateau d ' l f c o n t a i n s the dungeon i n which Edmond 
Dantes i s i m p r i s o n e d i n A l e x a n d r e Dumas' (1802-1870) Le comte de  
M o n t e - C h r i s t o (1844-45). Lowry may be r e f e r r i n g here t o the 1934 
f i l m v e r s i o n of the n o v e l produced by Edward S m a l l f o r U n i t e d 
A r t i s t s . 

4 T h i s would be the a n n i v e r s a r y of Lowry's m a r r i a g e t o Jan 
G a b r i a l : 6 J a n u a r y 1934. The verb t e n s e here i s odd; i t i s 
p o s s i b l e t h a t Lowry i s i m i t a t i n g , i n E n g l i s h , the S p a n i s h use of 
the p r e s e n t tense f o r events i n the near f u t u r e . 

T e x t u a l Notes 

[Note w r i t t e n by M a r g e r i e Lowry a t t o p of page 
r e a d s : " t o Conrad A i k e n 1937"; i t i s p o s s i b l e t h a t 
t h i s l e t t e r was never s e n t t o A i k e n ] 

Address [Lowry has used the H o t e l F r a n c i a l e t t e r h e a d which I 
have quoted as the a d d r e s s f o r the l e t t e r ] 

83.16 Where i t does a r r i v e i t i s \ Where i s does { a r r i v e } 
i t i s 



8 5 

16: From LOWRY t o AIKEN 1 
MS UBC; u n p u b l i s h e d 

[Oaxaca, Mexico] 

[ e a r l y 1938] 

a mi padre 

My dear dear f e l l o w : — a t the end of my goddamn l i f e , 

you a r e the o n l y man I w i s h t o w r i t e t o . 

— I n my c h u r l i s h way or not so c h u r l i s h ( c h u r c h i s h not 

r i c h a r d ) 

r e f . R i c h a r d C h u r c h . 2 
r e f . Landscapes E t c . 
r e f . memory. 

way or as i t o c h u r l s t o me bygosh not a c h u r l i s h way a t a l l : h e l l 

& a typhoon of s t r u m p e t s : I meant--tucket w i t h i n , & a f l o u r i s h of 

s t r u m p e t s : 3 & l e t Plympton S t r e e t * weep i n the E a s t wind: my 

l i f e was a m i g n o t o r i o * of g r i e f & an e x c u ( r u c i ) s a d o of h a t e , - -

R e w r i t t e n : ' e x c r u c i f i a d o of h a t e . ' - - J o k e o v e r . (Note: Excusado 

i s Mexican f o r l a v a t o r y . ) 8 & you were a p r o p h e t . I have done you 

d i r t once & a h a l f t w i c e but never s e r i o u s l y & always i t was w i t h 

J e a l o u s l y - - & l o v e . P l e a s e b e l i e v e i n my s i n c e r e f r i e n d s h i p & i f 

I d i e , g i v e me s a n c t u a r y . 

- - i s how t o w r i t e a v e r s e 7 
Whether or not you l i k e i t / w h e t h e r or n o t 3 

(and p e t r a r c h w i l l not save you from the c u r s e . ) 

Was s h o t , i m p r i s o n e d , r u i n e d , b i t c h e d , t o r t u r e d , C a s t r a t e d 

(not s u c c e s s f u l l y ) ; - - h e r e . T o l s t o y says T h i s does you good. --At 

any r a t e , I l e a r n t the meaning of s t o o l p i g e o n . S i m p l y : he s a t 

on the s t o o l a l l day r e p o r t e d what we s a i d . . . . I f you ask me 

what I t h i n k he was i t i s t h i s : a s h i t . 



But I s u g g e s t : put on your rough r e d pad. 
Take the L e v i a t h a n . Come & see Conrad. 
N.B. 
P.S. . And what about a mutual c r a c k a t dad? 

X°<Xcc?k/^- = P° b r e Malcolm 

I see some of Mary Hoover's (Mr's A i k e n ' s ) p i c t u r e s . 9 

They seem t o me b r i l l i a n t . 

And a l l l o v e t o h e r . 

and you. 

and Jane. & John & Joan 

and r y e & camberbeach1-1- & the tram 



87 

E x p l a n a t o r y Notes 
1 See Appendix I , p. 487 7 f o r p h o t o g r a p h i c r e p r o d u c t i o n of 

t h i s l e t t e r . 
2 R i c h a r d Church (1893-1972), E n g l i s h p o e t , n o v e l i s t , and 

c r i t i c ; a d v i s o r y e d i t o r f o r J.M. Dent & Sons from 1933-52. He 
r e v i e w e d the 1946 E n g l i s h e d i t i o n of A i k e n ' s The S o l d i e r : A Poem 
i n " R i c h a r d Church Reviews Recent P o e t r y , " John O'London's Weekly 
13 Dec. 1946: 149. The r e f e r e n c e t o "Landscapes E t c . " i s 
u n c l e a r , a l t h o u g h i t may be an a l l u s i o n t o A i k e n ' s Landscape West  
of Eden which was p u b l i s h e d by J.M. Dent & Sons as p a r t of a New 
P o e t r y s e r i e s i n 1934. 

3 See Lowry's "Punctum I n d i f f e r e n s S k i b e t Gaar V i d e r e " : 
"Tucket w i t h i n , and a f l o u r i s h of t r u m p e t s " (65) and " S e d u c t i o ad 
Absurdum": "Tucket w i t h i n , and a f l o u r i s h of s t r u m p e t s " ( 9 3 ) . 
C f . a l s o U l t r a m a r i n e ( 1 8 0 ) . 

4 Plympton S t r e e t was A i k e n ' s address i n Cambridge, 
M a s s a c h u s e t t s when Lowry v i s i t e d him t h e r e i n 1929. 

s " m i n g i t o r i o " : S p a n i s h , " u r i n a l " ; Lowry has m i s s p e l l e d the 
word. 

6 Lowry i s punning on the S p a n i s h words, "excusado," 
"washroom" or " t o i l e t , " and " c r u c i f i c a d o , " " c r u c i f i e d " ; " e l 
C r u c i f i c a d o " can be used t o mean "Jesus C h r i s t . " 

7 See poem a t end of l e t t e r 18, p. 108. 
e See Lowry's poem, " P r e l u d e t o Mammon" i n l e t t e r 14, p. 78. 
9 A i k e n ' s t h i r d w i f e , Mary Hoover, was an a r t i s t . 
1 0 A i k e n ' s t h r e e c h i l d r e n by h i s f i r s t w i f e , J e s s i e 

MacDonald. 
1 1 G e r a l d Noxon t e l l s of t a k i n g the t r a i n w i t h Lowry from 

Rye "out p a s t the g o l f c o u r s e t o Camber Sands t o swim i n the 
Channel waters . . . " ("Malcolm Lowry: 1930" 110). Cf. a l s o 
Lowry's 26 August 1940 l e t t e r t o Noxon i n which he, t o o , 
remembers the t r i p s t o Camber Beach ( T i e s s e n 2 8 ) . 

T e x t u a l Notes 

[ T h i s l e t t e r may never have been s e n t t o A i k e n . See 
Appendix I , p. 487, f o r p h o t o g r a p h i c r e p r o d u c t i o n ] 

85.2 end o f \ end <of> {of} 



88 

85.4-9 not so c h u r l i s h ( c h u r c h i s h not r i c h a r d 

r e f . R i c h a r d Church, 
r e f . Landscapes E t c . 
r e f . memory.) 

way or as i t o c h u r l s t o me\ not so c h u r l i s h 
{ ( c h u r c h i s h not r i c h a r d 

{ { r e f . R i c h a r d Church, 
r e f . Landscapes E t c . 
r e f . memory.}})} 

way or as i t o c h u r l s t o me [ t h e s e i n d e n t e d l i n e s 
a r e w r i t t e n a t the top r i g h t - h a n d s i d e of the page] 

85.12 m i g n o t o r i o of g r i e f & an e x c u ( r u c i ) s a d o of h a t e , — \ 
m i g n o t o r i o {of g r i e f } & an e x c u { ( r u c i ) I s a d o {of 
h a t e , — } 

85.13 R e w r i t t e n : ' e x c r u c i f i a d o of h a t e . ' - - J o k e o v e r . \ 
( w r i t t e n i n l e f t - h a n d margin] 

85.13-14 Joke o v e r . (Note: Excusado [. . .] l a v a t o r y . ) & you\ 
Joke o v e r . {(Note: Excusado i s Mexican f o r 
l a v a t o r y . ) } & you [the i n s e r t i o n i s w r i t t e n a t the 
bottom l e f t - h a n d s i d e of the page and was 
o r i g i n a l l y e n c l o s e d w i t h i n square b r a c k e t s ] 

85.21- Was s h o t [ . . . .] Come & see Conrad\ [ w r i t t e n a t 
86.2 l e f t - h a n d s i d e of bottom h a l f of page] 

86.8 And a l l l o v e t o h e r . \ And { a l l } l o v e t o h e r . 

86.10 & John & J o a n \ ( w r i t t e n i n bottom r i g h t - h a n d 
c o r n e r of page] 



1939-1941 

. . . a g a i n , my a n c i e n t d o p p e l g a n g e r , I am, deep down 
i n my psyche . . . damned l i k e you. 

9 A p r i l 1940 l e t t e r from Lowry t o A i k e n 



1939-1941 

A f t e r a year of s p o r a d i c d r i n k i n g and w r i t i n g i n Los 

A n g e l e s , w i t h no hope of a r e u n i o n w i t h Jan who was by t h i s time 

s u e i n g f o r d i v o r c e , Lowry was " r e s c u e d " i n 1939 by M a r g e r i e 

Bonner, the woman who was t o become h i s second w i f e . 

U n f o r t u n a t e l y , Lowry's f a t h e r appears t o have l e a r n e d of h i s 

son's new r o m a n t i c i n v o l v e m e n t through Benjamin P a r k s , a Los 

A n g e l e s lawyer whom he had p l a c e d i n charge of Lowry's a f f a i r s . 

In J u l y 1939, under the o r d e r s of A r t h u r 0. Lowry, P a r k s h u s t l e d 

Lowry t o B r i t i s h Columbia on the p r e t e x t of r e n e w i n g h i s v i s a , 

and had him p l a c e d under the c a r e of two Vancouver l a w y e r s , A.B. 

Carey and V i c t o r Maclean. Lowry, f i n d i n g h i m s e l f unable to 

r e c r o s s the b o r d e r and r e j o i n M a r g e r i e i n the U n i t e d S t a t e s , 

e v e n t u a l l y took up r e s i d e n c e i n the home of M a u r i c e Carey on 595 

West 19th Ave. A f t e r one f a i l e d attempt a t c r o s s i n g the b o r d e r , 

he asked M a r g e r i e t o j o i n him i n Vancouver, which she d i d i n 

August of t h a t y e a r . 

I t i s a t t h i s time t h a t Lowry wrote what was t o be the f i r s t 

of many d e s p e r a t e l e t t e r s t o A i k e n p l e a d i n g f o r h e l p i n d e a l i n g 

w i t h the "Old Man." With the onset of the war, the A i k e n s had 

l e f t Rye and, on 29 September, s a i l e d t o New York, s e t t l i n g f i r s t 

i n South D e n n i s , t h e n i n B r e w s t e r , M a s s a c h u s e t t s where i n May 

1940 t h e y bought an " o l d e i g h t e e n t h c e n t u r y r u i n " c a l l e d " F o r t y -

One Doors" ( l e t t e r 42, p. 255-56). In response t o Lowry's 

r e q u e s t , A i k e n d i d i n t e r c e d e w i t h both P a r k s and Lowry's f a t h e r , 

a s k i n g t h a t Lowry be a l l o w e d t o j o i n him i n M a s s a c h u s e t t s where 

he would a c c e p t f u l l r e s p o n s i b i l i t y f o r him. However, j u s t when 



9 1 

s u c c e s s seemed c l o s e a t hand, L o v r y was r e f u s e d e n t r y i n t o the 

U n i t e d S t a t e s , and h i s p l a n s f o r an immediate r e u n i o n w i t h A i k e n 

were r u i n e d ( l e t t e r 31, p. 204). In the meantime, because of the 

B r i t i s h T r e a s u r y ' s r e s t r i c t i o n s , Lowry had stopped r e c e i v i n g 

money from h i s f a t h e r , and as a r e s u l t , M a u r i c e Carey had g i v e n 

him and M a r g e r i e one month to v a c a t e h i s house. I n i t i a l l y t h e y 

moved i n t o an apartment on West 11th Avenue; t h e n , on 15 August 

1940, s e e k i n g s t i l l cheaper accommodation, t h e y r e n t e d a beach 

shack i n D o l l a r t o n on the n o r t h shore of B u r r a r d I n l e t . By A p r i l 

1941 t h e y had bought t h e i r own shack i n D o l l a r t o n , and i t was 

here t h a t t h e y f i n a l l y s e t t l e d down t o the r e w r i t i n g of Under the  

V o l c a n o , a t a s k which was to t a k e the n e x t s i x y e a r s . 



92 

17: From AIKEN t o LOWRY 
K i l l o r i n 234 

Belmont, Mass. 

Oct. 29 39 

My b e l o v e d J u d a s - M a l e - - i t was good t o hear from you, not so good 

i n a l l r e s p e c t s (but i n some) t o hear your b a g f u l of queer news. 

But what can I do t o h e l p you--? Damn a l l . I'm a b i t knocked-

oop m e s e l f , we're broke t o the wide, on borrowed money (and 

l i t t l e a t t h a t ) and about t o l i v e i n one of J a k e ' s 1 c o t t a g e s , 

which we g e t f o r n o t h i n g , on the Cape. Cash, n i l . P r o s p e c t s , 

dim. Nor can I f i n d anyone who would l e n d me more, a t the 

moment. A l l I can i m m e d i a t e l y s u g g e s t i s t h i s : I t a l k e d of your 

p l i g h t w i t h my a g e n t , B e r n i c e Baumgarten, Brandt & B r a n d t , 101 

Park Avenue, N.Y., and of your work, and she s a i d t h a t i f you 

would have your rass--all you can get h o l d o f - - s e n t t o h e r , as per 

above, she would see what c o u l d be done. I f some p u b l i s h e r - - a n d 

t h e r e of c o u r s e I'd m y s e l f add my say-so--would t a k e an i n t e r e s t , 

something might t h e n be done i n the way of g e t t i n g some money t o 

you, and t h e r e a f t e r a r r a n g i n g t o summon you t o New York as i t 

were f o r " b u s i n e s s " - - w h i c h would perhaps c a r r y weight w i t h the 

a u t h o r i t i e s ? Anyway, l e t me know quam e e l 2 about t h i s , and 

B e r n i c e t o o , and w e ' l l go on t r y i n g t o i m p r o v i s e something. What 

about the Old Man. Would i t be any use my w r i t i n g t o him, and i f 

so t o what e f f e c t - - v i z . , what l i n e would most p r o f i t a b l y t a k e — i f 

any--? But anyway, don't be down-hearted--we'11 maybe t h i n k of a 

way o u t . Or i n . - - O u r s e l v e s , worn out and i l l w i t h ours and the 

w o r l d ' s t r o u b l e s , but of good h e a r t . A new n o v e l 3 (and a new 



93 

p u b l i s h e r ) a new book of s o n n e t s 4 and a new d e a l e r f o r Mary's 

p i c t u r e s i n New Y o r k — s o we a t any r a t e f e e l t h a t we a r e b u i l d i n q 

something. . . . E d ' s s p i c t u r e s a r e i n the B r i t i s h p a v i l i o n a t 

the F a i r - - h e may come over i n January--why not keep your eye on 

Boston? A good p l a c e . A v o i d the array my dear f e l l o v - - n o t h i n g i n 

i t . As f o r J a n 6 e t c e t , and the new G a l , b l e s s i n g s and 

c o n g r a t u l a t i o n s . And Mary j o i n s me i n s e n d i n g l o v e - - l o t s of 

i t - — Conrad. 

I f you p r e f e r , have the mss. s e n t f i r s t t o me, and I ' l l c o n f e r 

w i t h L i n s c o t t 7 about the n e x t s t e p s . J u s t as .you l i k e . Have you 

f i n i s h e d B a l l a s t — ? B 



E x p l a n a t o r y Notes 
1 George B. W i l b u r (1887-1976), H a r v a r d f r i e n d of A i k e n ' s 

who had a p s y c h i a t r i c p r a c t i c e i n South Dennis; e d i t o r of 
American Imago from 1946-63. 

2 "quam c e l e r r i m e " : L a t i n , "as f a s t as p o s s i b l e . " 
3 C o n v e r s a t i o n : or P i l g r i m s ' P r o g r e s s (New York: D u e l l , 

S l o a n and P e a r c e , 1940). 
4 And i n the Human Heart (New York: D u e l l , S l o a n and P e a r c e , 

1940). 
s Ed B u r r a ; see l e t t e r 7, n. 10, p. 48. 
8 Jan G a b r i a l : Lowry's f i r s t w i f e ; c f . l e t t e r 14, n. 7, p. 

81. 
7 R o b e r t L i n s c o t t (1886-1964), f r i e n d o f A i k e n ' s ; e d i t o r a t 

Houghton M i f f l i n i n Boston from 1904-44 and a t Random House from 
1944-57. 

8 " I n B a l l a s t t o the White Sea" was a n o v e l based upon 
Lowry's v i s i t t o N o r d a h l G r i e g i n Norway i n the summer of 1931; 
the m a n u s c r i p t of the n o v e l was d e s t r o y e d by f i r e when the 
Lowrys' D o l l a r t o n shack burned down i n June 1944. 

T e x t u a l Notes 

[No o r i g i n a l i s a v a i l a b l e f o r t h i s l e t t e r ; I have 
t h e r e f o r e had t o r e l y on Joseph K i l l o r i n ' s 
t r a n s c r i p t i o n i n S e l e c t e d L e t t e r s of Conrad A i k e n 
(234)] 



18: From LOWRY to AIKEN 
MS UBC; B r e i t 18 

95 

[November 1939] 

--Mein l i e b e r a l t e r S e n l i n F o r s l i n Malcolmn C o f f i n Aiken: 3 -

S i n c e my l a s t b a g f u l of news the s i t u a t i o n has become so 

b l o o d y c o m p l i c a d o t h a t i f we do not r e c e i v e some h e l p , and a t 

t h a t i m m e d i a t e l y , I s h a l l l o s e what remains of my r e a s o n , not t o 

s a y , l i f e . I t i s a l l , ( l i k e e v e r y t h i n g e l s e ) , such a c o m p l e x i t y 

of m e l a n c h o l y o p p o s i t e s , t h a t , a l t h o u g h I e x p e c t you t o 

u n d e r s t a n d i t a l l , I'm not g o i n g to attempt t o e x p l a i n i t : I 

s h a l l j u s t hang the more s u c c u l e n t l o o k i n g hams of m i s f o r t u n e i n 

the window hoping t o e n t i c e you i n t o where the whole p i g , t h a t 

would be c u t down, i s h a n g i n g . When I r e t u r n e d t o Los A n g e l e s 

(from Mexico) to J a n , whom I knew was l i v i n g w i t h someone e l s e , 

t h i s j o u r n e y b e i n g a t the o l d man's r e q u e s t , - - I t r a v e l l e d by the 

Great C i r c l e 2 t o o , the r a i l r o a d b e i n g b u i l t by a B r i t i s h 

c o n c e s s i o n , p a i d by the k i l o m e t r e so i t n a t u r a l l y went the most 

roundabout way, but the t r a i n d i d not h u r r y and i t i s r a t h e r 

f a r t h e r as you know t h a n from New York t o B o s t o n , - - I p r a c t i c a l l y 

went t o p i e c e s , t h i s b e i n g due p a r t l y t o i l l n e s s , p a r t l y t o J a n , 

who, w i s h i n g t o r a t i f y her i n f i d e l i t y perhaps had w r i t t e n the o l d 

man t h a t I was i n c a p a b l e and s h o u l d be c e r t i f i e d incompetent or 

words t o t h a t e f f e c t , f o r which i n f o r m a t i o n she r e c e i v e d , per o l d 

man, a l a r g e i s h sum of money t o look a f t e r me, which she pocketed 



l a t e r , I a f t e r w a r d s d i s c o v e r e d and went p r o m p t l y t o Santa B a r b a r a 

w i t h her b o y f r i e n d , l e a v i n g me, a s o r t of L e a r of the S i e r r a s , 

d y i n g by the g l a s s i n the Brown Derby i n H o l l y w o o d : I d o n ' t , of 

c o u r s e , blame h e r , — b e t t e r o f f i n the Brown Derby, but no m a t t e r . 

My income was then put i n t o the hands of an a t t o r n e y named P a r k s , 

a c r o o k e d but a m i a b l e f e l l o w w i t h hay f e v e r and some k i n d of 

l e g a l r a p p o r t w i t h the o l d man's London s o l i c i t o r s , who p a i d my 

b i l l s but gave me no money. A f t e r a year a l o n e , c l o s e t o Jan's 

a f f a i r but s e e i n g her o n l y t w i c e - - I s u f f e r e d h o r r i b l y but was 

t a k e n out of the Brown Derby & d e s p a i r by a grand g a l named 

M a r g e r i e B o n n e r 3 but no sooner had t h i s t o happen than I was 

t a k e n s u d d e n l y by P a r k s t o Canada--I was t a k e n s u d d e n l y t o 

Canada, by P a r k s on the u n d e r s t a n d i n g t h a t t h i s j a u n t here was 

s i m p l y i n o r d e r t o o b t a i n a v i s a back t o the U.S. Here he p l a c e d 

my money i n the hands of two men whom he s c a r c e l y knew, one of 

whom, Maclean, I b e l i e v e t o be honest enough, but who, b e i n g 

c o n s t a n t l y away on s e c r e t s e r v i c e , was & i s u n a p p r o a c h a b l e : the 

o t h e r , A.B. C a r e y * — d o n ' t f o r g e t the A.B oh b e s t b e l o v e d — w h o was 

& i s s i m p l y a dung c a r t e x c e p t f o r the s t r a w which i s i n h i s 

f e e t , but a l s o the most u p r i g h t c i t i z e n of Vancouver, & a member 

of the O x f o r d Group. For him, no more d a n c i n g on h e l l ' s b r i g h t 

s a b b a t h g r e e n , the u p r i g h t n e s s h a v i n g d e p a r t e d t o h i s s o u l , which 

s t i n k s e q u a l l y i f p o s s i b l e . P a r k s then v a n i s h e d . A f t e r two 

months g o i n g q u i e t l y i n s a n e c a r e of the O x f o r d group, war was 

a l s o d e c l a r e d . A l l might have been w e l l had not t h i s O x f o r d 

Grouper d i s c o v e r e d t h a t I was i n l o v e w i t h M a r g e r i e whom I hope 

t o god you meet & l o v e as you do me who had s t u c k by me t h r o u g h 



9 7 

t h i c k & t h i n m o s t l y t h i n , s h a r i n g c o n d i t i o n s w i t h me which make 

G o r k i ' s Lower Depths l o o k l i k e a d r a w i n g room comedy. When A.B. 

Carey d i s c o v e r e d t h a t I was m a r r i e d , as a m a t t e r of f a c t my 

i n t e r l o c u t o r y decree had j u s t been g r a n t e d , & proposed t o r e t u r n 

t o a n o t h e r g i r l , he s a t on my money, abused my c o n f i d e n c e , s a i d 

t h a t I was c o m m i t t i n g a m o r t a l s i n i n l o v i n g a n o t h e r woman t h a n 

my w i f e , read my l e t t e r s , & a c t u a l l y i n t e r f e r e d w i t h my m a i l . 

Then war was d e c l a r e d , & here was I l e f t on the wrong s i d e of the 

b o r d e r . Now I had the v i s a , t o get back but A.B. Carey would 

g i v e me no money. So I w i r e d M a r g e r i e f o r enough money t o make 

the t r i p back t o Los A n g e l e s , which she d i d , & was t u r n e d back a t 

the b o r d e r , A.B Carey h a v i n g a l r e a d y presumably i n f o r m e d the 

a u t h o r i t i e s t h a t I would be unable t o s u p p o r t m y s e l f on the o t h e r 

s i d e . 

In t r y i n g t o get out of the hands of t h e s e b a s t a r d o s by 

which I mean a l s o the e n t i r e O x f o r d Group as w e l l by any means 

and back t o Los A n g e l e s , where l i v e d M a r j o r i e , who was and i s t o 

me l i k e those o l d N i c e a n b a r k s of y o r e , and who d w e l t among the 

t r e e s t h a t haven't had a headache as l o n g as I have, and from 

whom I had a l s o borrowed the money f o r the j o u r n e y , and f a i l i n g 

i n the l a t t e r a t t e m p t because I had no c o n v i n c i n g p r o o f of income 

t o show a t the b o r d e r - - t h i s p a r t i s v e r y c o m p l i c a t e d , so I ' l l 

come back t o i t l a t e r - - A . B . Carey & P a r k s had guessed a l l t h a t — I 

now found m y s e l f then i n , the hands of one M a u r i c e (and don't 

f o r g e t the M a u r i c e , oh b e s t b e l o v e d ) C a r e y , * w i t h whom I , t h a t i s 

t o s a y we (I s h a l l e x p l a i n l a t e r ) a r e a t p r e s e n t s t a y i n g . At 

t h i s p o i n t I s h o u l d s t a t e more c l e a r l y t h a t I l e f t M a r j o r i e i n 



Hollywood f u l l y e x p e c t i n g my r e t u r n , t h a t I l i v e d o n l y f o r t h a t 

r e t u r n , but t h a t a s e r i e s of o t h e r c i r c u m s t a n c e s I won't I n f l i c t 

upon you f o l l o w i n g on the p r e v i o u s d i f f i c u l t i e s i n Los Angeles 

owing t o the murderous b i t c h i n e s s of Jan about d i v o r c e and 

c u l m i n a t i n g i n my u n s u c c e s s f u l attempt t o r e t u r n t o M a r j o r i e , 

f u r t h e r c o m p l i c a t e d by the f a c t t h a t Jan & she l i v e d i n the same 

town, and by P a r k s f r u s t r a t i n g me on one s i d e , A.B. Carey on the 

o t h e r , and the f a m i l y s o l i c i t o r s on b o t h , had brought me t o the 

verge of a r e a l breakdown, one of the k i n d w i t h c a s t i r o n 

w h i s t l e s w h i s k e r s on i t . There was not o n l y M a r j o r i e , you s e e , 

but a l l my work, In the U n i t e d S t a t e s In one p a r t p o r t or 

a n o t h e r . There was the war, t o o , so I d i d n ' t e x p e c t t o f i n i s h 

a l l the work, but d i d e x p e c t t o see you, and a p p o i n t you, i f you 

were t o be found, a l i t e r a r y e x e c u t o r , and I had a c c o m p l i s h e d 

much. No excuse would wash w i t h the f a m i l y , though I had 

v o l u n t e e r e d t o f i g h t f o r England i n E n g l a n d , & even p o s s e s s e d a 

r e t u r n t i c k e t v i a the B e r e n g a r i a , 8 which a l t h o u g h l o n g s i n c e 

broken up as a f i r e t r a p , i s s t i l l a s h i p i f o n l y i n the memory, 

and a r e t u r n t i c k e t i s s t i l l a r e t u r n t i c k e t even i f l e f t behind 

i n Mexico & t u r n e d i n a t Cooks i n the Avenida de Madera. 7 So, 

Conrad, t o make a s h o r t s t o r y l o n g e r , t u r n e d back and a t the 

dock's d a r k ' s edge, 3 knowing how c o l d the water was, I w i r e d 

M a r g e r i e ( w i t h what was l e f t of her f a r e ) t o come i m m e d i a t e l y t o 

Vancouver, a d i s t a n c e r a t h e r f a r t h e r than t h a t from London t o 

Warsaw, as I needed h e r , which she d i d . When she a r r i v e d she 

found me i n such a s t a t e of d e s p a i r t h a t she wrote back & 

r e s i g n e d her job a t home t o take c a r e of me. Now the s e t up Is 



t h i s . M a u r i c e Carey c o l l e c t s the p i t t a n c e l e f t by the o t h e r two 

who s i t on the m o n e y , — a l l o w i n g me $2 a week f o r m y s e l f & 

M a r j o r i e , i n r e t u r n f o r which we get a bed & one meal a day i f 

we're l u c k y . And s e c r e c y , from A.B. Carey & Maclean. There i s 

f a m i l y of s i x , i n c l u d i n g a l o u d s p e a k e r , a h o w l i n g wind which 

rages t h r o u g h the house a l l day, t w i n s and a n u r s e , who s l e e p s 

w i t h the youngest boy, aged 14. Mrs Carey, who t h i n k s we a r e 

m a r r i e d , says t h a t t h i s i s n ' t r i g h t . Nor do I . Nor would you, 

t h i n k s o , we t h i n k . I f o r g o t the dog, the c a n a r y , & a Hindoo 

t i m b e r merchant, educated a t Corpus C h r i s t i , Oxford--you c a n ' t 

get away from Ox£ord--who s l e e p s i n the w o o d p i l e i n the basement 

h o p i n g , w i t h h i s f i n e O r i e n t a l calm, t h a t one day h e ' l l be p a i d 

f o r the wood. 

We a r e , t h e r e f o r e , as you might guess, more or l e s s 

b e d r i d d e n , not because we a r e more i l l than usual--we have 

s t o u t i s h h e a r t s too even i f a t r i f l e c r a c k e d — b u t because bed i s 

the o n l y p l a c e i n Vancouver where we have found e i t h e r p l e a s u r e 

or p r o t e c t i o n , p r o t e c t i o n because once i t i s known by A.B. Carey 

-A.B. f o r d i s a b l e d semen 9 --that Margie i s h e r e , she w i l l be 

d e p o r t e d , s i n c e she i s by now i n Canada i l l e g a l l y , t o p a r t s 

unknown, & o u r s e l v e s s e p a r a t e d . I t i s not t h a t the bed l i n e n i s 

stamped w i t h the l i n e a m e n t s of l a s t weeks l o v e & the muddy boots 

of the week b e f o r e , not t h a t t h a t one day the f e a r t h a t the more 

d e t e s t a b l e of the t w i n s may be f o u n d — t h e r e was something 

a p p e a l i n g i n i t s upturned f a c e as we l i f t e d i t t e n d e r l y out of 

the t o i l e t — m y s t e r i o u s l y drowned,--not t h a t the o v e r s e x e d Hindoo 

has an axe d o w n s t a i r s & t h a t we know he i n t e n d s t o use i t nor 



100 

t h a t the sound of the r a d i o i s l i k e the v o i c e s of the damned 

h o w l i n g f o r h e l p , or t h a t Maurice Carey, who i s an e x - s e r g e a n t 

major w i t h a d i s a b i l i t y , and how, has a h a b i t of d r i l l i n g an 

i m a g i n a r y p l a t o o n up & down the s t a i r s a t t h r e e o 1 c l o c k In the 

morning, not t h a t Vancouver i s l i k e the P o r t o b e l l o Road m a g n i f i e d 

s e v e r a l thousand t i m e s , 3 - 0 — n o t m i s e r y , oh Demarest 3 - 3 -—and i s the 

most h o p e l e s s of a l l c i t i e s of the l o s t , not a l l the b e l l s and 

c l a s h e s of the n i g h t , which a p p a l us: i t i s the thought r a t h e r of 

the a b s o l u t e i n j u s t i c e of a l l t h i s , of the m i s u n d e r s t a n d i n g , of 

the h o p e l e s s n e s s of communication, and the thought a l s o t h a t a 

sentence which i s b e g i n n i n g ( w i t h of c o u r s e the above 

r e s e r v a t i o n s ) t o be f a i r , may a t any moment be f i n i s h e d w i t h a 

b l o t : t h a t w i l l stamp our l i v e s o u t . But, from b r a s s bedsteads 

t o b r a s s t a c k s . For by now you can see by now t h a t we cannot 

remain here much l o n g e r or God knows what w i l l happen. 

Now, as t o the l i n e , the hook l i n e & s i n k e r , t o use w i t h the 

o l d man, i f you see f i t t o t a k e one. B e f o r e you take any though, 

perhaps i t i s b e s t t o know t h a t my r e l a t i o n s h i p w i t h M. Carey Is 

f u r t h e r c o m p l i c a t e d by the f a c t t h a t he has w r i t t e n to my f a t h e r 

a s k i n g t o be made t r u s t e e f o r my money h e r e , w i t h the 

u n d e r s t a n d i n g t h a t he would then t u r n i t over t o me f o r a c e r t a i n 

c u t each month. B e i n g so d e s p e r a t e t o be w i t h Margie I agreed t o 

t h i s as a t the time he seemed s y m p a t h e t i c — t o do him j u s t i c e , he 

i s s o r t o f , — b u t what w i t h the t w i n s & the Hindoo & a l l we a l l 

have our b l o o d y t r o u b l e s & have to use c e r t a i n methods t o s o l v e 

them not sometimes the r e a l r i g h t t h i n g , — b u t he has s i n c e proved 

d i f f i c u l t , f o r i n s t a n c e , he pawned my t y p e w r i t e r one day w i t h o u t 



1 0 1 

my knowledge, which I d i d n ' t e x a c t l y l i k e , t h i s one i s 

b o r r o w e d , 1 2 & s h o u l d he get c o n t r o l of the money, we might not 

get enough to l i v e on, & anyhow t h e r e i s a l w a y s the t e r r i b l e f e a r 

t h a t Margie may be d e p o r t e d : so you must not s a y a n y t h i n g about 

t h i s t o the f a m i l y because, i f i t i s i m p o s s i b l e f o r you t o h e l p 

us (& t r y & r e a l i s e t h a t your h e l p i s not j u s t h e l p , o n l y , I must 

see you & a l s o owe a d u t y t o y o u ) , & we a r e f o r c e d t o remain 

h e r e , we s h a l l have t o depend on him. Margie i s American 

h e l p l e s s , & u t t e r l y w i t h o u t money, & were she d e p o r t e d i t would 

be t o H o l l y w o o d , she would have n o t h i n g t o l i v e on, & moreover, 

she would be, f o r many reasons i n an u n t e n a b l e p o s i t i o n , & a l s o 

she c o u l d not s t a n d b e i n g w i t h o u t me. Anyhow I am v e r y near a 

mental & nervous c o l l a p s e , though c h e e r f u l n e s s i s always b r e a k i n g 

i n 1 3 & I know t h a t i f Margie (whom you & Mary would adore) & I 

were s e p a r a t e d , u n l e s s I c o u l d f e e l she were g o i n g t o you, or a 

f r i e n d of y o u r s , or somewhere where she c o u l d be near a t l e a s t 

the hope of s e e i n g me a g a i n , or near some encouragement of t h a t 

hope or assuagement of i t s l o s s , which she would not have i n 

H o l l y w o o d , she would break up b e c a u s e — b u t why go on? We would 

both break. As t o j o b s here I would t a k e any one, but I cannot 

because of my s t a t u s h e r e : nor are t h e y t a k i n g any more r e c r u i t s . 

I have f r e q u e n t l y wanted t o go t o New York or B o s t o n where I 

would be i n t o u c h w i t h f r i e n d s of yours and get a j o b but•have 

been f o i l e d always by P a r k s who would never t r u s t me w i t h the 

money—& I never seemed t o be a b l e t o e a r n any a t the r i g h t 

moment—then t h e r e was Jan & I was f e e l i n g a b i t knocked oop 

about t h a t , & so on ad f i n i t u m : and the f a m i l y i d e a , of c o u r s e , 



102 

always was, a t a d i s t a n c e , h a v i n g the most s i n i s t e r and m o s t l y 

(but not a l w a y s ) f a n c i f u l i d e a of my g o i n g s on, t h a t I would be 

h o r s i n g around, " f r e e l a n c i n g " , as t h e y put i t , "not under p r o p e r 

s u p e r v i s i o n , " - - e t c 

I t i s queer, when a l l I w i s h i s t o be independent, t h a t I 

s h o u l d now be p l a c e d f o r c i b l y i n a p o s i t i o n where i t i s v i r t u a l l y 

i m p o s s i b l e , a l t h o u g h a l l t h i s i s q u i t e c o n s i s t e n t w i t h the 

p a t t e r n of my f a t h e r ' s g e n e r a l a t t i t u d e . 

Now you c o u l d s u g g e s t t o my f a t h e r , i f the p l a n doesn't work 

by c a b l e , (a l i t t l e l o n g perhaps) which would be b e t t e r , among 

o t h e r t h i n g s which may occur t o you, t h a t : . 

(1) You would be the t r u s t e e of my income & my g u a r d i a n , 
but t h a t your p o s i t i o n would be t o t r y & h e l p me. f i n d a 
p o s i t i o n i n which I can be independent, i n s h o r t you 
know you can f i n d a j o b f o r me, s u b j e c t of c o u r s e t o 
the l i m i t a t i o n s of my s t a t u s , & t i m e . 

(2) You c e r t a i n l y would be more l i k e l y t o expend i t , t h a t 
i s my income, i f any, f o r my b e n e f i t than an u t t e r 
s t r a n g e r , w i t h whom I'm u n s y m p a t h e t i c & who c a r e s 
n o t h i n g f o r me. 

( 3 ) My l e t t e r s u g g e s t s t o you t h a t I am d e s p e r a t e l y 
unhappy, a b s o l u t e l y a l o n e & w i t h o u t f r i e n d s i n an 
abominable c l i m a t e , but p a r t i c u l a r l y unhappy because of 
the u n f a i r n e s s of not o n l y b e i n g r e n d e r e d unable t o 
f i n i s h a l l my work, but unable t o c o n v i n c e P a r k s or 
England t h a t i t e x i s t s , or i s i m p o r t a n t , or t h a t the 
d e f i n i t e u n d e r s t a n d i n g was t h a t I s h o u l d be a l l o w e d t o 
go back t o A m e r i c a . 

( 4 ) They o b j e c t e d t o my g o i n g E a s t on my own hook b e f o r e t o 
see p u b l i s h e r s because t h e y would not t r u s t me: 
t h e r e f o r e you must make i t p l a i n t h a t I w i l l be under 
p r o p e r s u p e r v i s o n : v i z , i n your home & i n your 
c o n s t a n t c a r e : a l s o t h a t I have got p u b l i s h e r s who a r e 
i n f l u e n t i a l people who a r e i n t e r e s t e d i n my work. 

(5) That I have made e v e r y attempt t o e n l i s t h e r e , 
a p p a r e n t l y , but have been t u r n e d down e i t h e r because of 
h e a l t h or s t a t u s , you don't know w h i c h , & now t h e y a r e 
t a k i n g no more r e c r u i t s . However, i f two b i r d s must be 
k i l l e d w i t h one s t o n e , your own home i s o n l y a s h o r t 



103 

j o u r n e y from E a s t e r n Canada, & l a t e r , when my work i s 
i n the r i g h t hands, & t h e y a r e a g a i n t a k i n g r e c r u i t s , I 
c o u l d have a n o t h e r s h o t from the E a s t . (I may agree 
w i t h you e v e n t u a l l y , Conrad, t h a t t h e r e a r e b e t t e r 
i n s t i t u t i o n s than the army but i t p r o b a b l y would not be 
t a c t f u l t o s a y t h i s t o people who may be b e i n g bombed, 
even as you w r i t e . ) 

( 6 ) Can you make i t p l a i n t o my f a t h e r t h a t what he has 
heard of me has been m o s t l y t h r o u g h o t h e r p e o p l e , and 
t h a t I am a n x i o u s t o s t a t e my c a s e , t h r o u g h you, who 
know me b e t t e r t h a n anybody. 

( 7 ) That I f e e l t h a t my f a t h e r i s b e i n g e x p l o i t e d i n the 
p r e s e n t s i t u a t i o n , which i s i n t o l e r a b l e & h o p e l e s s , but, 
t h a t as my word i s o b v i o u s l y d i s c r e d i t e d , I f e e l i t 
u s e l e s s t o make any s t a t e m e n t of my own s i d e of the 
c a s e , which i s a matter of c o n s t a n t torment t o me, & 
t h a t you c o u l d a c t as m e d i a t o r between m y s e l f , & you, 
who know and r e s p e c t b o t h p a r t i e s 

( 8 ) That i n j u s t i c e i s b e i n g done t o me, t h a t my p r e s c e n c e 
i n Canada was none of my own s e e k i n g & was n o t , i n the 
f i r s t p l a c e , n e c e s s a r y , s i n c e my v i s a would have been 
e x t e n d e d : & t h a t I am v e r y unhappy about the 
estrangement & I am a p p e a l i n g t o you, d e s p e r a t e l y , to 
h e l p me p e r s o n a l l y a d j u s t the m i s u n d e r s t a n d i n g . Which 
goes as between m y s e l f & my mother t o o . ( I n s p i t e of 
the f a c t t h a t m i s u n d e r s t a n d i n g w i l l always be as 
complete as e v e r , of c o u r s e . ) 

( 9 ) That above a l l I among s t r a n g e r s who n e i t h e r u n d e r s t a n d 
me, & i f I am t o go t o the war, you would l i k e me a t 
l e a s t t o have h i s f r i e n d s h i p . 

( 1 0 ) That I am s t i l l p e r f e c t l y w i l l i n g t o go & e n l i s t i n 
E n g l a n d , as I s t a t e d t o them when war broke o u t , but 
s i n c e t h e y w i l l not pay the f a r e o v e r , I c o u l d e a r n i t 
w i t h you, & anyhow Boston i s be the most s e n s i b l e p o r t 
t o s a i l from i n t h i s hemisphere. 

( 1 1 ) You can say f u r t h e r , t h a t i f t h e y a r e a n x i o u s about 
dr i nk. t h a t i f t h e r e i s s t i l l a n x i e t y i n t h a t r e g a r d 
any l o n g e r on t h e i r s i d e from what you can g a t h e r from 
my l e t t e r i t i s unfounded: but t h a t ' l l you' 1 1 keep a  
s t r i c t eye on me i n t h a t r e g a r d . (Here's l o o k i n g a t 
you) . 

( 1 2 ) I f t h e i r i d e a i s t o c u t me o f f w i t h o u t a penny f a i r l y 
soon, why not g i v e me enough t o l i v e on f o r some months 
i n Boston anyhow, which you would a d m i n i s t e r , so t h a t 
a t l e a s t I would have a f a i r chance, h a v i n g none i n 
Vancouver. 



104 

Now the f a m i l y as you p r o b a b l y have g a t h e r e d , are not l i k e l y 

t o t a k e k i n d l y t o the i d e a of my m a r r y i n g a g a i n so soon a f t e r one 

m a r i t a l d i s a s t a r , (though i n t h i s c o n n e c t i o n i t s h o u l d be 

mentioned t h a t I c a n ' t anyhow, h a v i n g o n l y an i n t e r l o c u t o r y 

d e c r e e I c a n ' t be m a r r i e d f o r a y e a r . ) - - s o b e s i d e s e v e r y t h i n g 

e l s e we must keep Margie a s e c r e t f o r the time b e i n g & you must 

not mention her i n your l e t t e r . I t might, however, be as w e l l t o 

s t a t e t h a t w i t h you I would be a t l e a s t thousands of m i l e s away 

from J a n , of whom you t h o r o u g h l y d i s a p p r o v e d & a g a i n s t whom you 

had warned me a g a i n and a g a i n , t h a t she had been the s o u r c e of a 

k i n d of a n t a g o n i s m t h a t had sprung up between us a t one t i m e , 1 - * 

and t h a t the o n l y t h i n g t h a t ever went wrong w i t h our own 

r e l a t i o n s h i p was t h a t you knew I was f u n d a m e n t a l l y unhappy w i t h 

h e r , t h a t I knew t h a t you knew, t h a t I r e s e n t e d t h a t knowledge, 

and t h e r e f o r e took i t out upon you p r a c t i c a l l y t o the p o i n t of 

b e t r a y i n g our f r i e n d s h i p , f o r my s e l f - c o n c e i t , which i s the t r u t h 

as i t happens, because I know now t h a t a l l you r e a l l y d e s i r e d was 

ray h a p p i n e s s : s o , no J a n . N e v e r t h e l e s s , ray p l a n s f o r the f u t u r e 

must i n c l u d e M a r g i e , as you can w e l l u n d e r s t a n d ; f o r our d e v o t i o n 

t o each o t h e r i s the o n l y t h i n g h o l d i n g me t o l i f e & s a n i t y . We 

are p e r f e c t l y a d j u s t e d t o each o t h e r , & p e r f e c t l y happy: And she 

i s j u s t the k i n d of a g a l you always wanted me t o have: and you 

always s a i d I'd be a l l r i g h t i f I had the r i g h t g a l : & I do have 

the r i g h t g a l , & I'm a l l r i g h t as anybody can be who f e e l s he's 

j u s t waking from a n i g h t m a r e ; & were i t not f o r t h i s God a w f u l 

environment of r a i n and f e a r , f o r a l t h o u g h we f e a r no l o n g e r f e a r 

i t s e l f i s about us, and the war w i t h i t s s m e l l of dead t r u t h , i t s 



105 

f i r s t c a s u a l t y , i n our n o s t r i l s , we'd both be a l l r i g h t . 

Of c o u r s e e v e n t u a l l y I s h a l l p r o b a b l y have t o j o i n up t o 

f i g h t f o r the f o r c e s o f - e r - r e a s o n but a t the moment I am more 

concerned w i t h p r e s e r v i n g my own which I c o n s i d e r no l e s s 

v a l u a b l e & c e r t a i n l y as remarkable as H i t l e r s . Meantime we want 

t o be t o g e t h e r as l o n g as p o s s i b l e & grab what l i t t l e h a p p i n e s s 

we can & d e f i n i t e l y be t o g e t h e r u n t i l we can be m a r r i e d b e f o r e I 

go. T h i s w i l l p r o b a b l y be i m p o s s i b l e i n Canada because 

c o n s c r i p t i o n w i l l come b e f o r e the year i s out but do not s u g g e s t 

t o the o l d f o l k s t h a t I c o n s i d e r i t a l s o i m p o s s i b l e i n America 

because of my n a t i o n a l i t y t h e r e b y i m p l y i n g t h a t I might w i s h to 

change a b l u e p a s s p o r t f o r a brown one 

Upon r e a d i n g t h i s over I f e a r t h a t you w i l l come t o the 

c o n c l u s i o n t h a t I have a l r e a d y l o s t my mind but d e s p i t e 

c h e e r f u l n e s s always b r e a k i n g i n 1 5 you can see t h a t we r e a l l y are 

i n a d e s p e r a t e s i t u a t i o n . I f my s u g g e s t i o n does not seem t o you 

t o be p r a c t i c a b l e can you t h i n k of a n y t h i n g e l s e t o do & f o r 

God's sake whatever you do do i t q u i c k b e f o r e we s i n k f o r the 

l a s t t i m e . 

I have some o t h e r i d e a s about approach t o the f a m i l y : one, 

s e r i o u s l y , i f i t c o u l d be a f f o r d e d , by c a b l e , a one, which would 

s u g g e s t t h a t you had heard I was s t r a n d e d i n Vancouver & t h a t 

Canada was t a k i n g no more r e c r u i t s , t h a t you had seen my 

p u b l i s h e r s who wanted me on the s p o t , and c o u l d I come, because 

something i m p o r t a n t had d e v e l o p e d f o r me, & t h a t I c o u l d t h e n 

s t a y w i t h you: or perhaps put a p u b l i s h e r , or B e r n i c e , or 

L i n s c o t t , 1 8 or someone w h o l l y i m a g i n a r y , up t o s e n d i n g a c a b l e 



106 

s a y i n g t h a t I was wanted i n America f o r some work, & c o u l d i t be 

made p o s s i b l e : or something l i k e t h a t . Any of t h e s e t h i n g s might 

work. As f o r the f i n a n c i a l end of i t , my God, Conrad you know as 

w e l l as I t h a t you a r e f a r more my f a t h e r t h a n my own f a t h e r & 

t h a t once I was on the s p o t i n Boston w i t h you, e v e r y t h i n g c o u l d 

be e n g i n e e r e d from t h e r e , f i n a n c i a l l y . I t has been done b e f o r e : 

as f o r o u r s e l v e s , i t would save our l i v e s : as f o r m y s e l f , 

p e r s o n a l l y , i t would be the p e r f e c t r e c o n c i l i a t i o n , e i t h e r t o a 

happy d e a t h , or t o a new l i f e : f o r I never f e l t more l i k e w o r k i n g 

i n s p i t e of a l l t h i s m i s e r y , & never more s u r e of m y s e l f : t h i s 

would be, i n r e a l i t y , a g r e a t c i r c l e . 

But t o get back t o M a r g i e . We cannot be m a r r i e d f o r a year 

so we s h a l l have t o s t e e r c l o s e t o the wind d u r i n g t h a t t i m e , & I 

do want f o r her sake t o s t a y out of the army l o n g enough t o marry 

h e r , & i f I s t a y e d i n the s t a t e s t h a t would g i v e me time t o do 

God knows how much work, & Who knows, the b l o o d y war might end? 

I've v o l u n t e e r e d i n both England & Canada & been r e f u s e d i n both 

p l a c e s & I c a n ' t do more t h a n t h a t . I f England s t i l l wants me, I 

t h i n k i t o n l y l o g i c a l t h a t I s h o u l d see you b e f o r e I go. But t o 

a v o i d the p o s s i b l i t y of the d e p o r t a t i o n a n g l e , would i t be t o o 

much of a t r e s p a s s upon your compassion f o r me t o s u g g e s t , t h a t 

i f can l a y my hands on a few hundred bucks I , as i t were, Send 

M a r g i e , who can c r o s s the border whereas I a t p r e s e n t c a n n o t , on 

f i r s t t o you as a s o r t of ambassador of the whole s i t u a t i o n , 

w h i l e you meantime work l i k e h e l l on the o l d man. I f I can then 

come on a f t e r w a r d s , e v e r y t h i n g w i l l be m a r v e l l o u s : but i f I 

t r a g i c a l l y c a n n o t , I c o u l d by t h a t time p o s s i b l y have amassed 



107 

enough money t o g e t s u f f i c i e n t l y f a r E a s t i n Canada, t o be not 

more t h a n a n i g h t s j o u r n e y from M a r g i e , Mary & y o u r s e l f , - - I am 

presuming of c o u r s e you c o u l d f i n d somewhere f o r Margie t o s t a y 

i n the meanwhile,--& from t h a t p o i n t of v a n t a g e , b e i n g once t h e r e 

& near. & one might s t a r t a r g u i n g w i t h the o l d man a l l over 

a g a i n ? I f t h i s i s n ' t too much of a p r e s u m p t i o n on Mary & 

y o u r s e l f . You can p o i n t o u t , i f you l i k e , by the way, q u i t e 

b l u n t l y , t h a t you f e e l d e f i n i t e l y from my l e t t e r , t h a t now i t has 

t u r n e d i m p o s s i b l e t o j o i n the army i n Canada, t h a t i f I am 

t h w a r t e d i n my d e s i r e t o see you & f i n i s h my work i n the s t a t e s , 

the r e s u l t s w i l l be immediate & t r a g i c . 

W e l l , now f o r the work a n g l e . I have w r i t t e n Whit B u r n e t t 

t o send you a book of poems c a l l e d The L i g h t h o u s e I n v i t e s the 

S t o r m ; 1 7 have w r i t t e n Ann Watkins t o send In B a l l a s t 1 3 t o 

B e r n i c e : 1 9 have w r i t t e n t o Los Angeles f o r Under the Volcano & a 

p l a y : 2 0 & am s e n d i n g you, by the b e g i n n i n g of the next week, the 

copy of a t h i n g c a l l e d The L a s t A d d r e s s , 2 1 the o r i g i n a l of which 

I am s e n d i n g t o B e r n i c e . As t h i s i s , among o t h e r t h i n g s , about a 

mans' h y s t e r i c a l i d e n t i f i c a t i o n w i t h M e l v i l l e , I t h i n k i t might 

i n t e r e s t H a r r y M u r r y , 2 2 & would be g r a t e f u l i f you would pass i t 

on, i f you too t h i n k so. 

So, Conrad, o l d f e l l o w , p l e a s e h e l p . So d e e p l y do I f e e l 

t h a t y o u r s i s the o n l y s t a r we can g u i d e our bark on now I sense 

t h a t my h e a r t had made p r o v i s i o n f o r so t u r n i n g t o you i n the end 

by i t s f i r s t j o u r n e y y e a r s ago t o Boston & the C a p e . 2 3 You can 

save two good l i v e s , I t h i n k , & l i v e s worth s a v i n g , & l i v e s you 

w i l l be g l a d you have saved. Now, thank you from the bottom of 



108 

my h e a r t f o r the s u g g e s t i o n s you have a l r e a d y made: 

My v e r y b e s t l o v e t o Mary, I have seen some of her S p a n i s h 

p i c t u r e s , Man w i t h c o n c e r t i n a e t c , 3 4 l a t e l y , r e p r o d u c e d , which 

a r e m a r v e l l o u s , & do you send me news o f you both and news t o o of 

the voyage t h a t never e n d s . * 8 

M a r g i e sends l o v e . 

Malcolm. 

P.S I s the new n o v e l 'Reading a b o o k ' ? 8 * 

i a m b i c pentametre. 10 f e e t . m y s t e r y b l i z z a r d 
mastery h a z a r d . 

A The t h i n g t o know i s how t o w r i t e a v e r s e 
B Whether or not you l i k e i t , whether or n o t , 
B The goddam t h i n g w i l l put you on t h e s p o t 
A And P e t r a r c h w i l l not save you from t h e c u r s e . 2 ' ' 

A You may be c i r c u m a m b i e n t or t e r s e 
B ? 
A , f o r b e t t e r or worse 
B A thousand l i n e s w i t h o u t a s i n g l e b l o t . 3 * 

C C h r i s t the g r e a t p s a l m i s t cannot save us here 
B He l i s p e d i n Numbers but no numbers came 3 * 
D 

C 
D E l i o t and Pound were p r o s i n g a l l the time 
E. And Whitman ( W a l t ) / a l a s , d i d much t h e same. 

P.S. S i n c e f i n i s h i n g t h i s l e t t e r l a s t n i g h t t h i n g s have become 

s u d d e n l y even worse and i f something doesn't happen p r e t t y damn 

q u i c k the s i t u a t i o n w i l l become l i k e t h e p o s t u l a t e d end of 

K a f k a ' s The C a s t l e , i n which K. was d y i n g , surrounded by the 

v i l l a g e r s , worn out w i t h the s t r u g g l e , which K a f k a h i m s e l f was 



109 

too worn out to write, he was too worn out to write. we are 

staying in bed to t r y and keep warm, though we haven't enough 

blankets and we've put what's l e f t of our clothes over us we're 

s t i l l freezing. There i s an i c y r a i n which hasn't stopped for 

days and the room i s damp, we have both caught severe colds and 

Margie has a bad cough. We a c t u a l l y haven't had enough to eat 

and now we think Maurice, due to his i n j u r i e s from the l a s t war, 

has r e a l l y gone a l i t t l e crazy. He has t o l d us that we must get 

out of here on Tuesday, which i s the day he c o l l e c t s money for my 

board from the other Carey, and i f that happens we w i l l a c t u a l l y 

be penniless, In a strange & believe me damned h o s t i l e & ugly 

country with no place to go and no friends. The s i t u a t i o n i s too 

complex to explain just why t h i s w i l l be so, but i f Maurice turns 

us out he w i l l have to l i e about me to save himself (one more 

black eye to the family) and i f I t e l l the t r u t h about him, i t 

looks even worse that I should have been staying with, and 

endorsing to the family, a man of his character. I assure you, I 

simply had no choice in t h i s matter, knowing no one here and 

having no status nor any money I was forced to trust him and hope 

for the b e s t — w e l l , i t has turned as you see. I a c t u a l l y fear as 

for, d i f f e r e n t reasons, I feared A.B. C a r e y — t r u s t i n g to trusting 

him with my mall so when you reply perhaps you'd better address 

me at the Hotel Georgia where I s h a l l not; be staying but where 

s h a l l make arrangements to receive mail, and better send another 

l e t t e r here, just in case. Another idea: an appeal to 

Davenport, 3 , 0 whose address I don't know, might help. We had an 

understanding about t h i s . Or what about an advance on a novel on 



110 

t h i s s i t u a t i o n by both of us, or a l l of us, t o be c a l l e d N i g h t 

J o u r n e y A c r o s s the Sea? Or can you say t h a t something has t u r n e d 

up f o r me, t h a t you must see me somehow, & get funds from the o l d 

man t h a t way: or c o u l d you get him somehow t o f i n a n c e your 

e x p e d i t i o n h e r e , s i n c e i t i s so s e r i o u s , I mean i t , Conrad, i t i s 

damned s e r i o u s : & f o r once I am not t o blame f o r most of i t . But 

whatever you do, Conrad, f o r God's sake do i t q u i c k l y b e f o r e we 

s i n k f o r the l a s t time i n t o t h i s more t h a n s e a , t h i s Sargasso sea 

of d e s p a i r . 

We huddle i n bed l i k e gaboons i n the j u n g l e t o keep warm, no 

b l a n k e t s or one, and pinchbeck o v e r c o a t s : ve f r e e z e : the i c y r a i n 

which h a s n ' t stopped f o r days doesn't even b r i n g m a l a n c h o l y any 

l o n g e r : the room i s damp, muscles c o n t r a c t w i t h r h e u m a t i z , noses 

r u n , we cough l i k e sheep, I f e a r Margie may become r e a l l y i l l . 

We haven't had enough to e a t , one p l a t e of beans a day, we no 

l o n g e r dare make t e a because M a u r i c e , (because of a "war" i n j u r y 

caused by f a l l i n g o f f a s t r e e t c a r ) i s h a v i n g one of h i s ' c r a z y 

f i t s ' , i n s u l t s M a r g i e , c a l l s us " f i c t i t i o u s p e o p l e , " e t c . Now--

a l t h o u g h he i s e n t i r e l y dependent on us--So you see, as w e l l as 

snow t h e r e i s f o g . 



I l l 

E x p l a n a t o r y Notes 
x C f . U l t r a m a r i n e t "Mein l i e b e r a l t e Freund" ( 1 4 4 ) . 

" S e n l i n , " " F o r s l i n , " and " C o f f i n " r e f e r t o v o r k s by A i k e n : 
" S e n l i n : A B i o g r a p h y , " The C h a r n e l Rose: S e n l i n : A B i o g r a p h y : and 
Other Poems ( B o s t o n : Four Seas, 1918); The J i g o f F o r s l i n : A 
Symphony ( B o s t o n : Four Seas, 1916); and K i n g C o f f i n (New York: 
S c r i b n e r ' s , 1935) ( n o v e l ) . 

2 A l l u s i o n t o A i k e n ' s n o v e l of the same t i t l e . C f . Undjjr. 
the V o l c a n o (115-16) f o r a s i m i l a r d i s c u s s i o n about a r a i l r o a d . 

* M a r g e r i e Bonner (1905- ), Hollywood s i l e n t f i l m a c t r e s s 
and w r i t e r of m y s t e r y n o v e l s who m a r r i e d Lowry on 2 December 
1940; a u t h o r of The L a s t T w i s t of t h e K n i f e ( 1 9 4 6 ) , The Shapes 
That Creep ( 1 9 4 6 ) f and Horse i n the Sky (1947). She had minor 
a c t i n g r o l e s i n The A n c i e n t Highway, pawght;e*g of T o d a y / and 
Rj£HQ-. 

* A.B. Carey was a Vancouver l a w y e r ; V i c t o r MacLean I have 
not been a b l e t o i d e n t i f y . 

" See M a u r i c e J . Carey's " L i f e With Malcolm Lovry>" ed. 
Anthony R. K l l g a l l l n . Malcolm Lowry: The Man and H i s Work, ed. 
George Woodcock (Vancouver: UBC P, 1971): 163-70. The U.B.C. 
Lowry C o l l e c t i o n c o n t a i n s a complete d r a f t of Carey's 
" r e c o l l e c t i o n " ( 4 3 - 4 ) . 

* " B e r e n g a r l a " : s h i p named a f t e r the daughter of t h e 
P o r t u g u e s e k i n g , Sancho I . C f . a l s o K l l g a l l l n ( 2 6 ) . 

7 "Avenida de Madera": S p a n i s h , "Avenue of Wood." 

* " d a r k ' s edge": a l l u s i o n t o A i k e n ' s p r e l u d e " X X X I I I " which 
Lowry has p r e v i o u s l y t i t l e d "Darks Edge"; see l e t t e r 6, n. 8, 
P. 40. 

* Pun on t h e n a u t i c a l meaning o f " A . B . " — " A b l e B o d i e d 
( S e a m a n ) " — u s e d f r e q u e n t l y by Lowry i n U l t r a m a r i n e . 

x o C f . A i k e n ' s poem "Goya" i n B l u e Voyage: " T h i s was where 
Goya l i v e d : i n P o r t o b e l l o Road" (142-43); r e p r i n t e d i n S e l e c t e d  
Poems (New York: S c r i b n e r ' s , 1929) 360-61. C f . l e t t e r 65, p. 
339. 

x x W i l l i a m Demarest i s t h e p r o t a g o n i s t of B l u e Voyage. 
x a T h i s l e t t e r e x i s t s i n m a n u s c r i p t o n l y . 
x " C f . B o s w e l l ' s L i f e of Johnson, 2 v o l s . (London: O x f o r d 

UP, 1922) v o l . 2: ". . . c h e e r f u l n e s s was always b r e a k i n g i n " 
( 2 3 0 ) . 



112 
x * Cf. Aiken's Ushant; An Essay (Nev York: D u e l l , Sloan and 

^earce, 1952) where Jan f i g u r e s as " N i t a " (352-54). 
1 8 See n. 13 above. 
x a B e r n i c e Baumgarten, Aiken's New York agent with Brandt & 

Brandt. 
Robert L i n s c o t t (1886-1964): see l e t t e r 17, n. 7, p. 94. 
x ? Whitney Ewing Burnett (1899-1973), r e p o r t e r , author, and 

e d i t o r , who founded S t o r y magazine i n 1931. He was e d i t o r and 
c o - e d i t o r of atojty. from 1931-65 and 1966-71, and e d i t o r of T h i s  
i s My Best (ELU1, 1942) and The w o r l d ' s B e s t (PU1, 1950). 
Burnett p u b l i s h e d Lowry's "On Board the West Hardaway" i n S t o r y 
I I I . 15 (Oct. 1933): 12-22 and "Hotel Room i n C h a r t r e s " i n SjfcoiY. 
IV. 26 (Sept. 1934): 53-58. 

"The Lighthouse I n v i t e s the Storm 1 1 was an e a r l y c o l l e c t i o n 
of Lowry's poems which remains unpublished. The Lowry C o l l e c t i o n 
a t U.B.C. has Lowry's " d r a f t copy" of t h i s c o l l e c t i o n {6-51J. 

Ann Watkins was Lowry's l i t e r a r y agent while he was i n 
New York (1934-36); B e r n i c e Baumgarten was Aiken's New York agent 
(n. 16 above). i 

x s "In B a l l a s t to the White Sea": see l e t t e r 17, n. 8, 
p. 94. 

a o Under the Volcano (New York: R e y n a l & Hitchcock, 1947). 
The p l a y t h a t Lowry mentions here i s probably a d r a m a t i z a t i o n of 
Nordahl G r i e g ' s n o v e l , The Ship S a i l s On (1927), which he was 
working on while i n Mexico; see Lowry's unpublished l e t t e r of 
1938 to Nordahl G r i e g i n the U.B.C. Lowry C o l l e c t i o n [1-76]. 

a x «The L a s t Address" was an e a r l y v e r s i o n of Lowry's 
n o v e l l a , Lunar Caustic,, eds. E a r l e B i r n e y and Margerie Lowry 
(London: Jonathan Cape, 1968), based upon h i s experience i n Nev 
York's B e l l e v u e H o s p i t a l i n 1935. 

" Henry Alexander Murray (1893- ), American p s y c h o l o g i s t , 
educator, and v r i t e r vho vas a f a c u l t y member of Harvard 
U n i v e r s i t y from 1926-62 when he was named p r o f e s s o r emeritus; he 
met Aiken a t Harvard i n 1927. Cf. a l s o l e t t e r 20, p. 133. 

a a Lowry s a i l e d to Boston from England i n the summer of 1929 
t o v i s i t Aiken; see my i n t r o d u c t o r y note, p. 2-3. 

•«-C£. l e t t e r 34, n. 9, p. 226. 

« "The Voyage That Never Ends" was Lowry's t i t l e f o r h i s 
proposed novel sequence which he o u t l i n e d i n h i s 1951 "Work i n 
P r o g r e s s " statement to A l b e r t E r s k i n e , h i s e d i t o r a t Reynal & 
Hitchcock; t h i s statement i s c o n t a i n e d i n the U.B.C. Lowry 
C o l l e c t i o n [32-1]. 



113 
a a C f . A i k e n ' s Ushant ( 2 1 ) . A i k e n was a t t h i s time w o r k i n g 

on conversation; or Pilgrims' Progress which was p u b l i s h e d i n 
1940. 

2 7 C f . t h e s i m i l a r l i n e s of p o e t r y i n l e t t e r 16, p. 85. 

*• C f . Ben Jonson, "LXIV: De Shakespeare N o s t r a t i , " Timber  
or D i s c o v e r i e s B e i n g O b s e r v a t i o n s on Men and Manners (London: 
J.M. Dent, 1902): " I remember t h e p l a y e r s have o f t e n mentioned i t 
as an honour t o Shakespeare, t h a t i n h i s w r i t i n g (whatsoever he 
penned) he never b l o t t e d out a l i n e . My answer h a t h been, 'Would 
he had b l o t t e d a thousand,'. . ." ( 3 5 ) . 

a » C f . A l e x a n d e r Pope's " E p i s t l e t o John A r b u t h n o t , " 1. 128: 
" I l i s p e d i n Numbers, f o r t h e Numbers came." 

3 , 0 John Davenport; see l e t t e r 7, n. 12, p. 49. 

T e x t u a l Notes 

l i t i s u n l i k e l y t h a t the m a n u s c r i p t v e r s i o n o f t h i s 
l e t t e r i n the U.B.C. L i b r a r y i s t h e one a c t u a l l y 
r e c e i v e d by A i k e n . The b e g i n n i n g o f t h i s l e t t e r , 
from t h e s a l u t a t i o n t o "& P a r k s had guessed a l l 
t h a t - - " ( 9 7 . 2 3 ) , has been c r o s s e d out by Lowry; 
however, because no r e v i s i o n o f t h e s e passages i s 
a v a i l a b l e , I have chosen t o i n c l u d e them i n my 
t e x t . Note by M a r g e r i e Lowry i n t o p r i g h t - h a n d 
c o r n e r of f i r s t page r e a d s : "<autumn> March 1939"; 
t h i s d a t e i s not c o r r e c t ] 

the r a i l r o a d b e l n g \ the r a i l r o a d <was> (being} 

went t h e most roundabout way,\ went the most 
< c l r c u l a r > {roundabout} way, 

blame h e r , — b e t t e r o f f \ blame h e r , — < I was> b e t t e r 
o f f 

but no m a t t e r . \ but <to c o n t i n u e ) {no m a t t e r } . 

I s u f f e r e d h o r r i b l y but was (. . .) P a r k s t o Canada\ 
I s u f f e r e d < , q u i t e ) <{mildly}> {<mildly> 
{ { h o r r i b l y } } but was t a k e n out o f t h e Brown Derby & 
d e s p a i r by a grand g a l named M a r g e r i e Bonner but no 
sooner had t h i s t o happen than I was t a k e n s u d d e n l y 
by P a r k s t o Canada) [ t h i s second i n s e r t i o n i s 
w r i t t e n i n the r i g h t - h a n d margin] 

95.13 

95.14-15 

96.4 

96.4 

96.9-12 

96.12-13 I was t a k e n s u d d e n l y t o Canada, by P a r k s \ I was 
t a k e n {suddenly} t o Canada, [by <him) Parks} 



114 

t h i s j a u n t here v a s \ t h i s j a u n t {here} was 

s e c r e t s e r v i c e , was & i s \ s e c r e t s e r v i c e , {was &} i s 

i n h i s f e e t , but a l s o the most\ i n h i s f e e t , {but 
a l s o } t h e most 

of Vancouver,\ o f <the town> Vancouver, 

A l l might have been w e l l I . . .] O x f o r d Grouper 
d i s c o v e r e d \ <Por hlm> A l l might h a v e b e e n w e l l had 
not t h i s <blood.> O x f o r d Grouper <heel> d i s c o v e r e d 

i n l o v e w i t h M a r g e r i e whom I hope\ i n l o v e w i t h <one 
Margerie> <a <<gir'l>> { s w e l l g a l } named M a r g e r i e 
Bonner> <a. grand g a l named> M a r g e r i e <Bonner> whom 
I <had l e f t behi> hope [ a l t h o u g h t h e two "a"'s 
above have not been i n d i v i d u a l l y d e l e t e d , i t would 
seem t h a t t h e y were f o r g o t t e n amongst t h e o t h e r 
d e l e t i o n s , so " i have chosen t o r e p r e s e n t them as 
such] 

s t u c k by me t h r o u g h t h i c k & t h i n m o s t l y t h i n , \ s t u c k 
by me t h r o u g h < a l l my compelicat 1 ons> { t h i c k & t h i n } 
{ m o s t l y t h i n } , 

which make\ which <made> make 

comedy. When A.B. C a r e y \ comedy. <She i s a f i l m 
s t a r , <<late twenties,>> {of} the e a r l y t h r i t i e s , 
had t o q u i t because of h e a r t t r o u b l e ; <<but>> had/ 
<<a>> when I met h e r , a s e c r e t a r i a l j o b i n 
Hollywood.> When A.B. Garey 

d i s c o v e r e d t h a t I was m a r r i e d , as a matter of f a c t \ 
d i s c o v e r e d t h a t I was < i n l o v e w i t h a n o t h e r woman 
& proposed t o r e t u r n t o her> m a r r i e d , as <ra> {a} 
m a t t e r of f a c t 

r e t u r n t o a n o t h e r g i r l , \ r e t u r n t o <her> {another 
g i r l } , 

r e a d my l e t t e r s , & a c t u a l l y \ r e a d my l e t t e r , {&} 
a c t u a l l y 

I had the v i s a , t o g e t back but A.B. C a r e y \ I had 
the v i s a , { t o g e t back} but <Carey w> A.B. <Care> 
Carey 

no money. So I w i r e d \ no money. < <<So I>> or 
damned l i t t l e & no a c c o u n t i n g of what he> So I 
w i r e d 

t h e t r i p back t o \ t h e t r i p {back} t o 



115 

97.12 b o r d e r \ <ord> b o r d e r 

97.13-14 the o t h e r s i d e . \ t h e o t h e r s i d e < , v h i c h X .} 

97.15-16 t h e s e b a s t a r d o s by which [. . .1 as w e l l by any 
meansY t h e s e b a s t a r d o s { by which I mean a l s o t h e 
e n t i r e O x f o r d Group as w e l l } by any means 

97.22 t h i s p a r t i s v e r y c o m p l i c a t e d , \ t h i s { p a r t } i s v e r y 
c o m p l i c a t e d < t h i s p a r t > , ( t h i s d e l e t i o n and 
i n s e r t i o n has been done i n p e n c i l by M a r g e r i e ! 

97.23 l a t e r — A . B . C a r e y I . . .J a l l t h a t — \ l a t e r — { A . B . 
Carey & P a r k s had guessed a l l t h a t — } 

97.23-4 I now found m y s e l f t h e n \ I {now} found m y s e l f {then} 

97.26 ve ( I s h a l l e x p l a i n l a t e r ) a r e \ ve<,> { ( I s h a l l 
e x p l a i n l a t e r ) } 

97.27 s t a t e more c l e a r l y t h a t \ s t a t e {more ' c l e a r l y } t h a t 

98.2 a s e r i e s of o t h e r c i r c u m s t a n c e s I won't\ a s e r i e s of 
{other} c i r c u m s t a n c e s <which> I won't 

98.6 t h e f a c t t h a t J a n & she\ the f a c t t h a t <I> <{they}> 
{Jan & she} 

98.7-8 on one s i d e , A.B. Carey on t h e o t h e r , and the f a m i l y 
s o l i e i t o r s \ on one s i d e , <and> A.B. Carey on the 
o t h e r , and <on b o t h s i d e s by> t h e f a m i l y s o l i c i t o r s 

98.9-10 the k i n d w i t h c a s t i r o n w h i s t l e s v h l s k e r s \ t h e k i n d 
w i t h { c a s t i r o n w h i s t l e s ) w h i s k e r s 

98.11- 12 i n one p a r t p o r t or a n o t h e r . \ i n one p a r t {port} or 
<noth> a n o t h e r . 

98.12- 13 f i n i s h a l l the work,\ f i n i s h { a l l } the work, 

98.13- 15 a p p o i n t you, i f you were t o be found, a l i t e r a r y 
e x e c u t o r ^ and I had a c c o m p l i s h e d much.\ a p p o i n t 
{you}, { i f you were t o be found,} a l i t e r a r y 
e x e c u t o r / and I had a c c o m p l i s h e d much <work>. 

98.15 wash v i t h the f a m i l y , \ vash { w i t h t h e f a m i l y } , 

98.17-18 r e t u r n t i c k e t v i a the B e r e n g a r l a , which a l t h o u g h 
l o n g s i n c e broken up as a f i r e t r a p , i s s t i l l a s h i p 
i f i n the memory,\ r e t u r n t i c k e t <there, on> { v i a } 
the B e r e n g a r l a , which a l t h o u g h <since> l o n g s i n c e 
broken up as a <f> <condemned> f i r e t r a p , i s s t i l l 
a s h i p i f <only> i n the memory, 



116 

98.20 In Mexico & t u r n e d In a t Cooks In t h e A v e n i d a de 
Madera.\ i n Mexico<.> {& t u r n e d i n a t Cooks i n t h e 
A v e n i d a de Madera.) ( t h i s i n s e r t i o n i s w r i t t e n i n 
the r i g h t - h a n d margin; d i r e c t l y above i t i s w r i t t e n 
"P.T.O f o r 3"] 

98.20- 21 So, Conrad, t o make a s h o r t s t o r y l o n g e r , \ So, 
Conrad, ( t o make a <long> { { s h o r t } } s t o r y l o n g e r , } 

98.21- 2 a t the dock's d a r k ' s edge, knowing how c o l d the 
water was, I w i r e d M a r g e r i e \ a t the {dock's} d a r k ' s 
edge, {knowing how c o l d the water was,} I w i r e d 
M a r g e r i e 

98.23-4 t o Vancouver, a d i s t a n c e r a t h e r f a r t h e r t h a n t h a t 
from London t o Warsaw, as I needed h e r , which she 
d i d . \ t o Vancouver, {a d i s t a n c e r a t h e r f a r t h e r t h a n 
t h a t from London t o Warsaw,} as I needed her<.> {,) 
{which she d i d . } 

99.3-4 i f we're l u c k y . And s e c r e c y , I . •'. .T Maclean. There 
i s \ i f we're l u c k y . {And s e c r e c y , fom A.B. Carey & 
Maclean.} There i s • 

99.5-6 i n c l u d i n g a l o u d s p e a k e r , a h o w l i n g wind {. . .} a l l 
day, t w l n s Y i n c l u d i n g a l o u d s p e a k e r , {a h o w l i n g 
wind which rages t h r o u g h t h e house a l l day,} t w i n s 

99.8 Nor would you, t h i n k s o , \ Nor <do we, th> would you, 
t h i n k s o , 

99.9- 10 I f o r g o t t h e dog, the c a n a r y , & a Hindoo t i m b e r 
merchant,\ I f o r g o t the <{hound}> dog, the 
<{bloated}> c a n a r y , & a Hindoo < c r e d i t > t i m b e r 
merchant, 

99.10- 11 Corpus C h r i s t i , O x f o r d — y o u c a n ' t get away from 
O x f o r d — \ Corpus C h r i s t i , O x f o r d { — y o u c a n ' t g e t 
away from O x f o r d — } 

99.11- 12 h o p i n g , w i t h h i s f i n e O r i e n t a l ealm,\ h o p i n g , <in 
h i s > w i t h h i s f i n e O r i e n t a l c a l m , 

99.12- 13 p a i d f o r the wood.\ p a i d f o r the wood. < R l c h l y as I 
d e s e r v e h e l l f i r e , & l i k e i t , t h i s K a f k a < l i k e > s e t 
up i s r e a l l y g e t t i n g me down.> ( c r o s s e d out i n 
lower l e f t - h a n d margin} 

99.14 t h e r e f o r e , as you might guess, more or l e s s \ 
t h e r e f o r e , {as you might guess,} more or l e s s 

99*15-16 we have s t o u t i s h h e a r t s \ we <must> have s t o u t l s h 
h e a r t s 



117 

99.18 because once i t I s known by A.B. C a r e y — \ because 
<if> {once} i t i s known <that> by <Car> A.B. 
<{Oxford Group}> C a r e y — 

99.20-21 d e p o r t e d , s i n c e she i s by now i n Canada i l l e g a l l y , 
t o p a r t s unknown,\ d e p o r t e d , { s i n c e she i s {{by 
now}} i n Canada i l l e g a l l y , } t o p a r t s unknown, [ t h i s 
i n s e r t i o n i s w r i t t e n i n the r i g h t - h a n d margin] 

99.22 l i n e a m e n t s of l a s t weeks l o v e \ l i n e a m e n t s of <love> 
l a s t weeks l o v e 

£9.23 week b e f o r e , not t h a t t h a t one day\ week b e f o r e , < i t 
is> not t h a t <we> t h a t one day 

99.24 f o u n d — t h e r e was\ f o u n d { — } <drowned.> t h e r e was 

99.25- 6 t e n d e r l y out of the t o i l e t — m y s t e r i o u s l y drowned,\ 
t e n d e r l y <out of the> <{from)> < t o i l e t , i t i s not 
the r a d i o > {out of} <the bottom of> the t o i l e t — 
m y s t e r i o u s l y drowned, 

99.26- --not t h a t the o v e r s e x e d Hindoo has an axe 
100;1 d o w n s t a i r s & t h a t [. . .] the sound o f \ — < i t i s > 

not t h a t the {oversexed} Hindoo has an axe 
d o w n s t a i r s {& t h a t we know he I n t e n d s t o use i t } 
<or> {nor} t h a t the sound of 

100.2 M a u r i c e Carey, who i s \ M a u r i c e C a r e y , <{wh}> who i s 

100.3 a d i s a b i l i t y , and how, has\ a d i s a b i l i t y , {and how,} 
has 

100.6 s e v e r a l thousand t i m e s , — n o t m i s e r y , oh D e m a r e s t — 
and i s \ s e v e r a l thousand t i m e s , { — n o t <the> m i s e r y , 
< [ l l l e g . ] > oh Demarest--}and i s 

100.7- 8 of the l o s t , not a l l the b e l l s and c l a s h e s o f the 
n i g h t , which a p p a l u s : \ of the l o s t , {not a l l the 
b e l l s and c l a s h e s of the n i g h t , <not t h i s not 
that,>} which appal<s> us: 

100.8- 9 the thought r a t h e r of t h e \ the thought { r a t h e r } of 
<{rather}> the 

100.10-13 communication, and the thought a l s o t h a t a s e n t e n c e 
which i s b e g i n n i n g [. . .] our l i v e s o u t . \ 
communication <{(Even w i t h you)}>, and the thought 
{ a l s o } t h a t {a sentence which} i s b e g i n n i n g ( w i t h 
of c o u r s e the above r e s e r v a t i o n s ) t o be f a i r , may 
a t <one> {any} moment be f i n i s h e d w i t h a b l o t : t h a t 
w i l l <wreck> {stamp} our l i v e s out<,>{.} 



118 

100.13-14 But from b r a s s bedsteads t o b r a s s t a c k s . \ But<, my 
dear> from b r a s s bedsteads t o b r a s s t a c k s . [ i t i s 
u n c l e a r whether the two " b r a s s M , s were meant t o be 
d e l e t e d or n o t , so I have chosen t o l e a v e them i n 
the t e x t ) 

100.14 For by now you can see by now\ F o r [by now) you can 
see by now [ t h i s s e n t e n c e was o r i g i n a l l y w r i t t e n 
i n p e n c i l by M a r g e r i e and t h e n t r a c e d over i n pen 
by Malcolm; the "by now" i n s e r t i o n was done by 
Malcolm) 

100.22-3 I agreed t o t h i s as a t the t i m e \ I agreed t o t h i s 
< [ i l l e g . 1 > {as} a t the time 

100.25-6 c e r t a i n methods t o s o l v e them\ c e r t a i n methods 
<not> <not som> t o <assuage> { s o l v e } them 

101.1-2 l i k e , t h i s one i s borrowed, &\ l i k e , { t h i s one i s 
borrowed,} & 

101.2 c o n t r o l of t h e money, we\ c o n t r o l ' of <lt> {the 
money}, we * 

101.5-7 h e l p us (& t r y [. . .) t o y o u ) , & we a r e \ h e l p us {& 
t r y & r e a l i s e t h a t < i s > { { y o u r help}} i s not j u s t 
h e l p , o n l y , I must see y_oji & a l s o owe a d u t y t o 
y o u ) } , & we a r e ( t h i s i n s e r t i o n i s w r i t t e n i n the 
r i g h t - h a n d margin] 

101.9-10 w i t h o u t money, & were she [. . . ] , she would\ 
w i t h o u t money, & < i f s> were she d e p o r t e d <to Los 
A n g e l e s , w h i > { i t would be to} H o l l y w o o d , she would 
[ a l t h o u g h Lowry n e g l e c t e d t o d e l e t e t h e f i r s t " t o " 
above, i t i s c l e a r from the l a y o u t and sense o f the 
s e n t e n c e t h a t he meant t o do so] 

101.13-14 nervous c o l l a p s e , though [. . .] & l\ nervous 
c o l l a p s e , {though c h e e r f u l n e s s i s always b r e a k i n g 
in} & I know t h a t i f Margie {(whom you & Mary would 
a d o r e ) } & I 

101.16 f r i e n d of y o u r s , or somewhere\ f r i e n d o f y o u r s , <or> 
{or} somewhere 

101.17 s e e i n g me a g a i n , or n e a r \ s e e i n g me a g a i n , {or} near 

101.18 l o s s , which s h e \ l o s s , <she> which she 

101.19-20 break up b e c a u s e — b u t why go on? We would both 
b r e a k . \ break up <{& so would I}> because <l know 
she would> { — { { b u t } } why go on?} <not {now} have 
i n i t l a v e l e f t <<{to}>> even t o t r y f o r a j o b : i n 
f a c t , we would both <<go under>> > {We would both} 



119 

b r e a k { . K o n a p s y c h o l o g i c a l r e e f o f c o n t i n u a l 
a n x i e t y . > 

101.20- 21 I would t a k e any, [. . .] r e c r u i t s . \ I would t a k e 
(any) <now, c o u l d you w r i t e my f a t h e r & say> one, 
but I cannot {because of my s t a t u s h e r e } : nor a r e 
t h e y t a k i n g any more r e c r u i t s . 

101.21- 2 r e c r u i t s . I have f r e q u e n t l y [. . . .1\ r e c r u i t s . <I 
have f r e q u e n t l y wanted t o go t o New York or B o s t o n , 
but have been f o i l e d by P a r k s , who would {not} l e t 
me g e t h o l d <<where I would be t o u c h w i t h f r i e n d s 
of y o u r s & g e t a job:>> enough where I would be i n 
t o u c h w i t h f r i e n d s of y o u r s , & g e t a j o b , but have 
been f o i l e d always" by P a r k s , who would not t r u s t me 
w i t h the money, {& never seemed t o a b l e t o e a r n any 
a t the r i g h t moment} & the f a m i l y i d e a was I would 
be f r e e l a n c i n g around 6 "not under v p r o p e r 
s u p e r v i s i o n . " { ( Y e s , i t has come t o t h a t . ) } I t i s 
queer, when a l l I w i s h i s t o be independent, t h a t I 
s h o u l d be p l a c e d now i n a p o s i t i o n Where i t i s 
i m p o s s i b l e . > I have f r e q u e n t l y ' ( . . . .} 

t' 

w i t h f r i e n d s of y o u r s \ w i t h < f r i e n d s > { f r i e n d s } of 
y o u r s 

g o i n g s on, t h a t I \ g o i n g s on, <would be> t h a t I 

by c a b l e , (a l i t t l e l o n g perhaps) w h i c h \ by c a b l e , 
{(a l i t t l e l o n g perhaps)} which 

among o t h e r t h i n g s which may o c c u r t o y o u , \ among 
o t h e r t h i n g s <that may> {which may} o c c u r t o you, 

your p o s i t i o n would be t o \ your p o s i t i o n (would be) 
t o 

my income, i f any, f o r \ my income, { i f any,} f o r 

b e i n g r e n d e r e d unable t o f i n i s h a l l my work, but 
u n a b l e \ b e i n g <rendered unable t o f i n i s h my work> 
<{rendered}> {rendered} unable t o f i n i s h a l l my 
work, but < l f I we> unable 

or t h a t t h e d e f i n i t e u n d e r s t a n d i n g \ or <(4) 
( i l l e g . J > t h a t the d e f i n i t e u n d e r s t a n d i n g 

my g o i n g E a s t on my own hook b e f o r e t o s e e \ ray g o i n g 
{East} on my own hook b e f o r e <to l> t o see 

p e o p l e who a r e i n t e r e s t e d i n my work.\ people who 
a r e <{(5)}> i n t e r e s t e d i n my work. 

101.23 

102.2 

102.10 

102.10-11 

102.13 

102.18 

102.24-5 

102.26-7 

102.29-30 

102.34 



120 

102.36-7 because of h e a l t h or s t a t u s , \ because of < h e a l t h of> 
( h e a l t h or) s t a t u s , 

102.39 your own home i s o n l y \ your own home i s <near> o n l y 

103.2 a g a i n t a k i n g r e c r u i t s , \ a g a i n t a k i n g <more> 
r e c r u i t s , 

103.5-6 army but i t p r o b a b l y would not be t a c t f u l \ army but 
i t < i s ( i l l e g . l > p r o b a b l y would <{(€)}> not be 
t a c t f u l • 

103.8 t o my f a t h e r t h a t Y t o my f a t h e r < v > { t l h a t 

103.13 s i t u a t i o n , which i s i n t o l e r a b l e & h o p e l e s s , b u t \ 
s i t u a t i o n , (which i s i n t o l e r a b l e & h o p e l e s s , } but 
( t h i s I n s e r t i o n i s w r i t t e n i n the r i g h t - h a n d 
margin] ^ 

103.15 t o make any s t a t e m e n t of my own s i d e \ to make any 
<explan> statement of my own <s i> s i d e 

r 

103.19 done to me, t h a t my\ done to me, t h a t <I> my 

103.28-30 u n d e r s t a n d me, & i f I am to go to the war, you would 
l i k e me a t l e a s t \ u n d e r s t a n d me, <or can) & i f I am 
to <the> go to the war, you would l i k e me <to> a t 
l e a s t 

103.31-2 i n E n g l a n d , as I s t a t e d to them when war broke o u t , 
b u t \ i n E n g l a n d , (as I s t a t e d to them when war 
broke out,} but ( t h i s i s I n s e r t i o n i n the r i g h t -
hand margin J 

103.34 Boston i s be t h e \ Boston <would> { i s } be t h e 

103.37 d l l f l k , t h a t i f t h e r e i s \ drJLnls., t h a t {if} t h e r e i s 

103.38 from what you\ from what <he> {you} 

104.1 t h e f a m i l y as you p r o b a b l y have g a t h e r e d , a r e n o t \ 

the f a m i l y {as you p r o b a b l y have gathered/} a r e not 

104.5 — s o \ —<So>{so} 

104.6 s e c r e t f o r the time b e i n g \ s e c r e t f o r the <moment 
and you> time b e i n g 

104.8 I would be a t l e a s t t h o u s a n d s \ I would be 
<thousands> a t l e a s t thousands 

104.11 sprung up between u s \ sprung {up} between us 



121 

104.13 you knew I was f u n d a m e n t a l l y unhappy\ you knew <, 
f i r s t t h a t I would be [ i l l e g . ] unhappy 
f u n d a m e n t a l l y w i t h h e r , then which> <that> I was 
f u n d a m e n t a l l y unhappy 

104.15-16 upon you p r a c t i c a l l y t o the p o i n t o f b e t r a y i n g our 
f r i e n d s h i p , f o r my s e l f - c o n c e i t , Y upon you <almost> 
{ p r a c t i c a l l y } t o the p o i n t of <betrayal> b e t r a y i n g 
<oy> {our} <own> f r i e n d s h i p , f o r <you [ i l l e g . ]> my 
<own> s e l f - c o n c e i t , 

104.17 I know now t h a t a l l \ I know now < t h a t l > t h a t a l l 

104.20- 21 l i f e & s a n i t y . We a r e \ l i f e & sanity<;>{.} <I do 
s i n c e r e l y > <I am p e r f e c t l y adj> We a r e 

104.21- 2 happy: And she i s \ happy: <the o n l y t h i n g wrong i s 
[ i l l e g . ] > <she h e l p s me ( m a r v e l l o u s l y } w i t h my work 

6 I want t o work as l> And she i s 

104.22 you always wanted me\ you always <wari> wanted me 

104.23 the r i g h t g a l : & I do have\ the r i g h t g a l : & I <have 
the r i > do have 

104.25 j u s t waking from a n i g h t m a r e ; \ j u s t waking <froma> 
<{out}> from a n i g h t m a r e ; 

104.25-6 t h i s God a w f u l environment of r a i n and f e a r , f o r 
a l t h o u g h we f e a r \ t h i s <god> God a w f u l environment 
<of abysmal n o t h i n g n e s s , I f we c o u l d o n l y be near 
you> of r a i n and f e a r , <though> { f o r a l t h o u g h ] we 
f e a r 

[ w r i t t e n upside-down i n bottom l e f t - h a n d c o r n e r o f 
page and d e l e t e d : "c/o S g t . Major Carey. ( i l l e g . ) 

don't f o r g e t t h e M a u r i . 
595 W 19th Avenue. 
Vancouver. B.C. 
Canada.") 

104.27 dead t r u t h , i t s \ dead t r u t h , <the> i t s 

105.1 [An e a r l i e r d r a f t of t h i s paragraph r e a d s as 
f o l l o w s : "The f a m i l y a r e not l i k e l y t o take k i n d l y 
t o the i d e a of my m a r r y i n g a g a i n so soon a f t e r one 
m a r i t a l d l s a s t a r , {but i n t h i s c o n n e c t i o n i t s h o u l d 
be mentioned t h a t I c a n ' t anyhow, h a v i n g o n l y {{as 
I s a i d } } an i n t e r l o c u t o r y d e c r e e I c a n ' t be m a r r i e d 
f o r a year} t h e more e s p e c i a l l y s i n c e P a r k ' s & 
Jan's <law> J e w i s h lawyer o b v i o u s l y c o l l u s e d about 
t h e whole m a t t e r <inl> <&> r a i l r o a d < l n g > { e d } my 
P a t h e r b e h i n d my back i n t o p a y i n g <for t h e dam> a 
l a r g e c a s h s e t t l e m e n t t o J a n — t h e r e had been a 



122 

v e r b a l agreement between J a n & m y s e l f <that I t 
c o u l d have been> {to} s e t t l e < d > {the t h i n g } out of 
c o u r t <&> {with} m e r e l y <the l a w y e r s f e e s payed> a 
s m a l l sum pay<ed>{able} <a> { t o a lawyer by m y s e l f 
which of c o u r s e P a r k s wouldn't t r u s t me with} i t 
was subsequent t o t h i s t h a t P a r k s got me. out of t h e 
s t a t e s , < — > d e v i l i s h c l e v e r of hira t o o l ) ( i n s e r t e d 
i n p e n c i l ] } — S o b e s i d e s e v e r y t h i n g e l s e we must 
keep Margie a s e c r e t f o r the moment & you must not 
mention her i n <my> {your [ i n s e r t e d i n p e n c i l by 
M a r g e r i e ] } l e t t e r . ( I t would a l s o be as w e l l t o s a y 
t h a t w i t h you I would be thousand of m i l e s away 
from J a n , of whom you t h o r o u g h l y d i s a p p r o v e d & 
a g a i n s t whom you had warned me <I> { a g a i n & a g a i n - -
t h a t she had been t h e s o u r c e o f a s o r t of 
antagonism t h a t s p r a n g up between us a t one time 
{ { t h a t would have}} c o n s t i t u t e d < p r a c t l c a l l y > 
{{almost}} a b e t r a y a l of <one>{{your})self by me 
had you not known my m o t i v e s so y e l l — ) so t h a t 
t h e r e would be no p o s s i b l e chance of my s e e i n g her 
a g a i n . ) . . . {( [ i n s e r t e d i n p e n c i l ) } F i n a l l y , I 
want t o s a y t h i s , t h a t my p l a n s f o r t h e f u t u r e must 
i n c l u d e Margie {whom P a r k s v a g u e l y knows & 
d i s a p p r o v e s o f } : not o n l y <does [ c r o s s e d out i n 
p e n c i l j > our d e v o t i o n t o each o t h e r i s the o n l y 
t h i n g h o l d i n g me t o l i f e and s a n i t y {) [ i n s e r t e d i n 
p e n c i l ] } <& of c o u r s e ( c r o s s e d out i n p e n c i l ) > i t 
i s p a r t i a l l y because of the t h i n g s she d i d which I 
may s a y were m o n s t r o s i t i e s t h a t I am i n my p r e s e n t 
c o n d i t i o n f i n a n c i a l l y & p h y s i c a l l y . Moreover, I do 
want t o s a y t h i s , t h a t my work, i f I can g e t h o l d 
of i t i s i n good shape: t h a t I do s i n c e r l y want t o 
make m y s e l f u t t e r l y independent of t h e o l d man but 
t h a t he has put me i n an i m p o s s i b l e p o s i t i o n t o do 
i t { — [ I n s e r t e d i n p e n c i l ] } : <that> {but ( i n s e r t e d 
i n p e n c i l by M a r g e r i e ] } s i n c e I c a n ' t be m a r r i e d 
f o r a year I t i s a b s u r d t o suppose t h a t I s h o u l d 
remain e n t i r e l y away from M a r g e r i e f o r t h a t t i m e : 
i& ( i n s e r t e d i n p e n c i l by M a r g e r i e ] } t h a t , i f I 
have t o e n l i s t , I want t o marry b e f o r e I go, so 
t h a t she can draw my pay. But t h i s i s { a l l } f o r 
your p r i v a t e e a r : & as f o r the war, c o n s i d e r i n g the 
way England has t r e a t e d me, I am now i n a f a r worse 
p o s i t i o n t h a n anyone under a N a z i r e g i m e — I have t o 
a c c o u n t & d o u b l e a c c o u n t , even f o r t o o t h p a s t e — " ] 

105.2-19 Of c o u r s e [. . . . J l a s t t i m e . \ [ t h e s e paragraphs 
a r e w r i t t e n i n p e n c i l by M a r g e r i e . A note w r i t t e n 
by Malcolm i n pen a t t h e bottom of t h e page r e a d s : 
" — < B i t . > C l a r i f y t h i s " ) 

105.2 Of c o u r s e [. . . . ] \ <I hate t o mention t h e war t o 
you> Of c o u r s e [ . . . . ] 



123 

105.2-3 j o i n up t o f i g h t X j o i n up <and> ( t o ) f i g h t 

105.7 ve can & d e f i n i t e l y be\ ve can & < c e r t a l n l y > 
{ d e f i n i t e l y } be 

105.18 q u i c k b e f o r e X q u i c k <f> b e f o r e 

( p o r t i o n of a l e t t e r from M a u r i c e C a r e y t o A r t h u r 0. 
L o v r y (Malcolm's f a t h e r ) typed and c r o s s e d out a t 
t o p o f page: "a b o t t l e o f v e r y cheap h a i r o i l as i t 
d i d t o p l a n and l a u n c h the b a t t l e of the Somme 
a r e a . S i n c e I have o b t a i n e d Mr. Carey's f u l l 
a p p r o v a l as t o my c a p a b i l i t i e s i n c e r t a i n m a t t e r s , 
I must i n s i s t t h a t I am g i v e n e q u a l c r e d i t as t o my 
c a p a b i l i t i e s t o d e t e r m i n e the e x t e n t and n a t u r e of 
h i s needs v l t h o u t the embarrassment of such p e t t y 
s c e n e s . 

I t i s u n f o r t u n a t e t h a t your a p p o i n t e e , C o l o n e l 
V i c t o r McLean i s now o c c u p i e d i n m i l i t a r y d u t i e s 
and t h e r e f o r e unable t o c o l l a b o r a t e w i t h me, but I 
can a s s u r e you t h a t i t i s d e f i n i t e l y my i n t e n t i o n 
t o a i d Malcolm i n h i s e x p r e s s e d d e s i r e t o s e r v e h i s 
c o u n t r y a t t h i s c r i t i c a l p e r i o d , g i v i n g him the 
advantage of my own e x p e r i e n c e i n the l a s t war i n 
o r d e r t h a t h e may be b e t t e r equipped t o t a k e c a r e 
of h i m s e l f p r o f i c i e n t l y i n t h i s one.") 

105.20 I have some o t h e r i d e a s aboutX I have some <other> 
o t h e r i d e a s <of> about 

105.21-2 by c a b l e , a one, v h i c h v o u l d suggestX by c a b l e , a 
<cable> {one}, v h i c h < , [ i l l e g . ] > would s u g g e s t 

105.23-4 t h a t you had seen my p u b l l s h e r s X t h a t <my 
p u b l i s h e r s > you had seen my p u b l i s h e r s 

105.25- 6 I c o u l d then s t a y v i t h you:\ I c o u l d ( t h e n ) s t a y 
v i t h you: 

105.26- 7 or perhaps put a p u b l i s h e r , [. . .] up t o sendingX 
or <the> perhaps <get> {put} a p u b l i s h e r , or 
B e r n i c e , or L i n s c o t t , or someone w h o l l y i m a g i n a r y , 
<slmply> up t o s e n d i n g 

106.2 Any of t h e s e t h l n g s X Any of t h e s e <ruses> t h i n g s 

106.4 f a r more my f a t h e r X f a r more <£> ray f a t h e r 

106.6 e n g i n e e r e d from t h e r e , f i n a n c i a l l y . I t has been 
done b e f o r e : \ e n g i n e e r e d <by y> from there<:>{,} 
{ f i n a c i a l l y . } <You could> { I t has been done b e f o r e } 
<to both our <<adv>> advantage>: 



124 

106.8 the p e r f e c t r e c o n c i l i a t i o n , \ the p e r f e c t 
<adjustment> { r e c o n c i l i a t i o n } , 

106.9 or t o a new l i f e : \ or {to} a <happy l i f e . > <per> new 
l i f e : 

106.10-11 t h i s would be, i n r e a l i t y , \ t h i s would < r e a l l y > be, 
<another> i n r e a l i t y , 

106.13-15 t h a t t i m e , & I do f o r her sake t . . .1 marry h e r , & 
i f \ t h a t t i m e , & <I do> I <do want t o s t a y out of 
t h e army now t h a t > do want { f o r her sake} t o s t a y 
out o f the army l o n g enough t o marry h e r , <now 
t h a t > & i f 

106.17 v o l u n t e e r e d i n b o t h England & Canada & been refusedY 
v o l u n t e e r e d <& been tur> i n both E n g l a n d 4 Canada & 
<I c a n ' t do more tha> been r e f u s e d > 

106.19-20 t o a v o i d the p o s s l b l i t y o f the d e p o r t a t i o n a n g l e , 
would i t \ t o a v o i d t h e < d e p o r t a t i o n angle> 
p o s s i b i l i t y of the d e p o r t a t i o n a n g l e , <would i t 
n o t , i f I c o u l d g e t h o l d <<[illeg:}>> of a hundred 
d o l l a r s or so> would i t 

106.21-2 t h a t i f can l a y my hands\ t h a t i f <I c o u l d lay> can 
l a y my hands 

106.25 l i k e h e l l on the o l d man.\ l i k e h e l l on the <ol> o l d 
man. 

106.26- 7 i f I t r a g i c a l l y c a n n o t , \ i f I { t r a g i c a l l y } c a n n o t , 

106.27- I c o u l d by t h a t time (. . .] p o i n t of v a n t a g e , \ i 
107.4 c o u l d <get as> by t h a t time p o s s i b l y have amassed 

enough money t o g e t <far E a s t i n Canada> 
s u f f i c i e n t l y f a r E a s t i n Canada, t o be <near 
M a r g i e ; but she a t any r a t e > not more than a n i g h t s 
j o u r n e y from M a r g i e { , } < — a n d y o u r s e l f , > Mary & 
y o u r s e l f , {--I am presuming of c o u r s e you c o u l d 
f i n d somewhere f o r Margie t o s t a y i n the meanwhile 
— } & from t h a t p o i n t o f <view> vantage, 

107.5-7 over a g a i n ? I f t h i s {. . .] y o u r s e l f . \ over a g a i n ? 
{ I f t h i s i s n ' t t o o much of a < t e r r i b l e > presumption 
on Mary & y o u r s e l f . } [ t h i s i n s e r t i o n i n r i g h t - h a n d 
margin] 

107.7-9 by t h e way, q u i t e b l u n t l y , t h a t you f e e l d e f i n i t e l y 
from my l e t t e r , t h a t now i t has t u r n e d i m p o s s i b l e \ 
by the way, <that <<I have stated>> you f e e l <<to 
you>> > q u i t e b l u n t l y , <that I an) < i f I am 
t h w a r t e d i n my w i s h now to see you & com> t h a t you 
f e e l d e f i n i t e l y {from my l e t t e r } , t h a t <now the 



125 

army> (now i t ) has t u r n e d <out> i m p o s s i b l e 

[ t y p e w r i t t e n a t t o p of t h i s page and c a r b o n - c o p i e d 
upside-down a t bottom of f o l l o w i n g page: " I am s e n t 
t o save my f a t h e r , t f i n d my s o n , t o h e a l t h e 
e t e r n a l h o r r o r o f t h r e e , t o r e s o l v e the immedicable 
h o r r o r of t h r e e , t o r e s o l v e t h e " ) 

107.15-16 Under the Volcano & a p l a y : \ Under the V o l c a n o {& 
<the> {{a}} p l a y } : 

107.18-19 B e r n i c e . As t h i s i s , among o t h e r t h i n g s , [. . .1 
M e l v i l l e , \ B e r n i c e . <So by> {As t h i s } <next week 
sometime I s h o u l d be> i s , <about a man's> among 
o t h e r t h i n g s , about a mans' h y s t e r i c a l 
i d e n t i f i c a t i o n w i t h M e l v i l l e , <I would be g r a t e f u l 
i f you would pass i t on t o H a r r y Murray, i f you 
t h i n k I t would be of i n t e r e s t . > 

107.20 H a r r y Murry, & would\ H a r r y Murry <too>, & would 

107.22 So, Conrad,\ <Well> {So}, Conrad, 
• 

107.22 P l e a s e h e l p . So d e e p l y f. . . . ) \ p l e a s e h e l p . 
< <<I know deeply>> {So d e e p l y } <<ln my heart>> 
<<<that>>> {do I know t h a t } y o u r s i s t h e only>> {do 
I f e e l t h a t y o u r s i s the o n l y ) h e l p <<I can t u r n 
to>> i n t h i s c r i s i s , <<I f e e l a l m o s t as though>> {I 
sense t h a t } my h e a r t had made p r o v i s i o n f o r so 
t u r n i n g t o you i n the end by i t s f i r s t j o u r n e y t o 
t h e Cape.> So d e e p l y I . . . .) 

107.23 we can g u i d e our bark on\ <I> {we} can g u i d e <my> 
{our} bark on 

107.23-4 now I sense t h a t \ now <without foundering> <I f e e l 
a l m o s t as though, by {so} t u r n i n g t o you <<ln» 
{ a t ) t h e end, t h a t <<my>> my h e a r t had made 
p r o v i s i o n fo> I sense t h a t 

107.26 & l i v e s worth s a v i n g , & l i v e s \ & <ones> { l i v e s } 
worth s a v i n g ^ < l f you make your a p p e a l d e s p e r a t e 
enough t o t h e o l d man.> & l i v e s 

107.27- thank you from the bottom o f my h e a r t f o r \ thank you 
108.1 <for> {from the bottom of my h e a r t } { f o r } 

108.1-2 a l r e a d y made: 
My v e r y b e s t \ a l r e a d y made: <A11> 

My v e r y b e s t 

108.2 t o Mary, I have\ t o Mary, < [ i l l e g . ) > I have 

108.4 do you send\ do. you <both> send 



126 

108.8 'Reading a book?'\ "Reading a book<? , >?' 

108.10 h a z a r d . \ <raazard> {hazard.} 

108.11 The t h l n g \ < [ i l l e g . ) > The t h i n g 

108.17-18 A , f o r b e t t e r or worse 
B A thousand l i n e s \ <B>{A} , f o r b e t t e r or <for> 

worse 
<AXB} A thousand l i n e s 

108.20 Numbers\ <n>{N}umbers 

108.25- P.S. S i n c e {. . . .1 d e s p a i r . \ I t h i s paragraph i s 
110.9 t y p e w r i t t e n w i t h a l l a l t e r a t i o n s done by Lowry i n 

green i n k ] 

108.25 l e t t e r l a s t \ l e t t e r l a s t [ t y p o . ] 

108.27 l i k e the p o s t u l a t e d end\ l i k e the { p o s t u l a t e d } end 

108.28- i n which K. was d y i n g , [. . .] w r i t e , he was t o o 
109.1 worn out t o w r i t e . \ i n which {K. was d y i n g , 

surrounded by the v i l l a g e r s , worn out w i t h the 
s t r u g g l e , <but> which K a f k a h i m s e l f was t o o worn 
out t o w r i t e . } he was t o o worn out t o w r i t e . 

109.1-2 we a r e s t a y i n g i n \ <To t e l l t h e b r u t a l t r u t h , > we 
a r e s t a y i n g i n 

109.9 which i s \ w h i c h l s [ t y p o . ] 

109.11-12 a s t r a n g e & [. . .] u g l y c o u n t r y \ a s t r a n g e {& 
b e l i e v e me damned h o s t i l e & u g l y } c o u n t r y 

109.15 and i f I t e l l the t r u t h about him,\ and { i f } I t e l l 
t h e t r u t h about him{,} 

109.16 s h o u l d have\ shouldhave [ t y p o . ] 

109.18 no c h o i c e \ n o c h o i c e [ t y p o . ] 

109.18 i n t h i s m a t t e r , \ i n th<e>{is} m a t t e r , 
109.20 i t has t u r n e d as you s e e . \ i t has t u r n e d <out f o r 

the worse) {as you s e e } . 

109.20-22 I a c t u a l l y f e a r as f o r , d i f f e r e n t r e a s o n s , I f e a r e d 
A.B. G a r e y — t r u s t i n g t o t r u s t i n g him\ I a c t u a l l y 
f e a r {as f o r , d i f f e r e n t r e a s o n s , I f e a r e d A.B. 
C a r e y — t r u s t i n g } t o t r u s t d n g } him 

109.23-4 s t a y i n g but where s h a l l \ s t a y i n g but {where} s h a l l 



127 

109.24 r e c e i v e m a l l , and b e t t e r send a n o t h e r \ r e c e i v e m a l l 
<{there}>, and <perhaps> { b e t t e r send} a n o t h e r 

109.26-7 h e l p . We had an u n d e r s t a n d i n g about t h i s . O r \ 
h e l p . { W e had an u n d e r s t a n d i n g about t h i s . } O r 

110.1 a l l o f u s , \ a l l o f us, t t y p o . J 

110.2-6 S e a ? O r can you [. . .1 most of i t . B u t \ S e a ? 
{ O r can you (. . .1 most o f i t . } B u t 

110.8-9 f o r t h e l a s t time i n t o t h i s more t h a n s e a , t h i s 
S a r g a s s o sea of d e s p a i r . \ f o r the l a s t time<.) i n t o 
t h i s < { [ i l l e g . ] } > < S a r g a s s o s > more <{more}> <than> 
{than} < S a r g a s s o > sea{,} <of d e s p a i r ) t h i s S a r g a s s o 
sea o f d e s p a i r . 

110.10- 19 We huddle t . . . .) on u s — \ ( w r i t t e n i n green ink 
i n lower h a l f of page] 

110.11- 13 i c y r a i n which hasn't stopped f o r days d o e s n ' t even 
b r i n g m e l a n c h o l y any l o n g e r : \ i c y Ond c o n t i n u o u s ) 
r a i n {which h a s n ' t stopped f o r days} d o e s n ' t even 
b r i n g m e l a n c h o l y any <longer.) <more) { l o n g e r } : 

110.13 damp, muscles c o n t r a c t \ damp, <our> muscles c o n t r a c t 

110.16-18 (because of a "war" i n j u r y caused by f a l l i n g o f f a 
s t r e e t c a r ) i s h a v i n g one of h i s ' c r a z y f i t s ' \ 
(because of a "war" i n j u r y O ) {caused <probably> by 
f a l l i n g o f f a s t r e e t c a r {{)}} <when p l a s t e r e d ) ) } i s 
h a v i n g one of h i s <mad) {'crazy} f i t s ' , 

110.18 " f i c t i t i o u s p e o p l e , " e t c . N o w \ " f i c t i t i o u s p e o p l e , " 
e t c . < U s e l e s s , ) N o w 

110.19-20 S o you s e e , as w e l l as snow t h e r e i s f o g . \ ( w r i t t e n 
i n lower l e f t - h a n d margin] 



128 

19: From AIKEN to LOWRY 
K i l l o r i n 236 

South Dennis Mass. 

Nov 15 39 

My beloved misguided misfortunate chaos-loving Male-- as you 

see from the reverse of t h i s , I started to write the Old Man and 

then thought perhaps I'd better write you f i r s t , for even MORE 

information. F i r s t l y and most importantly, t h i s : do you know of. 

the d i f f i c u l t i e s , not to say p r a c t i c a l i m p o s s i b i l i t y , of 

exporting money from England, and do you know for a fact that the 

Old Man could so send i t to you were you to cross into the US? 

Is t h i s possibly the reason why he wants you to stay in Canada? 

Anyway, i t ' s necessary for me to know about a l l t h i s , and whether 

you know and the Old Man knows. If you don't know, maybe you 

could find out from the authorities there in Vancouver? And then 

I ' l l l e t f l y at the Old Man in the most ingenious manner I can. 

But f i r s t that is e s s e n t i a l . As for the rest, of course I ' l l do 

everything I can. . . . As for acting once more, in loco 

parentis,' 1 of course I ' l l do i t i f i t w i l l help you, though our 

own circumstances are precarious in the extreme, and we don't 

know where we'll be or what doing two months in advance. We may 

stay here: but on the other hand, Mary now i t appears has chances 

of doing some society p o r t r a i t s in Boston, so we may go up again 

in Jan. . But Boston would be a l l right for you, you and Margie 

could find a corner for yourselves and I could as i t were (from ' 

the 0 M's viewpoint at a l l events) keep a Benevolent Eye glowing 

upon you from a distance, i .e., from S Dennis or wherever, why 



1 2 9 

not??? I think you could work in Boston (your own work, I mean-

there are no jobs I fear) and you would know people, so i t might 

r e a l l y be the best thing. (In this connection, by a l l means send 

Margie in advance i f you think best. But c e r t a i n l y with funds, 

for our own are n i l , and we could do nothing for her. Sad, 

damnit, but true.) Meanwhile, the Mss w i l l I hope have arrived, 

and w i l l i f so perhaps have begun something. I ' l l do my bursting 

best. Be sure to'write to Bernice Baumgarten, Brandt & Brandt, 

101 Park Avenue, t e l l i n g her who you are and that i t is at my 

suggestion you send In B a l l a s t : i t ' s a big o f f i c e , and in the 

machinery i t might be forgotten that you were the chap I'd spoken 

to her about. --As for your general Saga, jeez, Male, i t ' s a 

horror, i t i s , and I partly understand i t , but not a l l : more 

l i g h t , more l i g h t , i f you can and w i l l . Are you drinking 'eavy-

like? are you confused, or is a l l now lucid? Us, we're trying to 

be good, drink less (but s t i l l too much) and are r e a l l y s t r i v i n g 

towards a Better Thing. High time too, for I'm far from well, 

weak in the knees, toothless, and must t h i s winter probably lose 

the rest of my teeth in exchange for a porcelain mouthtrap, once 

I've acquired the stamina to undergo i t . No, the new novel is 

The Conversation, 2 a sinfonia domestica, a l i t t l e poem of marital 

love (?????) in four movements, setting Cape Cod, a very ordinary 

36-hour quarrel between a normal male and female, about nothing 

to speak of, and ending in holy bedlock. I'm pleased with i t — I 

think i t s a multum in parvo, 3 and i f I do say so as should, I 

believe i t ' s got some, at least, of the c l a s s i c v i r t u e s : form, 

delicacy, r e s t r a i n t , poetry, perhaps even a l i t t l e wisdom. 



Reading a Book 4 maybe w i l l be n e x t - - i f t h i s w i n t e r I f e e l w e l l 

enough and s e t t l e d enough t o get my f u m b l i n g paws down t o i t . 

--Margie I must say sounds l i k e a b r i c k . We both send you and 

her our l o v e s , and do count on us, we aim t o do a l l we r e a l l y 

can. I o n l y wish t o god I a c t u a l l y had some money, f o r t h a t 

would so s i m p l y and q u i c k l y s o l v e e v e r y t h i n g f o r you. But gosh 

i f we even p a i d one t e n t h of what we owe--but l e t ' s not go i n t o 

t h a t . — O u r d e v o t i o n s , o l d f e l l o w , and keep up the c h i n s — 

Conrad 



131 

E x p l a n a t o r y Notes 
1 Lowry's f a t h e r had put A i k e n i n l o c o p a r e n t i s of h i s son 

many y e a r s e a r l i e r i n Rye i n 19 30. 
2 C o n v e r s a t i o n : or P i l g r i m s ' P r o g r e s s (New York: D u e l l , 

S l o a n and P e a r c e , 1940). 
3 "multum i n p a r v o " : L a t i n , "much i n l i t t l e . " 

* i . e . , Ushant: c f . l e t t e r 18, p. 108, and n. 26, p. 112. 

T e x t u a l Notes 

[No o r i g i n a l i s a v a i l a b l e f o r t h i s l e t t e r ; I have 
t h e r e f o r e had t o r e l y on Joseph K i l l o r i n ' s 
t r a n s c r i p t i o n i n S e l e c t e d L e t t e r s of Conrad A i k e n 
(236)] 



20: From AIKEN t o LOWRY 
TS H; K i i l o r i n 238 

S o u t h D e n n i s M a s s . 

D e c 1 5 39 

A b r a c a d a m . T f h J e e n c l o s e d w i r e c a m e y e s t e r d a y , 1 M a l e — b u t 

a s y o u w i l l s e e , t h e e n d i s n o t y e t , a n d we m u s t w a i t a n d s e e 

w h a t c o m e s o f i t . M a y b e n o t h i n g : b u t a t l e a s t m y l e t t e r a p p e a r s 

t o h a v e h a d t h e d e s i r e d m o l l i f y i n g e f f e c t . W h a t y o u r o w n 

p r e d i c a m e n t - - v i z . , a s t o b e i n g a l l o w e d t o c r o s s t h e b o r d e r - - w i l i 

a m o u n t t o , I c a n ' t m y s e l f i m a g i n e . I F . t h e 0 M 2 i s i n f a v o u r of 

t h e w h o l e i d e a , a n d c a s h i s p u t u p f o r y o u , I d o n ' t s e e w h y n o t . 

I s h o u l d t h i n k , y o u c o u l d w a n g l e s o m e t h i n g ? W o r s t c o m i n g t o 

w o r s t , t h e r e m i g h t h o w e v e r b e a d v a n t a g e s i n y o u r i d e a o f m o v i n g 

a t l e a s t t o t h e e a s t e r n e n d o f C a n a d a - - M o n t r e a l ? - - t h e r e t o b e 

u n d e r m y E y e a s n o w y o u ' r e u n d e r P a r k ' s . . . A n y w a y , I ' l l b e 

k e e p i n g i n t o u c h , a n d y o u d o t h e s a m e , a n d w e ' l l h o p e f o r t h e 

b e s t . . . B a l l a s t h a s j u s t c o m e - - i t w i l l I f e a r b e s o m e t i m e 

b e f o r e I c a n g e t d o w n t o i t , f o r I ' v e g o t s o m e w o r k o n my h a n d s . 

B a u m g a r t e n r e p o r t s t h a t s h e c o u l d n ' t m a k e h e a d n o r t a i l o f i t , 

a n d a l a s t h a t a l s o s h e t h o u g h t i t n o t a c o m m e r c i a l p r o s p e c t . 

M i n d y o u , B & B 3 a r e p r e t t y h a r d b o i l e d a n t i - h i g h b r o w a g e n t s , w h o 

r e g a r d e v e n me o n l y w i t h t o l e r a n c e b e c a u s e I ' m a f r i e n d o f t h e 

f a m i l y — s o I w o u l d n ' t a t t a c h t o o m u c h v a l u e t o t h e i r j u d g m e n t . . 

A s a n o f f h a n d q u i c k o p i n i o n , f r o m j u s t f l i p p i n g i t o v e r , I ' d 

m y s e l f s a y t h a t i t l o o k s t o o c o n f u s e d l y e l a b o r a t e , t o o 

c i r c u m a m b u l a t i n g l y m e t a p h y s i c a l a n d e g o - f r e i g h t e d , t o b e 

e f f e c t i v e . My o w n i n f l u e n c e a g a i n h a s b e e n b a d , a s i n t h e 



133 

c h a p t e r of u n w r i t t e n , p a r t l y w r i t t e n , l e t t e r s 4 - - e l s e v h e r e t o o . I 

t h i n k i t s t i m e you c u t y o u r s e l f a d r i f t from a l l t h e s e h e r e 

g h o s t l y d o p p e l g a n g e r s and p r o j e c t i o n s and i d e n t i f i c a t i o n s and l e t 

l o o s e some o f y o u r n a t u r a l j o y i n s w i f t n e s s and g o o d n e s s and l o v e 

and s i m p l i c i t y - - p u t y o u r c o m p l e x i t y i n t o r e v e r s e — a n d c e l e b r a t e 

t h e s u n . Some of t h e l a t t e r poems go t h a t way--though y o u r 

m e t r i c s i s . q u e e r , b l i m e y y e s . Here a g a i n I t h i n k t h e i n f l u e n c e 

of t h e Complex Boys, t h e s e a d o l e s c d n t audens s p e n d e r s w i t h a l l 

t h e i r p r e t t y l i t t l e d e x t e r i t i e s , t h e i r n e g a t i v e s a f e t y , t h e i r 

i n d o o r m a r x m a n s h i p , s has been n o t t o o good f o r y o u - - s o m e t h i n g 

w i t h a l i t t l e more g u s t o i s wanted, g u t s , j u i c e s , b l o o d , l o v e , 

s u n s e t s and s u n r i s e s , moons, s t a r s , r o s e s , - - f o r god's sake l e t ' s 

l e t i n t h e whole r o m a n t i c shebang a g a i n , i t ' s h i g h t i m e - - I a g r e e 

w i t h o l d E d s a b o u t t h i s . (What e v e r became o f V o l c a n o , by t h e 

way?) Ed w r i t e s t h a t he may be coming o v e r t o B o s t o n n e x t month-

- i f he can g e t h e r e - - s o maybe w e ' l l a l l be h a v i n g a r e u n i o n . You 

knew, I s u p p o s e , t h a t J a n e 7 i s i n C a m b r i d g e , w o r k i n g on M e l v i l l e 

f o r H a r r y M u r r a y ? 3 E v e r y t h i n g comes r o u n d and back, t h e e t e r n a l 

r e t u r n . And J e r r y 9 i s rumoured t o be engaged, and my n o v e l 1 0 

comes out March 22, and on t h e whole l i f e i s damned good. I t i s , 

I a s s u r e y o u . So keep a-comin', o l d f e l l o w , and w e ' l l be s e e i n g 

y o u . Meantime, our l o v e s t o you b o t h --

C o n r a d 



1 3 4 

Explanatory Notes 
1 The "enclosed wire," presumably from Lowry's father, is 

missing; however, the 16 December wire from Lowry's father to 
Aiken, quoted by Joseph K i l l o r i n , is probably the one spoken of 
here: "answer 'immediately whether w i l l i n g accept r e s p o n s i b i l i t y 
management Malcolm personally and his a f f a i r s i f allowed join you 
in accordance his request'" ( K i l l o r i n 233). Cf. also Aiken's 16 
December 1939 wire to Parks ( K i l l o r i n 239). 

2 I I Q M H . i . 0 1 d M a n / « i . e . Lowry's father. 
3 "B & B" : Brandt & Brandt, Aiken's New York agents. 
4 Chapter VII of Blue Voyage consists of six unsent and 

unfinished l e t t e r s from Demarest to Cynthia. 
s "indoor marxmanship" : Lowry later used this phrase in his 

poem, "Where did that One go to, 'Erbert?," The Vancouver Daily  
Province 29 Dec. 1939: 4, and in Under the Volcano (8). 

6 Edward John Burra (1905-76); see l e t t e r 7, n. 10, p. 48. 
7 Jane Aiken, Aiken's oldest daughter with his f i r s t wife, 

Jessie MacDonald. 
a Harry Murray (1893- ); see l e t t e r 18, n. 22, p. 112. 
9 "Jerry" : Aiken's second wife, C l a r i s s a Lorenz; see l e t t e r 

6, n. 6, p. 40. 
1 0 Conversation: or Pilgrims' Progress. 

Textual Notes 

132.1 T[h]e\ Tne [typo.] 

132.20 opinion,\ opini<1>{o}n, 

133.12-13 l e t ' s l e t i n \ <:>{l}et's l e t in 

133.13 high time\ high<t> time 



21: From LOWRY to AIKEN 
TS H; unpublished 

135 

[December 1939] 

Dear o l d Conrad: -

A thousand thanks! I too r e c e i v e d a c a b l e from the O.M., 

more or l e s s i d e n t i c a l , v h i c h i s a seven league boot step 

forward. I t c e r t a i n l y does look as though you're l e t t e r had the 

necessary m o l l i f y i n g e f f e c t . The end, though, as you say, i s not 

y e t . 

If worst come to the worst, or i n p r e p a r a t i o n f o r the worst 

coming to the worst, would i t be too much to ask you to sow the 

seeds of the idea i n the O.M.'s mind that i t would be a d v i s a b l e 

f o r me anyhow to proceed east where I c o u l d be under your Eye? 

Then, i f i t i s impossible to cross the border at l e a s t a change 

could be made f o r the b e t t e r without undue d e l a y . But more of 

t h i s l a t e r when I have more to go on. One snag i s t h a t i f 

permission went through meantime, i t i s p o s s i b l e I would have to 

r e t u r n here to c r o s s the border. I think though i f you c o u l d see 

your way to dropping a note to Parks, s a y i n g t h a t you had heard 

from the O.M., i t might help matters because Parks i s so d i l a t o r y 

and c y n i c a l that he may w e l l h e s i t a t e to do a n y t h i n g at a l l u n t i l 

i t i s too l a t e . At t h i s p o i n t I want to say that I r e a l i z e t h a t 

you are busy and simply may not have time to do these t h i n g s , but 

ask you a l s o to r e a l i z e t h a t s i n c e I am engaged i n the perhaps 



136 

not very u s e f u l occupation of s a v i n g my own e x i s t a n c e I must ask 

them! Were you to do nothing e l s e at a l l upon my b e h a l f you have 

s t i l l gone very f a r towards b r i n g i n g matters to a s o l u t i o n f o r me 

and I cannot adequately express my g r a t i t u d e . A l o u s y 

corespondent, and i n some ways i n the past not always the most 

dependable of f r i e n d s , i t g r i e v e s me to t h i n k that you may think 

I am o n l y w r i t i n g to you because I am i n a jam. But such i s not 

the case: at heart I am always your f r i e n d : and, jam or no jam, 

a t such a p e r i o d as t h i s I would f e e l i t of v i t a l importance to 

see you or to c o n t a c t you and would move heaven and e a r t h to be 

able to do so. A l l of which M r l i n g s me to the p o i n t that I am 

about to ask a few more f a v o r s . 

Since I may have o n l y a s h o r t time l e f t , and so do not want 

to embark upon a new book, I think i t wiser to complete what I 

have begun, e s p e c i a l l y as i t r e p r e s e n t s s e v e r a l years work, and 

a l s o as 'In B a l l a s t ' , even i n i t s incomplete and u n s a t i s f a c t o r y 

v e r s i o n was p r a c t i c a l l y accepted by Harpers, 'Under the Volcano' 

c o n s c i e n t i o u s l y awaited by Ann Watkins, 'The L a s t Address' by 

Whit Burnett. 3 - To r e t u r n to 'In B a l l a s t ' - the copy which you 

have i s the one which you read three years ago and s a i d then t h a t 

you l i k e d very much - with the r e s e r v a t i o n s you repeated i n your 

l a s t l e t t e r and with which I myself agree. Working along these 

l i n e s I had r e w r i t t e n i t but that copy was l o s t i n Mexico, so I 

now wish to r e w r i t e i t a g a i n . Since the v e r s i o n which has been 

l o s t was not open to the c r i t i c i s m you have made of the v e r s i o n 

you have, perhaps i t would be b e t t e r i f you sent i t on to me 

without b o t h e r i n g f u r t h e r about i t and I ' l l get down to the job. 



137 

But I do f e e l that i t i s worth redoing s i n c e i t had much p r a i s e 

from many people ( i n c l u d i n g - er - y o u r s e l f . ) Now about The L a s t 

Address' - I know that that too i s worth doing and doing as 

n e a r l y p e r f e c t l y as i s p o s s i b l e . Since you do not l i k e the one 

long chapter, have you any c o n s t r u c t i v e suggestions to o f f e r as 

to what I should do with i t ? And a l s o as to the p a r t s at the 

beginning and end you d i d not a l t o g e t h e r approve o f . A l l t h i s 

a p p l i e s very much more to 'The Lighthouse' as w e l l . Could you 

not, i n the S h i t e h o u s e , 2 reread the Lighthouse? And now about 

'Under the Volcano' - I l e f t t h a t i n Los Angeles to be typed and 

sent on to me to f i n i s h here, and f o r f i v e months I've been 

v a i n l y t r y i n g to convince Parks t h a t he must get i t from the 

t y p i s t and send i t to me - which he b l a n d l y i g n o r e s . If you 

w r i t e him c o u l d you say that i t i s imperative that I have the 

manuscript and f i n i s h i t as you have some d e f i n i t e commitments 

f o r i t ? Perhaps t h a t w i l l spur him to some a c t i o n . I f e e l t h a t 

you would approve of Under the Volcano: i t takes the same t h i n g s 

to town which you take i n your g e n e r a l c r i t i c i s m of me and i s the 

most mature t h i n g I have done. And, f i n a l l y , would you t r y and 

r e a l i z e the d i f f i c u l t i e s of working, or t r y i n g t o , i n what 

amounts to a vacuum? However merited your c r i t i c i s m , and however 

much I agree with i t I cannot, i n the present s i t u a t i o n , apply 

what i s p u r e l y d e s t r u c t i v e . By which I mean that s i n c e my o b j e c t  

i s to get something out q u i c k l y I have to make the best of what 

m a t e r i a l I have so that what I am a s k i n g you i s more 'what can I 

do without s c r a p p i n g the whole bloody l o t ? , ' assuming, f o r my 

sake, t h a t i t i s best not to scrap the whole bloody l o t and that 



138 

some of i t , a t l e a s t , can be p u b l i s h e d ? I v a l u e your o p i n i o n 

more h i g h l y t h a n anyone's and a l l t h a t you have s a i d w i l l c a r r y 

i t s own weight and v a l u e . On the o t h e r hand I have always found 

your o p i n i o n the most f r u c t i f y i n g - f o r i n s t a n c e , a s i m p l e 

c o n v e r s a t i o n w i t h you about p o e t r y produced, f o r b e t t e r or worse, 

a whole book, The L i g h t h o u s e - and i t i s f o r t h a t r e a s o n I would 

be g r a t e f u l f o r a n y t h i n g I can a p p l y c o n s t r u c t i v e l y t o the 

i m p e r f e c t i o n s I s h a l l be s a d d l e d w i t h anyhow, - i n s h o r t f o r a 

p r e l u d e t o some p l a s t i c s u r g e r y . I r a t h e r g a t h e r from your 

l e t t e r s t h a t you f e e l t h e r e i s too much of your i n f l u e n c e a l l 

around, t h a t I s h o u l d be a b l e t o break away from i t by now and 

paddle my own l i t e r a r y canoe. T h i s may be a l l v e r y w e l l i n i t s 

way, b u t , I presume, I am s t i l l p e r m i t t e d to ask the o l d maestro, 

who i s i n v a r i a b l y r i g h t , f o r t e c h n i c a l a d v i c e , even i f i t i s 

g i v e n i n a 'Now t h i s i s what I t h i n k , go and do something q u i t e 

d i f f e r e n t on your own hook' s p i r i t . T e l l i n g me t o throw away the 

whole b o i l i n g i s , I s u b m i t , more m o r a l , than t e c h n i c a l a d v i c e . 

Ah, the w h i r l i g i g of t a s t e ! But I s h o u l d t h i n k what I have g o t , 

worked up i n t o a more a c c e p t a b l e from, would c o n s t i t u t e a p r e t t y 

good r e s t a r t . 

I'm not s u r e I agree about the M o o n l i g h t and Roses, a l t h o u g h 

your s u g g e s t i o n s may v e r y w e l l l e a d t o my s h o w e r i n g you a t a 

l a t e r date w i t h a d i a r r h e a s c r i b e n d i of r o m a n t i c poems - and I 

might s u g g e s t t h a t even you might f i n d i t a l i t t l e hard t o w r i t e 

about the p r i m r o s e a t the o l d r i v e r ' s b r i m i f you were l i v i n g i n 

f e a r of your l i f e a t the bottom of a s t i n k i n g w e l l i n Vancouver! 

Then a g a i n , c o n v e r s e l y , you might n o t . 



1 3 9 

And as f o r E d , 3 I don't remember much m o o n l i g h t and r o s e s 

about h i s work a few y e a r s ago, which i s the p e r i o d you are 

r e a l l y d e a l i n g w i t h i n my c a s e . I would be i n t e r e s t e d to see h i s 

l a t e r p i c t u r e s . L i k e y o u r s e l f , though, I f e e l he has always gone 

h i s own way, uncursed by t r e n d s . H i s t o r y has a l r e a d y made much 

of what I admired or p r e t e n d e d t o admire d u r i n g the l a s t h a l f 

decade q u i t e s e n s e l e s s but s i n c e I d i d pursue a more or l e s s 

m i d d l e c o u r s e I t h i n k t h e r e i s q u i t e a l o t I can r e s t o r e , from 

the r u i n i n which I f i n d m y s e l f , 'that would be by no means 

w o r t h l e s s w i t h a s l i g h t l y l e s s a r r o g a n t f a c a d e . 

So, f o r Gawd's s a k e , Conrad, i f you can drop a pamphlet on 

me i n s t e a d of a bomb, do so! 

I would l i k e t o go on r e c o r d as p r e d i c t i n g , by the way, t h a t 

your own work, p a s t and p r e s e n t , w i l l r e c e i v e , d u r i n g the next 

few y e a r s , the more g e n e r a l a c c l a i m i t has l o n g so h i g h l y 

d e s e r v e d . 

There i s something wrong w i t h the s t y l e of t h i s l e t t e r : 

r e a s o n I have l a t e l y t u r n e d j o u r n a l i s t , i n the Vancouver D a i l y 

P r o v i n c e . 4 I h e s i t a t e , however, t o send you any of my s t u f f i n 

case you t e l l me t h a t i t i s the b e s t I have ever done! 

W e l l : Gawd be w i t h you, and the h a p p i e s t of C h r i s t m a s e s t o 

Mary and you and l o v e from us b o t h . 

As ever 

Malcolm 



140 
P.S. P a r k s ' a d d r e s s i s : 

P.P.S. That t h e r e ' I t l e r , 'e's no K i n g , 'e's no P r e s i d e n t , 'e's 

j u s t wot you might c a l l one of them t h e r e D i c k t a s t e r s ! 



141 

E x p l a n a t o r y Notes 
1 See l e t t e r 18, n. 17, p. 112. 
2 C f . l e t t e r 7, n. 2, p. 48. 
3 Edward John B u r r a ; see l e t t e r 7, n. 10, p. 48. Lowry had 

seen B u r r a a "few y e a r s " e a r l i e r i n 1937 i n Cuernavaca. 

* Lowry wrote two a r t i c l e s and one poem f o r the Vancouver  
D a i l y P r o v i n c e : "Hollywood and the War," 12 Dec. 1939: 4 ; "The 
R e a l Mr. C h i p s , " 13 Dec. 1939: 4 ; "Where d i d t h a t One go t o , 
• E r b e r t ? " 29 Dec. 1939: 4 [poem]. 

T e x t u a l Notes 

135.9-10 t h a t i t would be a d v i s a b l e f o r me anyhow\ t h a t 
<anyhow> i t would be a d v i s a b l e f o r me {anyhow} 

135.10 Eye?\ Eye<->{?} 

135.14 meantime,\ meantime{,} 

136.11 b [ r ] i n g s \ b e i n g s [ t y p o . ] 

136.19 - the copy\ - the cop<u>{y} 

136.25-6 the v e r s i o n you have,\ the v e r s i o n you have{,} 

137.9 S h i t e h o u s e , \ S h i t e h o u s e { , } 

137.27 b e s t n o t \ b e s t , not> 

138.8 anyhow,- \ anyhow,{-} 

138.17 more m o r a l , \ more moral{,} 

138.26 Vancouver!\ Vancouver<•>{!} 

139.23- As ever [. . . .] D i c k t a s t e r s I \ ( h a n d w r i t t e n i n ink 
140.7 a t end of l e t t e r ] 



142 

22: From AIKEN t o LOWRY 
K i l l o r i n 240 

S Dennis Mass. 

Dec 17 39 

Now, my dear undependable c o n f u s e d e x a c t i n g but w e l l - m e a n i n g 

Male, comes the moment f o r p l a i n s p e a k i n g , n i c h t w a h r ? 1 I had 

y e s t e r d a y a l o n g w i r e from P a r k s , a s k i n g me i f I would undertake 

f u l l r e s p o n s i b i l i t y f o r s u p e r v i s i n g you, and your a f f a i r s - -

"Malcolm p e r s o n a l l y , and h i s a f f a i r s " — a n d a d d i n g t h a t your 

t r o u b l e was " i r r e s p o n s i b i l i t y as t o money," and " c o n t i n u o u s heavy 

d r i n k i n g u n l e s s c l o s e l y watched." W e l l , I've w i r e d back t h a t I 

w i l l t a k e t h i s r e s p o n s i b i l i t y ; but w i t h n a t u r a l m i s g i v i n g s , my 

dear f e l l o w , which you s h o u l d be the f i r s t t o u n d e r s t a n d . I t ' s 

no i d l e barroom j e s t , u n d e r t a k i n g a t h i n g l i k e t h i s : i t means we 

g i v e up our p r i v a c y , independence, q u i e t , e v e r y t h i n g , and w i t h 

grave r i s k s of a c c o m p l i s h i n g as l i t t l e f o r you as f o r o u r s e l v e s : 

we have our own work t o do, our own l i v e s t o l i v e , and you s h o u l d 

t h i n k of t h i s , t h i n k of i t now. I don't want a g a i n t o be 

a c c u s e d , as i n 1933, of b e i n g i n d i f f e r e n t t o your w e l f a r e , and 

o n l y p u t t i n g up w i t h you f o r the Old Man's money. 2 To h e l l w i t h 

t h a t . So r i g h t here and now I ' l l say t h i s : I don't even know 

what the 0 M or P a r k s or whoever proposes t o pay me f o r the j o b , 

and haven't i n q u i r e d , even. I'm d o i n g t h i s , i n s h o r t , (and t h e r e 

a r e few I'd do i t f o r ) because I've always as you know been 

damned fond of you and because you've come to me f o r h e l p a t a 

c r i s i s . So now: I hope y o u ' l l g i v e me your word b e f o r e coming 

t h a t you're r e a l l y g o i n g t o make a damned f i n e and c o n v i n c i n g 



143 

e f f o r t t o behave w e l l r and t o be as c o n s i d e r a t e of us as we s h a l l 

be of you. No s e c r e t d r i n k i n g s round the c o r n e r , eh? No 

d i s g r a c i n g s of us w i t h our f r i e n d s , no s c e n e s : and above a l l no 

c o n t i n u o u s argument as t o the amount of d r i n k a l l o w e d : I'm t o be 

the b o s s , about t h a t , or i t ' s no go. An a m i a b l e b o s s , a l o v i n g 

b o s s , a good b r o t h e r : t h a t ' s a l l : but l e t ' s have t h a t a g r e e d . 

Mind you, t o o , i n a l l t h i s , t h e r e i s my b e l o v e d Mary t o be 

c o n s i d e r e d . I t means more work and l e s s f u n f o r h e r , i t means 

worry f o r her as w e l l - - b e a r t h a t i n mind. She a g r e e s w i t h me, 

j u s t the same, i n t h i n k i n g t h a t t h i s i s something t h a t has t o be 

done, i n w a n t i n g t o do i t - - I t h i n k she'd be a l i t t l e ashamed of 

me i f I d i d n ' t t a k e i t on. So t h e r e . Now put a l l t h a t t o g e t h e r , 

p l e a s e , and t h i n k i t o v e r , and i f P a r k s and Co. p e r m i t the move, 

and you y o u r s e l f want t o come, s t i l l , come w i t h good i n t e n t i o n s : 

c l e a n f i n g e r n a i l s , a pure h e a r t , a c l e a r head, and p r e p a r e d t o be 

h e l p f u l and t o work. Conrad 



144 

E x p l a n a t o r y Notes 
1 " n i c h t v a h r " : German, " i s n ' t t h a t s o . " 
2 I t was i n 1933, a f t e r t h e i r t r i p t o S p a i n and perhaps 

a f t e r j u s t such an argument, t h a t A i k e n stopped a c t i n g i n l o c o  
p a r e n t i s of Lowry; c f . Ushant ( 2 9 6 ) . 

T e x t u a l Notes 

[No o r i g i n a l i s a v a i l a b l e f o r t h i s l e t t e r ; I have 
t h e r e f o r e had t o r e l y on Joseph K i l l o r i n ' s 
t r a n s c r i p t i o n i n S e l e c t e d L e t t e r s of Conrad A i k e n 
( 240 ) ] 



1 4^ 

23: From LOWRY t o AIKEN 
TS H; u n p u b l i s h e d 

[24 December 1939] 

Dear Conrad, 

I have your l e t t e r and p l e a s e l e t me i n s t a n t l y r e i t e r a t e my 

t h a n k s , b o t h t o you and Mary. I t i s v e r y g a l l a n t and s p o r t i n g of 

you both t o t a k e on what you have. A f t e r r e p e a t e d r e a d i n g s , 

Conrad, of your l e t t e r , I f i n d m y s e l f more g r a t e f u l than ever 

b e f o r e , i f p o s s i b l e , f o r your k i n d n e s s , (and s u b t l e t y ) ; I am 

g l a d , though, t o be i n a p o s i t i o n t o remove some of your v e r y 

j u s t i f i a b l e f e a r s . I t h i n k t h a t you i n t e n d e d , t h a t f o r a time a t 

any r a t e , u n t i l I had f u l l y d i g e s t e d your words i n a l l the 

a m b i g u o u s l y f u n c t i o n i n g organs of r e s p o n s e , t h a t a s m a l l , 

p l a n g e n t E t t u B r u t e s h o u l d sound among my Hosannas. J u s t as 

w e l l , because, i t was w h i l e chewing t h i s p a r t of the cud, b i t t e r 

a t f i r s t , t h a t I was a b l e t o e x t r a c t the more s u b t l e j u i c e s of 

meaning from your l e t t e r , which I might o t h e r w i s e have m i s s e d . 

In my sober mood i t was a l i t t l e d i f f i c u l t t o r e a l i z e a t f i r s t 

t h a t of c o u r s e you p r o b a b l y expected me t o a r r i v e w i t h a g i r a f f e 

on e i t h e r arm, t o come h o w l i n g and spewing i n t o South Dennis and 

c o l l a p s e i n the C o n g r e g a t i o n a l Church. Then, l a t e r , t h e one shoe 

i n the b a t h t u b , the s u r r e p t i t i o u s vomit under the p i a n o , the 

u k e l e l e and the f r a c t u r e d s k u l l . 1 I t would be, on second 

t h i n k i n g s , knowing me, v e r y remarkable indeed i f you d i d not wish 



146 

t o put y o u r s e l f on guard a g a i n s t something of t h i s s o r t . But 

p l e a s e l e t me s e t your minds i m m e d i a t e l y a t r e s t on t h i s s c o r e ! 

There w i l l be n o t h i n g of the k i n d , i t i s a genuine s t r i v i n g f o r a 

B e t t e r T h i n g , and p l e a s e a s s u r e Mary of i t . 

Now, f o r the o t h e r problems. I do f e e l , Conrad, t h a t , 

a l t h o u g h you a r e q u i t e r i g h t t o b r i n g your p e r f e c t l y n a t u r e l 

a p p r e h e n s i o n s on the s u b j e c t out i n t o the open, - on the 

p r i n c i p l e t h a t p e r m a n e n t l y t o a l l e v i a t e a n x i e t y i t i s f i r s t 

n e c e s s a r y t o d a r t a few added pangs, - I do f e e l , I am g l a d t o 

s a y w i t h a l l r e s p e c t , t h a t the whole r e s p o n s i b i l i t y w i l l t u r n out 

t o be r a t h e r l e s s t i t a n i c than you s u g g e s t . I c o u l d not f e e l 

r i g h t about coming i f I f e l t i t would r e a l l y r e s u l t i n any 

s e r i o u s or p r o t r a c t e d s a c r i f i c i n g of b o t h your independences and 

p r i v a c i e s : but t h a t you were w i l l i n g t o r i s k t h i s however, i n 

a c c e p t i n g P a r k s s u g g e s t i o n i s something which moves me more than 

I can say. I do n o t , of c o u r s e , know what P a r k s s a i d , or what 

you deduced from i t . I imagine something p r e t t y j u i c y . 

F o r t u n a t e l y , i t doesn't matter v e r y much, as I hope t o c o n v i n c e 

you when I have the o p p o r t u n i t y of s p e a k i n g t o you p e r s o n a l l y . 

On the o t h e r hand, you have had no way of knowing f o r c e r t a i n 

j u s t p r e c i s e l y what the s i t u a t i o n i s , e x c e p t from my own 

s t a t e m e n t s , which must have seemed t o you f a n t a s t i c as P a r k s 

seems r e a s o n a b l e . I t means s i m p l y t h a t I have a l l the more t o 

thank you f o r . 

Now what I had s u g g e s t e d , and thought by your e a r l i e r 

l e t t e r s you u n d e r s t o o d and agreed w i t h me about, was t h a t you 

would do me the f a v o u r , s i n c e I was v i r t u a l l y non communicado 



w i t h the f a m i l y , of c o l l e c t i n g my "income" and t u r n i n g over t o 

us, l e s s , of c o u r s e , what might be c o m p a t i b l e w i t h your own time 

and t r o u b l e i n the m a t t e r . T h i s would enable us t o l i v e - q u o t e , 

unquotes, and quotes - " i n a c o r n e r t o o u r s e l v e s where you c o u l d 

keep a B e n e v o l e n t Eye g l o w i n g on us from a d i s t a n c e ? ? ? " 2 I 

s u r m i s e , however, t h a t your t e l e g r a m 3 may have i n c l i n e d you t o 

the b e l i e f t h a t t h e r e i s more t o i t than m e r e l y t h a t . I t i s not 

an income a t a l l , you may have been or w i l l be t o l d , because I 

have no money, a f a c t of which I have t o be c o n t i n u a l l y reminded, 

i t i s a sum of money put a t your d i s p o s a l t o d i s p o s e of f o r me or 

not a t a l l , as you t h i n k f i t , i t i s something I ought not t o 

have, t h a t I ought t o be ashamed of t a k i n g , s o m e t h i n g , i n s h o r t , 

t o my a c c e p t a n c e of w h i c h , e s p e c i a l l y i n time of War, i s a t t a c h e d 

the maximum amount of h u m i l i a t i o n . On the o t h e r hand, i f you 

t a k e P a r k ' s p l a c e - as a matter of f a c t I upped and s u g g e s t e d as 

much t o the O.M. i n a moment of s u d d e n l y conquered p h o b i a - you 

would g e t an a d d i t i o n a l f e e , and i f P a r k s i s any t o u c h s t o n e , f a r 

from t h e r e b e i n g any r e s p o n s i b i l i t y a t t a c h e d t o i t , you would get 

t h i s fee s i m p l y f o r p u t t i n g me as f a r away as p o s s i b l e from you 

i n some God f o r s a k e n p l a c e where I c o u l d not p o s s i b l y be any 

n u i s a n c e t o you whatever, where I would be unable e i t h e r t o 

o b t a i n work or p r o s e c u t e a normal l i f e , and be d r i v e n s l o w l y t o 

the b r i n k of s u i c i d e , which, as you had c o n s c i e n t i o u s l y put me 

f i r s t i n the hands of the O x f o r d Movement, c o u l d not be p o s s i b l y 

c o n s t r u e d as your f a u l t , or even a n y t h i n g t o do w i t h you i n the 

l e a s t , n o r , s i n c e t h e O x f o r d Group i s n o t o r i o u s l y p r o h i b i t i o n i s t , 

a n y t h i n g t o do w i t h a n y t h i n g save the Demon Rum, which, i n s p i t e 



148 

of h a v i n g no money a t a l l I was s t i l l o b v i o u s l y a b l e t o o b t a i n 

and consume i n P a n t a g r u e l i a n Q u a n t i t i e s . Your independence and 

p r i v a c y would be u n i m p a i r e d because, i n s p i t e of any p r o v i s o s , 

you had, a f t e r a l l , the f i n a l power of a t t o r n e y , and i f you chose 

not t o s a c r i f i c e i t , t h e r e would not be the s l i g h t e s t r e a s o n t o 

do s o . However, Conrad, you are not P a r k s , you a r e my f r i e n d , 

and I , b e l i e v e i t or n o t , am y o u r s . S u r e l y , t h i s b e i n g s o , i t 

w i l l be p o s s i b l e t o h i t upon some compromise, which w i l l not 

embarrass you or i n t e r f e r e w i t h your work but which w i l l enable 

us t o be f r e e of t h i s p r e s e n t t y r a n n y , t o be by o u r s e l v e s , and t o 

work, but n e v e r t h e l e s s near enough t o you t o see you from time t o 

t i m e , which God knows, as I have p o i n t e d out b e f o r e , would be 

o n l y what I would want t o do, and which I hope would be what you 

would want me t o do, were the c i r c u m s t a n c e s n o r m a l , under 

c o n d i t i o n s i n the w o r l d a t p r e s e n t . I do not want t o d i e o f f 

s t a g e , l i k e M e r c u t i o ; 4 and you have perhaps reckoned w i t h o u t my 

p u r e l y f i l i a l f e e l i n g f o r you, which i s a genuine and t r u e one. 

I would beg e x c u s i o n f o r the monstrous and u n g r a t e f u l a c c u s a t i o n s 

I made of you i n the p a s t on the grounds t h a t t h e y were a l l i n 

the g e n e r a l O e d i p e i a n p a t t e r n , but I know you u n d e r s t a n d t h i s 

a l r e a d y . Such t h i n g s w i l l not occur a g a i n , I a s s u r e you. T h i s 

time a r e c r e a t e d P r i a m has t o d e a l w i t h an Oedipus i n h i s p o s t -

J o c a s t a p e r i o d , but whose a f f l i c t i o n does not mean t h a t he has 

l o s t h i s v i s i o n , or hope. 

Now I a l s o see how your l e t t e r , - - a n d I have t o thank you 

a l s o , f o r t h i s , - - s i n c e i t i s one t h a t I c o u l d s c a r c e l y show 

anyone who d i d n ' t l o v e me, gave me an 'out' w i t h M a r g i e , ( b e h i n d 



149 

vhich thought do not think I do not also detect the hand of 

loving kindness--) vere Margie some grasping female - you don't 

knov after a l l I - whom I had got into trouble, gave me a neat 

l i t t l e pair of s c i s s o r s to snip off a r e l a t i o n s h i p I might 

subconsciously wished myself r i d of. Margie's reaction as i t 

should be was simply one of deep gratitude: she asks me to say 

that of course she would be only too happy to help Mary and you 

in any way she could while and i f we stay with you: she is a good 

cook, a good t y p i s t , quite capable of taking over any part of the 

housekeeping which would be the most h e l p f u l . But as for the 

allowance - what can I say, Conrad? What I get w i l l have to do 

us both, since I can't bring Margie out into the open now, with 

either Parks or the O.M. As things stand here, we don't get any 

of the allowance, bust three d o l l a r s a week that's a l l : i t was 

t h r e e - f i f t y , sometimes i t s only two. I make a few d o l l a r s 

writing a r t i c l e s about Mr. Chips and such beloney (Mr. Chips 

happened to be my housemaster by the way)5 and what is not even 

the rest of the allowance goes to Maurice Carey and his whole 

family l i v e on i t . The rest is being either misused or simply 

hoarded by Carey and Co.,s so there's damned l i t t l e l e f t for us. 

To the best of my knowledge I have about $150 a month: whatever 

Parks receives i s outside of that. So i f you receive what is now 

Park's fee, what income I have, even i f i t is very much less than 

the $150, under the new arrangement should enable us to l i v e 

q u i e t l y somewhere without in any way sponging on you. I expect 

the amount w i l l be l e f t up to your own d i s c r e t i o n . If there 

turns out to be no a d d i t i o n a l fee to what was once my income, and 



150 

your part of i t has to come out of that, I'm sure something 
satisfactory to you could be arranged, we don't need much: simply 
a break. But i t is unfortunately just precisely that kind of a 
break which i t is well nigh impossible to arrange at a distance. 
But at this point I do want to say I'm absolutely on the level, 
on the level about Margie, on the level about working, on the 
level about you, on the level about the situation here, and 
f i n a l l y on the level about there being no problem about your 
having nothing to fear from my drinking or irresponsibility (does 
this letter or have my other letters sounded irresponsible?) 

I forgot to say that there ought to be quite a bit 
accumulated here unless these Oxford Group bastards have grabbed 
i t or sent i t back to the O.M.: I don't know and they won't t e l l 
me. 

We would be only too delighted to get out of this hell-hole 
immediately, but what to do about my permission to reenter U.S.A? 
I understand an appeal can be made through Blaine (where I was 
refused on the grounds of not being able to prove income, you 
remember) but Parks hasn't done a damn thing about ray papers that 
I know of. He hasn't written me at a l l , and he has the proof. 
The appeal may have to go through Washington, presumably, would 
take time. Parks may be arranging for an immigration visa, 
however which would account for your being asked to take f u l l 
responsibility. In that case i t is a purely nominal thing and 
just a legal necessity of some kind, but Jesus, i f that's what 
you took, or whatever you took - it's bloody decent of you - I 
miss my cue here, w i l l content myself with saying lamely, but 



151 

meaning I t , t h a t , by Shakespeare, I won't l e t you down. 

At the moment i t would seem t h a t the most s e n s i b l e t h i n g t o 

do would be t o proceed t o M o n t r e a l , where I would be w i t h i n 

h a i l i n g d i s t a n c e , f i r s t h a v i n g a s c e r t a i n e d whether, i n the event 

of my r e c e i v i n g p e r m i s s i o n t o go t o the S t a t e s , i t i s p o s s i b l e to 

c r o s s a t whatever b o r d e r town i s n e a r e s t t h e r e , w i t h o u t h a v i n g t o 

come back h e r e , t o B l a i n e . 

I n any event we s h a l l not be a b l e t o g e t our f e e t upon t e r r a 

f i r m a u n t i l you assume the power of a t t o r n e y : as t h i n g s s t a n d , 

t h e b r o t h i s f o u l , t h e cooks c o r r u p t , and i t ' s a l l t o o i n s a n e l y 

c o m p l i c a t e d . 

There remains the problem of t r a n s p o r t a t i o n , both f o r Margie 

and m y s e l f : the problem of the C a r e y s : the problem of Under the 

V o l c a n o , s t i l l i n Los A n g e l e s : the problem of h a t i n g t o cause you 

t r o u b l e but u n f a i l i n g l y c a u s i n g you more and more; the problem of 

f e e l i n g t h a t i f my presence i n U.S.A. i s g o i n g t o cause you and 

Mary a l l t h e embarrassment you suggest i t w i l l I ought, as a 

p o i n t of honour, not t o come a t a l l ; the problem of p e r s i s t i n g 

j u s t t h e same, and wondering whether I am r i g h t i n f e e l i n g t h a t , 

i f a l l goes w e l l , i t ought not t o be so t e r r i b l e f o r you: the 

problem of the war, of p o s s i b l e d e a t h , of m a r r i a g e , and so on -

But a t l e a s t we come t o C h r i s t m a s - t h i s C h r i s t m a s Eve i t i s 

snowy - w i t h hope. 

I n any e v e n t , I do not know how I am a d e q u a t e l y g o i n g t o 

r e p a y you f o r h a v i n g so t r i u m p h a n t l y h e l p e d us even so f a r , but I 

do t h i n k t h e r e i s a way and I s h a l l t r y and prove i t . 

Mow, a g a i n , a l l our thanks t o you a g a i n and e q u a l l y t o Mary, 



152 

f o r her s e l f - a b n e g a t i o n i n the m a t t e r , - God b l e s s you both and a 

v e r y M e r r y C h r i s t m a s t o you; and t o Jane." 7 

As ever 

Male. 

P.S. I s e n t a q u e s t i o n t o the r a d i o hour, ' I n f o r m a t i o n P l e a s e , ' 

the o t h e r day, f o r which I s h o r t l y e x p e c t t o be r e c e i v i n g the 

E n c y c l o p e d i a B r i t a n n i c a or some s u c h . S i n c e i t i s r a t h e r Jane's 

cup of t e a , you might t r y i t on her over C h r i s t m a s . She may 

know, but I bet t h e y ' r e damned few people who do. 

Q u e s t i o n : What i s the name of t h e book by an i n t e r n a t i o n a l l y 

famous American poet and n o v e l i s t , w h i c h , h a v i n g the M i s s i s s i p p i 

R i v e r as background and a M i s s i s s i p p i r i v e r boat p r e s e r v i n g i t s 

u n i t y of p l a c e t h r o u g h o u t , has been compared, by an 

i n t e r n a t i o n a l l y famous American c r i t i c , not e n t i r e l y t o i t s 

d i s c r e d i t , w i t h the g r e a t E n g l i s h s a t i r e s of the e i g h t e e n t h 

c e n t u r y , such as G u l l i v e r ' s T r a v e l s ? 

Answer: The C o n f i d e n c e Man. The a u t h o r : Herman M e l v i l l e . The 

c r i t i c : Lewis Mumford." 



153 

E x p l a n a t o r y Notes 
1 " u k e l e l e and the f r a c t u r e d s k u l l " : a c c o r d i n g t o A i k e n , 

when Lowry a r r i v e d i n Boston i n 1929 he was c a r r y i n g o n l y a 
broken s u i t c a s e and a u k e l e l e (CBC i n t e r v i e w , 1961). A i k e n a l s o 
t e l l s of a w r e s t l i n g match t h a t took p l a c e between Lowry, 
h i m s e l f , and h i s b r o t h e r , R o b e r t , on the f i r s t n i g h t of Lowry's 
a r r i v a l i n Cambridge, M a s s a c h u s e t t s . In the c o u r s e of the 
s t r u g g l e , A i k e n " f e l l r i g h t over backward i n t o the f i r e p l a c e " and 
f r a c t u r e d h i s s k u l l ("The F a t h e r S u r r o g a t e , " Malcolm L o v r y  
Remembered 4 0 ) . Day a l s o r e p o r t s Lowry's l e a v i n g b e h i n d of a 
" p o i n t e d b l a c k p a t e n t l e a t h e r shoe" a t D o l l y L e w i s ' ( l e t t e r 7, n. 
11, p. 49) house i n South Yarmouth ( 1 0 8 ) ; whether t h i s i s the 
i n c i d e n t t o which Lowry i s here r e f e r r i n g , I am not c e r t a i n . 

2 Q u o t a t i o n from l e t t e r 19 from A i k e n , p. 128. 
3 P r o b a b l y t h e t e l e g r a m from P a r k s mentioned by A i k e n i n the 

p r e c e d i n g l e t t e r , p. 142. 
4 See Romeo and J u l i e t I l l . i . 

» See Lowry's "The R e a l Mr. C h i p s , " Vancouver D a i l y P r o v i n c e 
13 Dec. 1939: 4; a c c o r d i n g t o Lowry, James H i l t o n ' s Mr. C h i p s was 
based on "the Hooley," a master a t the Leys S c h o o l , Cambridge. 

° Presumably A.B. Carey and V i c t o r MacLean. 
7 Jane A i k e n , A i k e n ' s d a u g h t e r ; c f . l e t t e r 20, p. 133. 

° Lewis Mumford (1895- ), American w r i t e r and c r i t i c . 
Lowry i s r e f e r r i n g t o Mumford's Herman M e l v i l l e (New York: 
H a r c o u r t , Brace & Co., 1929), i n which M e l v i l l e ' s The C o n f i d e n c e  
Man i s d e s c r i b e d as "a companion volume t o G u l l i v e r ' s T r a v e l s " 
( 2 5 3 ) . 

T e x t u a l Notes 

146.3 i t i s a genuineX i t { i s } a genuine 

148.7-8 S u r e l y , t h i s b e i n g s o , i t w i l l \ S u r e l y { , t h i s b e i n g 
so,} i t w i l l 

148.25-6 your l e t t e r , — a n d I have t o thank you a l s o , f o r 
t h i s , — s i n c e \ your l e t t e r , { — a n d I have t o thank 
you a l s o , f o r t h i s , — } s i n c e 

148.27-
149.2 

w i t h M a r g i e , ( b e h i n d v h i c h (. . .) k i n d n e s s . ) were 
MargieX w i t h M a r g i e , { ( b e h i n d which thought do not 
t h i n k I do not a l s o d e t e c t the hand of l o v i n g -
k i n d n e s s . ) } were M a r g i e [ t h i s i n s e r t i o n w r i t t e n i n 
l e f t - h a n d margin] 



154 

- you don't know a f t e r a l l l - \ - you don't know 
{ a f t e r a l l } 1 -

t r o u b l e , gave me a n e a t \ t r o u b l e , {gave me} a neat 

r e l a t i o n s h i p I might s u b c o n s c i o u s l y \ r e l a t i o n s h i p I 
{might} s u b c o n s c i o u s l y 

M a r g i e ' s r e a c t i o n as i t s h o u l d be v a s \ M a r g i e ' s 
r e a c t i o n {as i t s h o u l d be} vas 



155 

24: Prom AIKEN t o LOWRY 
TS H; u n p u b l i s h e d 

S Dennis Mass 

Dec 27 39 

My dear s t r u g g l i n g M a l e — 

y o u r s of the 24th much a p p r e c i a t e d , 

and e n j o y e d , and r e a d w i t h g r e a t r e l i e f , t o o . Okay by us, by me 

— w e ' l l a l l t r y t o do our b e s t . There's o n l y one t h i n g I want t o 

add w h i l e I t h i n k of i t - - v i z . , t h a t I f e e l my r e s p o n s i b i l i t y t o 

t h e O.M. t o o , you know, o l d f e l l o w , and w i l l l i v e up t o t h a t — a n d 

f o r t h a t r e a s o n I t h i n k a t the o u t s e t i t would be b e s t i f we a l l 

l i v e t o g e t h e r , e i t h e r here or i n B o s t o n . P r o b a b l y . Anyway, I 

mention i t . For a p p a r e n t l y the 0 M and P a r k s p r e f e r t h a t 

s o l u t i o n , and i f so we must pro tern l i v e up t o i t . But t h a t 

would i n many i f not indeed a l l r e s p e c t s have i t s v i r t u e s and 

p l e a s u r e s t o o , so wot the h e l l , boys, wot t h e h e l l . 

The f i n a n c i a l arrangements I don't 

p r o f e s s t o u n d e r s t a n d , even a f t e r your a n a l y s i s , but I don't 

doubt t h a t w i l l a l l s t r a i g h t e n o u t . 

Meanwhile, I've w r i t t e n by a i r t o 

P a r k s , not h a v i n g heard a word from him s i n c e our t o s s i n g of 

t e l e g r a m s t o and f r o , a s k i n g him t o l e t me know g. g_x what i s 

g o i n g on: f o r i f we move up t o B o s t o n , as we t h i n k of d o i n g , we 

s h a l l want t o know p r e t t y damned soon. 

P e n d i n g word about a l l t h e s e 

t h i n g s , no p o i n t i n s e n d i n g B a l l a s t 2 t o you, f o r you might be on 

t h e move a l r e a d y ? And as soon as Xmas g u e s t s a r e out of the way, 



156 

and my a r t i c l e on s o c i o l o g i c a l poets done f o r the A t l a n t i c , 3 I ' l l 

r e r e a d the L i g h t h o u s e . 4 ( A l s o , I've asked P s t o send me V o l c a n o , 

s a y i n g I want t o send the whole b l i n k i n g l o t t o a p u b l i s h e r . ) 

Much r e a s s u r e d a l t o g e t h e r about 

e v e r y t h i n g by your a d m i r a b l e l e t t e r : I guess you're okes, k i d . 

W e ' l l a l l be showing t h e m — a s Bob N i c h o l s * remarked t o me—a 

b e n g a l - l i g h t of a r e d i v i v u s y e t . Up the m o o n l i g h t ! Up the 

e v e r l a s t i n g r o s e l Up the s u n s e t ! But not f o r g e t t i n g e i t h e r t h a t 

b e h i n d our e x q u i s i t e C o n g r e g a t i o n a l Church i s a d a r l i n g l i t t l e 

s h i t - h o u s e , w i t h two compartments--male and female c r e a t e d He 

them, but the naughty boys and naughty g i r l s have c u t peepholes 

t h r o u g h the p a r t i t i o n , and w r i t t e n ambiguous l i t t l e s c r a l w s on 

the w a l l s : and t h i s too we s h a l l c e l e b r a t e , c e r e b r a t e , a s s i m i l a t e 

and s u b l i m a t e . I n t h e s p r i n g , when we go s u b l i - m a t i n g . . . O 

w e l l . 

our l o v e s t o you b o t h 

Conrad 



157 

E x p l a n a t o r y Notes 
1 "g, c_": "quara c e l e r r i m e , " L a t i n , "as f a s t as p o s s i b l e . " 
2 "In B a l l a s t to the White Sea"; see l e t t e r 17, n. 8, p. 94. 
3 "Back to P o e t r y , " A t l a n t i c Monthly 166.2 (Aug. 1940): 217-

23. 

* "The Lighthouse I n v i t e s the Storm"; see l e t t e r 18, n. 17, 
p. 112. 

s Parks. 

• Robert N i c h o l s (1919- ), American w r i t e r and landscape 
a r c h i t e c t . 



158 

25: From LOWRY t o AIKEN 
TS H; u n p u b l i s h e d 

[ J a n u a r y 1940] 

Dear o l d f e l l o w : 

Many, many thanks f o r e v e r y t h i n g , i n c l u d i n g t h e 

telegram, 3 - p l e a s e convey t h i s immediate e x p r e s s i o n of my 

g r a t i t u d e t o Mary and Jane. Now, by god, i t does l o o k as though, 

as Ibsen s a y s , the m i r a c l e o f m i r a c l e s has happened. I cannot 

t e l l you how a b s o l u t e l y o v e r j o y e d we a r e . Yours i s the g e n i u s 

which brought i t a l l about but t h e r e i s a s p e c i a l b e a u t y about 

s e e i n g t h e m a c h i n e r y of the whole t h i n g b e g i n t o t u r n o v e r . Even 

P a r k s has, a t l a s t , begun t o c o o p e r a t e ! Yes, and how! He has 

been i n t o u c h w i t h t h e i m m i g r a t i o n a u t h o r i t i e s and a l l I have t o 

do now i s t o s i g n a few l e t t e r s . He a l s o has 'Under the V o l c a n o ' 

( i n a s t a t e of e r u p t i o n , I imagine, i n i t s p r e s e n t f o r m ) . 

However, as you would s a y , the end i s not y e t : i t i s i n s i g h t , we 

a r e a l r e a d y p e e r i n g a t Cape Cod, c o u n t i n g t h e w i n d m i l l s , (and 

p r o m i s i n g not t o t i l t a t any) and dreaming quohaugs and 

s v o r d f i s h . But i t i s now, a t t h i s v e r y moment of a p p a r e n t 

p e r f e c t i o n i n the o r d e r of t h i n g s t h a t a sad p o s s i b i l i t y - as I 

h i n t e d i t might b e f o r e - i n t r u d e s i t s e l f . W i t h a l l the papers i n 

the w o r l d t o swear now t h a t I w i l l not be a p u b l i c charge t h e r e 

i s o n l y a 60/40 chance of g e t t i n g t h r o u g h . E a r l ( E p i s t o m o l o g e r ) 

R u s s e l l 3 has been t u r n e d down l a t e l y , on a c c o u n t of the war: and 

o t h e r s . But even i f I do get p e r m i s s i o n i t w i l l be an u n u s u a l 



159 

b l o o d y m i r a c l e i f i t a r r i v e s f o r two or t h r e e months. There was 

some m i s t a k e made a t t h e b o r d e r i n the m a t t e r of my v i s a which 

may f u r t h e r c o m p l i c a t e m a t t e r s and a l s o the b u s i n e s s of my 

d i v o r c e . Meantime we a r e v i r t u a l l y d y i n g h e r e : i f you have never 

y o u r s e l f been i n the c l u t c h e s of the O x f o r d Group as I have you 

w i l l t h i n k , (as I b e l i e v e you c o u l d not h e l p t h i n k i n g b e f o r e ! ) 

t h a t I vas j u s t a c t i n g d r a m a t i c or t a l k i n g t i g h t . I t i s not s o . 

V e r s e d though you may be i n the moral o b l i q u i t i e s and v a g a r i e s of 

mankind I do not t h i n k t h a t you can b e g i n t o know a n y t h i n g about 

h y p o c r i s y u n t i l you have f a l l e n f o u l of one of t h o s e b a s t a r d o s . 

They have e v e r y t h i n g . W e l l , I f e e l so b r a c e d by the g e n e r a l 

o u t l o o k t h a t I can a l m o s t f e e l a s o r t of t e n d e r n e s s f o r them f but 

the f a c t remains t h a t so l o n g as I am under t h e i r a u s p i c e s , I am 

v i r t u a l l y a p r i s o n e r , and so i s M a r g i e : work, a l s o , 

c o r r e s p o n d i n g l y s u f f e r s : and the f u t u r e i s d r a w i n g i n l i k e the 

w i n t e r n i g h t s . I n two months, or t h r e e , - i f p e r m i s s i o n i s 

d e n i e d , - we s h o u l d s t i l l be h e r e , and r a t h e r worse o f f than 

b e f o r e , because by t h a t time i t i s l i k e l y t h a t r e a l h e l l w i l l be 

popping i n Europe. My d u t y i n t h i s r e g a r d i s a n o t h e r t h i n g 

a g a i n , i t i s not y e t c l e a r t o me what form i t w i l l t a k e . I 

r e f u s e , however, w h i l e the p o s s i b i l i t y of o t h e r , c l e a r e r , c u t i e s -

- s t r a n g e t y p o g r a p h i c a l e r r o r 1 — r e m a i n t o me, t o be caught o f f  

b a l a n c e by t h i s war i f I can p o s s i b l y a v o i d i t : t h a t o t h e r s have 

been i s t o o bad f o r them: but s i n c e i t seems I am, f o r the time 

b e i n g , a c r e a t u r e o f l u c k , I am d e t e r m i n e d t o f i n i s h what work I 

c a n , and t o do my utmost t o g e t the freedom t o do i t , b e f o r e I 

cease t o be s o . That, I t h i n k , i s a c l e a r enough d u t y t o the 



160 

O.M., t o y o u r s e l f , and t o m y s e l f . I t I s p a r t , t o o , of my d u t y t o 

M a r g i e . For t h e r e s t , as w i t h h e r , I can o n l y s t r i v e t o p l a c e 

her i n as c h e e r f u l and c o n s t r u c t i v e environment as I c a n , 

f o r g e t t i n g t h e end of F e s t u s 3 ( F a u s t u s t o o ) and t h a t war e x i s t s . 

Margie i s now i n Canada l e g a l l y , she has been t o the i m m i g r a t i o n 

a u t h o r i t i e s h e r e , and can remain i n Canada i n d e f i n i t e l y so f a r as 

t h e y a r e c o n c e r n e d , but t h e r e i s the c o n s t a n t danger, so l o n g as 

ve remain i n Vancouver, of A.B. Carey and H i s Hot G o s p e l Groupers 

f i n d i n g out t h a t she i s h e r e , v h i c h might r e s u l t i n our 

s e p a r a t i o n and u t t e r l y d e s t r o y e v e r y t h i n g ve a r e t r y i n g t o 

s i n c e r e l y t o b u i l d up: you may l a u g h and s a y t h i s i s not s o , but 

b e l i e v e me t h e s e O x f o r d Groupers a r e v o r s e t h a n the Gestapo, t h e y 

a r e a l l one's p e r s e c u t i o n complexes r o l l e d i n t o one s t i n k i n g 

v h o l e . 

Nov, Conrad, vhat I am d r i v i n g a t i s t h i s . I n t v o , t h r e e 

months a n y t h i n g may happen. I f the p e r m i s s i o n i s r e f u s e d , the 

s p o t ve s h a l l be on v i l l be g r i s l y i n d e e d , and the t r o u b l e you 

have gone t o a l l f o r n o t h i n g . For not o n l y may by t h a t time 

c i r c u m s t a n c e s n e c e s s i t a t e my j o i n i n g up i m m e d i a t e l y h e r e , but I 

s h a l l be as f a r avay from you, my nexus t o r e d i v i v u s 4 and the 

r e a l v o r l d , f o r hovever s h o r t a p e r i o d , as e v e r . P a r k s , Carey 

and Co., f u n d a m e n t a l l y i n d i f f e r e n t , v i l l s t i l l be i n c h a r g e . A 

c l a u s e i n P a r k ' s l e t t e r s u g g e s t s t h a t my f a m i l y v i s h me t o e n t e r 

t h r o u g h B l a i n e , but t h a t o b v i o u s l y , i s P a r k s - i n s p i r e d . The O.M. 

o b v i o u s l y d o e s n ' t g i v e a hoot hov I g e t i n t o the S t a t e s so l o n g 

as I do so l e g a l l y . Nov I have a s c e r t a i n e d t h r o u g h i m m i g r a t i o n 

here t h a t so l o n g as my a p p l i c a t i o n i s made t h r o u g h B l a i n e , i t 



doesn't matter t h r o u g h v h i c h p o r t of e n t r y I go. The most 

r e a s o n a b l e p l a n , t h e r e f o r e , v o u l d be t h a t somehov or o t h e r ve 

proceed t o M o n t r e a l quam c e l e r r i m e , " or some p l a c e i n Canada, 

near Boston and near the b o r d e r , i n v h i c h I c o u l d be under your 

Eye, a t a d i s t a n c e so t o speak, as I am under P a r k ' s now. T h i s , 

you have p r e v i o u s l y c o n c u r r e d v i t h as a p o s s i b l y good i d e a . Once 

t h e r e I c o u l d a v a i t the nevs from Washington and, i f I do not g e t 

p e r m i s s i o n f i n a l l y , a t l e a s t I am not thousands of m i l e s avay 

from you, and perhaps ve c o u l d f i g u r e some vay out of s e e i n g each 

o t h e r b e f o r e The Deluge e t c . Moreover b e i n g i n t o u c h v i t h you 

about v o r k and t h i n g s v o u l d not mean t h a t m a t t e r s v o u l d be so 

a b s o l u t e l y h o p e l e s s even i f I v e r e r e f u s e d . The d i f f i c u l t i e s 

seem t o be t h e s e . P a r k s , C a r e y and Co. v i l l o b j e c t t o my b e i n g 

i n M o n t r e a l u n l e s s under p r o p e r s u p e r v i s i o n . I f you t h e r e f o r e 

c o u l d v a n g l e my coming t o M o n t r e a l , i t v o u l d have t o be on the 

u n d e r s t a n d i n g p r o b a b l y t h a t e i t h e r you v o u l d meet me t h e r e , or 

t h a t you c o u l d a r r a n g e f o r some f r i e n d s of y o u r s t o be t r u s t e e s 

f o r me i n M o n t r e a l j u s t as P a r k s d i d here i n Vancouver. But 

v h a t e v e r you s a i d , as soon as I vas i n M o n t r e a l I v o u l d be out of 

P a r k s and Careys c l u t c h e s , n o t , as you j u s t l y may have s u s p e c t e d , 

t o f e e l f r e e t o go on an i n t e r m i n a b l e bender, but m e r e l y f r e e t o 

v h a t vork I have t o , and g i v e Margie v h a t h a p p i n e s s I can i n 

v h a t e v e r time may be a l l o t t e d t o us. That i s the t r u t h : and I 

a s s u r e you a g a i n t h a t I am a b s o l u t e l y r e a d y t o c o o p e r a t e i n e v e r y 

vay. I c o u l d send you r e c e i p t s f o r e v e r y t h i n g , i f n e c e s s a r y , ve 

need l i t t l e enough t o l i v e on, and v o u l d concur i n a n y t h i n g you 

s a i d or a d v i s e d . I a p p r e c i a t e vhat you s a i d about the O.M., and 



162 

h e r e , s t r a n g e as i t may seem, I too f e e l a r e s p o n s i b i l i t y , and 

a l s o f e e l most s t r o n g l y t h a t the o n l y way t o go about d i s c h a r g i n g 

i t i s the e x a c t one t h a t has been chosen. I t h i n k t h a t n o t h i n g 

i n the w o r l d would g i v e t h e O.M. and the mater a b i g g e r bang t h a n 

t o have me have a few books a c c e p t e d i n the S t a t e s i n the coming 

y e a r and t o f e e l t h a t you had been i n s t r u m e n t a l by your 

encouragement i n b r i n g i n g i t about a f t e r such a d o w n f a l l - and 

admit i t Lowry, i t was a k i n d of d o w n f a l l - as I have had. And 

i f I f a i l , what the h e l l , boys, we've done our b e s t . The a t t e m p t 

may be w o r t h more t h a n one knows. 

I am not s a y i n g a n y t h i n g about M o n t r e a l t o P a r k s but am 

l e a v i n g the whole t h i n g up t o you. A c a b l e t o the O.M. would do 

the t r i c k , I f e e l . I have e i g h t d o l l a r s , saved somewhat 

f o r l o r n l y , as a g a i n s t M a r g i e ' s j o u r n e y , p r o d u c t of t h e lampoon I 

send you." I f you t h i n k t h a t a c a b l e i s the t h i n g , I would be 

o n l y t o o d e l i g h t e d t o f o r w a r d t h e amount. P a r k s , I know, would 

o n l y f o o l a b o u t , postpone t h i n g s , w r i t e a noncommital l e t t e r , 

which would go down i n some Greek tramp steamer, and we'd a l l be 

where we were b e f o r e . By the time you have r e c e i v e d t h i s I w i l l 

a l r e a d y have made a p p l i c a t i o n t o Washington. I am w r i t i n g t o o t o 

S e a t t l e f o r f u r t h e r c o n f i r m a t i o n t h a t i t i s p o s s i b l e f o r me t o 

a w a i t news of t h e s u c c e s s of my a p p e a l t o Washington i n M o n t r e a l 

or wherever. What I am s u g g e s t i n g i s , however, t h a t you o b t a i n 

p e r m i s s i o n f o r me t o come t o M o n t r e a l anyhow, i f t h e r e i s no 

i m m i g r a t i o n a l o b j e c t i o n , i m m e d i a t e l y , and, i f t h e r e i s , t o 

M o n t r e a l i n s t e a d o f Boston [ s j h o u l d my a p p e a l be r e f u s e d . T h i s 

would d i s p e n s e w i t h f a t a l d e l a y l a t e r . But I do b e l i e v e t h i s t o 



163 

be v e r y i m p o r t a n t . C o u l d you not s u g g e s t t o the P a r k s t h a t Be 

t h e n t h a t , i n the s p r i n g you w i l l be much more busy, but t h a t now 

you have some time t o put a t my d i s p o s a l , t h a t you might be a b l e 

t o make a t r i p t o M o n t r e a l , but t h a t , anyhow, you have f r i e n d s 

t h e r e , and so f o r t h , a l l t h i s , v i t h the a b s o l u t e u n d e r s t a n d i n g 

from m y s e l f , of c o u r s e t h a t I am a b s o l u t e l y s i n c e r e i n t h i s v h o l e 

m a t t e r , v h i c h I hope by nov you b e l i e v e . I do f e e l t h a t now we 

have got so f a r t h a t you w i l l agree t h a t i t might as w e l l be 

s u c c e s s f u l l y c o n c l u d e d and I s h a l l not f e e l s a f e u n t i l I am under 

your a e g i s . I cannot a d e q u a t e l y e x p r e s s my t h a n k s , Conrad, t o 

Mary and y o u r s e l f f o r b e i n g so a b s o l u t e l y s w e l l , so u n d e r s t a n d i n g 

and so s p o r t i n g i n t h i s whole m a t t e r . I know f u l l w e l l what a 

b l o o d y i n t r u s i o n on your time I'm b e i n g and cannot s a y how much I 

a p p r e c i a t e your f o r b e a r i n g n e s s and p a t i e n c e . As f o r the 

f i n a n c i a l (and more s u p e r f i c i a l ) end of i t , f o r , as you s e e , i t 

was not money so much as u n d e r s t a n d i n g t h a t was needed i n t h i s 

c a s e , - I am s u r e t h a t you w i l l f i n d t h a t the O.M. w i l l not be 

t o o d i f f i c u l t i n the m a t t e r , and I a l s o know he w i l l be v e r y 

g l a d , f i n a l l y , t h a t you were good enough t o make the agreement 

w i t h him. 

P l e a s e g i v e Mary our b e s t l o v e , and of c o u r s e t o 

y o u r s e l f , and Jane, s h o u l d she s t i l l be w i t h you. 

Male. 



164 

E x p l a n a t o r y Notes 
1 T h i s t e l e g r a m i s m i s s i n g . 
a B e r t r a n d A r t h u r W i l l i a m R u s s e l l (1872-1970), B r i t i s h 

m a t h e m a t i c i a n and p h i l o s o p h e r ; t h i r d E a r l R u s s e l l , grandson t o 
f i r s t e a r l of B e d f o r d , John F r a n c i s S t a n l e y R u s s e l l . F e l l o w of 
T r i n i t y C o l l e g e , Cambridge u n t i l , i n 1916, he was d i s m i s s e d f o r 
h i s p a c i f i s t b e l i e f s and o p p o s i t i o n t o W.W.I. 

» A l l u s i o n t o A i k e n ' s The P i l g r i m a g e of F e s t u s (New York: 
A l f r e d A. Knopf, 1923). At t h e end of t h e poem, F e s t u s r e a l i z e s 
t h a t h i s p i l r i m a g e has been a f a i l u r e . 

4 "nexus t o r e d i v i v u s " : L a t i n , " l i n k t o r e b i r t h . " C f . 
l e t t e r 24 from A i k e n , p. 156: "a b e n g a l - l i g h t of a r e d i v i v u s . " 

9 "quam c e l e r r i m e " : L a t i n , "as f a s t as p o s s i b l e . " 
c Lowry's "lampoon" i s m i s s i n g , a l t h o u g h he i s p r o b a b l y 

r e f e r r i n g t o h i s poem "Where d i d t h a t One go t o , ' E r b e r t ? " 
p u b l i s h e d i n the Vancouver D a l l y P r o v i n c e 29 Dec. 1939: 4. 

T e x t u a l Notes 

159.21-2 c u t i e s — s t r a n g e t y p o g r a p h i c a l e r r o r ! — r e m a i n t o 
me,\ c u t i e s {--stange t y p o g r a p h i c a l e r r o r ! — } 
remain t o me, 

1 6 0 . 5 i s now i n \ i s no<t>(w) i n 

162.26 ( s J h o u l d \ v h o u l d ( t y p o . ) 

163.1-2 the P a r k s t h a t Be t h e n t h a t , \ the P<owers>{arks} 
t h a t Be ( t h e n ) t h a t , 

163.19-20 g l a d , f i n a l l y , t h a t you were good enough t o make the 
agreement w i t h him.\ g l a d , f i n a l l y , t h a t < [ i l l e g . ) > 
(you were good enough t o make) the agreement w i t h 
< [ i l l e g . ] > ( h i m } . 



165 

26: From AIKEN t o LOWRY 
K i l l o r i n 241 

S Dennis Mass. 

Jan 19 40 

My dear Male-- a s h o r t one t o d a y , time p r e s s e s , snow f a l l s , 

m i l l i o n s of l e t t e r s w a i t t o be w r i t , but j u s t a l i n e t o wave you 

on--yours and M's 1 r e c e i v e d and e n j o y e d , a p p r e c i a t e d t o o - - d e e p l y . 

We've w r i t t e n , or Mary has, t o a f r i e n d of h e r s i n Washington, 

j u s t on the chance she might know someone i n the Labour Dep't and 

e x p e d i t e or charm your a p p l i c a t i o n — a n o u t s i d e chance, but we 

thought worth t r y i n g . So now we w a i t . I f a l l blows up, i f you 

c a n ' t get i n — w e l l , t h e n we must t r y t o t h i n k of something e l s e . 

Maybe the M o n t r e a l i d e a , or some such. But l e t ' s w a i t and s e e . 

Meanwhile, I'm g l a d you see my p o i n t about t o e i n g the l i n e . 

T h i s now becomes, I t h i n k , a l l the more i m p o r t a n t , f o r I've had 

my f i r s t l e t t e r from the 0 M, and I'm a f r a i d I must t e l l you t h a t 

the whole s i t u a t i o n i s v e r y s e r i o u s : he says f l a t l y t h a t u n l e s s I_ 

can r e p o r t i n due c o u r s e t h a t I f i n d you t r u s t w o r t h y and r e f o r m e d 

and w o r k i n g — a n d f o r t h i s too he wants you t o l i v e w i t h me a t the 

o u t s e t — h e ' s made up h i s mind t o c a s t you o f f , and never a g a i n t o 

come t o your r e s c u e , no matter what happens. So, my dear f e l l o w , 

i t ' s up t o you. And i t ' s up t o me t o p l a y a b s o l u t e l y f a i r l y w i t h 

him, t o o , you can see t h a t . No c u t t i n g of c o r n e r s : we must do i t 

r i g h t . F r a n k l y , the Margie t h i n g w o r r i e s me on t h a t s c o r e , as i t 

ought, I t h i n k , t o worry you. I t p u t s me, a t the o u t s e t , i n the 

awkward p o s i t i o n of h a v i n g t o c o n c e a l s o m e t h i n g , which I don't 

dammit, much l i k e . Would i t perhaps be b e t t e r i f you were t o 



166 

w r i t e the 0 M y o u r s e l f t e l l i n g hira about h e r , and a s k i n g whether 

you might b r i n g her E a s t f o r , as i t were, an O f f i c i a l I n s p e c t i o n 

by Mary and m y s e l f — s u b j e c t of c o u r s e t o my a g r e e i n g then t o the 

i d e a . I t h i n k t h i s might be w i s e . I'd s u g g e s t you do i t r i g h t 

away, so t h a t by t h e time you g e t here we might have a c a b l e from 

him o k a y i n g the n o t i o n : or a t any r a t e l e a v i n g i t t o me. You can 

t e l l him, i f you l i k e , t h a t you've l u s t now informed me of the 

s i t u a t i o n , and t h a t I've agreed i n advance t o M's coming a l o n g 

l a t e r f o r a v i s i t . That would put t h i n g s on a s q u a r e r 

f o o t i n g ? ? ? ? ? Think i t o v e r , anyway? And b e l i e v e me Male I don't 

b r i n g i t a l l up j u s t t o make d i f f i c u l t i e s — g o o d god no. I t ' s 

s i m p l y t h a t I f e e l we must be h o n e s t . And t h e o t h e r i s n ' t , 

q u i t e . But i f s t e p s have been t a k e n t o r e g u l a r i z e i t , b e f o r e 

M a r g i e comes, I s h a n ' t mind so much: I ' l l t h e n be i n a p o s i t i o n 

t o s a y t h a t you'd t o l d me you'd w r i t t e n , asked my. p e r m i s s i o n , and 

I'd t a k e n i t upon m y s e l f t o c o n s e n t . See? Yeah. 

A l s o , and t h i s i s s o r t of hard t o s a y , my poor Male, but I 

t h i n k I'd b e t t e r s a y i t n o w — v i z . , you know, p r o l o n g e d d r i n k i n g 

does r o t one's h o n e s t i e s , k i n d o f - - i f y o u ' l l f o r g i v e my s a y i n g so 

you'd a l r e a d y become somewhat o b l i q u e when I saw you i n M e x i c o — 

I g a t h e r from P a r k s you've s i n c e got worse, though of c o u r s e I 

t a k e i t you're now v e r y much b e t t e r a g a i n : but the p o i n t i s , I 

s h a l l want t o be shown. I'm g o i n g t o t r u s t you, o f c o u r s e , t h a t 

goes w i t h o u t s a y i n g : BUT, I warn you f a i r l y , i f you s h o u l d l e t me 

down I won't l i e t o the Old Man. L e t ' s have t h a t u n d e r s t o o d , eh? 

I t p u t s me i n the i n v i d i o u s p o s i t i o n of h a v i n g the f i n a l 

r e s p o n s i b i l i t y o f g e t t i n g you c u t o f f w i t h o u t a penny, which 



167 

i s n ' t much fun f o r me, any more than i t i s f o r you: i t g i v e s you 

a damned heavy r e s p o n s i b i l i t y t o me.: don't i g n o r e t h a t , and i f i t 

comes t o p a s s , remember t h a t I warned you, and t r y now i n advance 

t o a b s o l v e me, as you must! 

W e l l , h e l l ' s b e l l s , I d i d n ' t mean t o g e t o f f on a l l t h i s , 

i t ' s m e r e l y t h a t i t ' s been on my mind. For the r e s t , we l o o k 

f o r w a r d t o s e e i n g you, and I hope i t ' s soon. Mary goes up Monday 

to l o o k a t a house i n C h a r l e s t o w n , which we t h i n k of t a k i n g — s h e 

r e a l l y needs t o be i n town, so t h a t her p o r t r a i t p a i n t i n g can go 

f o r w a r d p r o p e r l y . And i f you and M come i t w i l l g i v e us a l l I 

t h i n k a b e t t e r p l a c e t o l i v e i n , w i t h more scope and freedom. 

I n c i d e n t a l l y i t ' s e n t i r e l y surrounded by cheap b a r s and dens of 

v i c e , hard by the Navy Yard e t c . , so T e m p t a t i o n i s g o i n g t o be 

your m i d d l e name! S t e e l y o u r s e l f - - O t h e r w i s e , w e ' l l s t a y h e r e . 

In f a c t , we may have t o anyway. - - W e ' l l s e e . --Mary w i l l be 

a n s w e r i n g M a r g i e ' s good l e t t e r — s h e j o i n s me now however i n 

s e n d i n g much l o v e t o you b o t h , and b e s t w i s h e s f o r speedy 

s o l u t i o n s - - SIEG H E I L 2 Conrad 



168 

E x p l a n a t o r y Notes 
1 See Appendix I I , p. 499 and 504, f o r M a r g e r i e ' s 12 J a n u a r y 

and 29 J a n u a r y 1940 l e t t e r s t o Mary. 
2 " S i e g H e i l " : German, " H a i l V i c t o r y " ; , N a z i s a l u t e d u r i n g 

World War I I . 

T e x t u a l Notes 

[No o r i g i n a l i s a v a i l a b l e f o r t h i s l e t t e r ; I have 
t h e r e f o r e had t o r e l y on Joseph K i l l o r i n ' s 
t r a n s c r i p t i o n i n S e l e c t e d L e t t e r s of Conrad A i k e n 
(241)] 



169 

27: From LOWRY t o AIKEN 
TS H; u n p u b l i s h e d 

J a n u a r y 27, 1940 

My dear Conrad 

I was a t f i r s t so b e w i l d e r e d and h u r t by your l e t t e r t h a t I 

was a t a l o s s t o r e p l y but s i n c e t h e r e i s , of c o u r s e , a l o g i c a l 

r e a s o n f o r e v e r y t h i n g you've s a i d , I am no l o n g e r b e w i l d e r e d and 

h u r t and am t a k i n g the b u l l by the horns and b o l d l y d o i n g s o , 

a n s w e r i n g your l e t t e r as f u l l y as I can and b e g g i n g you t h e f a v o r 

of a b s o r b i n g e v e r y word. 

I have t h o u g h t l o n g and c a r e f u l l y about your s u g g e s t i o n of 

my w r i t i n g the O.M. t e l l i n g him about M a r g e r i e and a s k i n g whether 

he would have any o b j e c t i o n t o my b r i n g i n g her e a s t as i t were 

f o r your o f f i c i a l i n s p e c t i o n . On the f a c e of i t t h e r e would be 

no r e a s o n a b l e o b j e c t i o n t o t h i s had I o n l y t h e O.M. t o c o n t e n d 

w i t h . But the f a c t i s t h a t the O.M. would t h e n put t h i s m a t t e r 

up t o P a r k s who might t h e n make i n q u i r i e s w h i c h would l e a d t o h i s 

d i s c o v e r y t h a t Margie i s i n Canada. There i s o f c o u r s e no r e a s o n 

now, s i n c e her p o s i t i o n i s above board w i t h t h e i m m i g r a t i o n 

a u t h o r i t i e s , why M a r g i e s h o u l d not be i n Canada. Even were i t 

d i s c o v e r e d t h a t she were s t a y i n g h e r e , she i s o s t e n s i b l y a t any 

r a t e p r o p e r l y chaperoned. But t h i s d i s c o v e r y would l e a d t o a 

r e f e r r i n g of the r a t i f i c a t i o n of M a r g i e ' s t r i p e a s t t o A.B.Carey 

who, as I have t o l d you b e f o r e , i s a man who b e l i e v e s t h a t any 

p a s s i o n a t e r e l a t i o n s h i p between a man and a woman i s an e v i l 



t h i n g and who v o u l d be s u r e , hovever honest our ovn m o t i v e s , t o 

put a d i s h o n e s t l i g h t upon t h e v h o l e t h i n g . Moreover t h e r e v o u l d 

nov be an excuse f o r i t , and the f a c t t h a t he had a l r e a d y shed 

such a l i g h t vhen t h e r e vas no. excuse f o r i t and t h a t he drove us 

t h e r e b y t o the d e c i s i o n ve made, v o u l d have no b e a r i n g on t h e 

m a t t e r . P a r k s i s t r u s t e d by the O.M., and he cannot v e r y v e i l 

a d m i t , s i n c e he l a n d e d me here v i t h A.B.Carey, t h a t the l a t t e r i s 

not o n l y a man u t t e r l y u n s u i t a b l e f o r the so c a l l e d d u t y 

c o n f e r r e d upon him but a p e r v e r t i n t h e b a r g a i n . I m y s e l f v o u l d 

have no d i f f i c u l t y i n t h e l o n g r u n i n p r [ o ] v i n g t h e s e a l l e g a t i o n s 

and v o r s e , namely t h a t Carey's a f f i l i a t i o n v i t h t h e O x f o r d Group 

d a t e s from h i s c o n t r a c t i o n , due t o v h o r e i n g , or boys, I am not 

c l e a r v h i c h , of a v e r y s e r i o u s v e n e r e a l d i s e a s e c o n t r a c t e d vhen 

m a r r i e d and v i t h c h i l d r e n . H i s v i c e s do not i n t e r e s t me, but 

vhen I am f o r c e d t o submit M a r g i e ' s d e s t i n y t o the f i n a l 

a r b i t r a t i o n o f a man who i s h i m s e l f d i s h o n e s t and vhom I r e g a r d 

v i t h contempt (and p i t y ) i t i s a n o t h e r m a t t e r . I cannot do t h i s ; 

I do not t h i n k , i f you b e l i e v e me, as you must, you v o u l d v a n t or 

e x p e c t me t o do i t . 

My ovn s t o c k , as I varned you a t the o u t s e t , and of v h i c h 

you nov d o u b t l e s s have abundent p r o o f both from the O.M. and 

P a r k s , i s z e r o . A l t h o u g h , i r o n i c a l l y enough, t h e r e i s p l e n t y of 

i n a l i e n a b l e p r o o f t h a t P a r k s a l s o has not d e a l t h o n e s t l y v i t h the 

O.M. u n f o r t u n a t e l y t h e O.M., up t o t h e p r e s e n t v i c t i m i z e d by t h e 

v a r i o u s c o n t e n d i n g f o r c e s , v o u l d have, f o r the sake of h i s ovn 

amour p r o p r e a t l e a s t , t o p r e t e n d t o o t h e r s i f he d i d not t o -

h i m s e l f t h a t he had been d e a l t v i t h f a i r l y . At t h i s p o i n t I 



171 

ought to say, v h i c h i s important, t h a t my c o n t i n u a l p r o t e s t a t i o n s 

t h a t those e n t r u s t e d with my a f f a i r s have been d i s h o n e s t with the 

O.M. even though you may accept them, probably o n l y has the 

e f f e c t of c o n f i r m i n g you i n your d e t e r m i n a t i o n to be a b s o l u t e l y 

above board with him: I am i n c l i n e d to t h i n k t h a t you f e e l t h a t 

i n t h i s vay you are s a v i n g y o u r s e l f i n advance from any p o s s i b l e 

a l l e g a t i o n s v h i c h I, with my degenerated c h a r a c t e r (or because 

you have submitted to t i r a d e s i n the past you may expect 

something of the same s o r t i n the f u t u r e ) might make about you. 

Deeply sympathized with, f e l l o w , but s u r e l y such t h i n g s a r e n ' t so 

goddawful complicated between us as t h i s . I have grown up you 

know, s o r t o f , so l e t i t be f u l l y understood i n advance there 

v i l l be no nonsense of t h i s s o r t , whatever you do or don't. 

Besides I d e e p l y f e e l t h a t what I am s u g g e s t i n g i s the honestest  

reasonable c o u r s e . U n f o r t u n a t e l y , r i g h t here, there i s a l s o 

proof, f o r which I f r e e l y admit t h a t I am s u f f e r i n g , t h a t I d i d 

not d e a l f o r m e r l y , as he might say, s q u a r e l y with Parks, but here 

I have the v e r y h e f t y excuse which you may take or leave, t h a t i n 

s p i t e of h i s good p o i n t s and i n s p i t e of the f a c t t h a t he 

g e n u i n e l y b e l i e v e d t h a t d r i n k i n g was my o n l y t r o u b l e and d i d 

much, although he vent about i t i n the vrong vay, to prevent me 

from d r i n k i n g , t h a t I never looked upon him as a f r i e n d but 

simply as a crook vho was to be o u t v i t t e d . I do not overlook h i s 

m e r i t s as a l a v y e r , and t h i n k i t u n l i k e l y , f o r h i s ovn sake 

should you have any d e a l i n g s v i t h him t h a t he vould dare to be 

d i s h o n e s t v i t h you. But fundamentally d i s h o n e s t he i s of v h i c h I 

a l s o have abundent proof and I vould be on your guard. Hence you 



172 

w i l l s e e , o l d f e l l o v , t h a t our a t t e m p t s t o a c h i e v e the " t r u t h " 

v o u l d be s u r r o u n d e d on a l l s i d e s by l o u d g r e g a r i o u s l i e s v h i c h ve 

v o u l d not have t h e a l l o t e d time t o c l e a r avay i n o r d e r t o a c h i e v e 

our p o i n t . I v o u l d s a y f u r t h e r , t h a t the o n l y t r o u b l e I have 

e n c o u n t e r e d , so f a r as t h e y a r e c o n c e r n e d , vas vhen, p a r t l y i n an 

e f f o r t t o g e t avay from t h i s o d i o u s n e s s once and f o r a l l I t o l d 

the t r u t h t o A.B.Carey v i t h the b i t t e r r e s u l t s you knov. and I 

can o n l y s a y i t s e r v e s me r i g h t f o r t r u s t i n g a l i c e n t i o u s 

s e n t i m e n t a l i s t and a p o l i t i c a l c h e a t . I do not t h i n k i t h e l p s my 

p o i n t t o condemn t h e o t h e r f e l l o v , i n f a c t h i s v i c e s may be t h e 

o n l y human p a r t of him, but s i n c e t h e condemnation i s j u s t and 

a l l t h e s e p e o p l e have done t h e i r damndest t o make me f e e l abased 

i n my ovn eyes I harp on i t j u s t t o t r y and shov you hov 

t h o r o u g h l y h y p o c r i t i c a l t h e v h o l e s e t up i s and t o t r y and 

c o n v i n c e you t h a t b e f o r e ve can do a n y t h i n g a complete break must 

be made by b o t h of us from i t . I t i s the hour of the k n i f e , t h e 

major o p e r a t i o n . 

Another t h i n g i s t h a t such a c o u r s e as you s u g g e s t might, 

even i f s u c c e s s f u l i n the f i n a l a n a l y s i s , r e s u l t i n p l a c i n g 

M a u r i c e Carey i n t h e r e d , v h i c h v o u l d not be e x a c t l y the s p o r t i n g 

t h i n g t o r i s k f o r a l t h o u g h he has not f a i l e d t o e x t o r t c e r t a i n 

t h i n g s from us, even p r a c t i c a l l y t o b l a c k m a i l us on t h e b a s i s 

t h a t b l a c k m a i l i n Vancouver, j u s t as i t vas i n t h e e i g h t e e n t h 

c e n t u r y i n E n g l a n d , i s m e r e l y p a r t of the mechanics of a b u s i n e s s 

t r a n s a c t i o n , a t l e a s t ve a r e g r a t e f u l t o him f o r our b e i n g 

t o g e t h e r a t a l l d u r i n g t h e l a s t months, and moreover vhen, v i t h 

much t r e p i d a t i o n , i t must be a d m i t t e d , but by vay of l a y i n g the 



173 

g r o u n d w o r k f o r a l a t e r a n d c o m p l e t e h o n e s t y a l l r o u n d , i n f o r m e d 

h i m t h a t v e v e r e e n d e a v o r i n g t o g e t a v a y f r o m h i m a n d h a d b e e n 

s t r i v i n g t o d o s o s o l i d l y f o r t h e l a s t m o n t h s , r e a c t e d i n a 

m a n n e r v h i c h v a s f a r m o r e t h a n s u r p r i s i n g , ( a m a n n e r v h i c h 

r e m i n d e d o n e o f t h e f a n t a s t i c C h r i s t i a n a c t s v h i c h D o s t o i e v s k y 

a t t r i b u t e s t o s o m e o f h i s d a r k e s t c h a r a c t e r s ) v h i c h s e e m e d t o u s 

a l m o s t s u b l i m e ! N o t o n l y d i d h e s e e m g e n u i n e l y p l e a s e d f o r o u r 

s a k e s t h a t v e v o u l d h a v e t h e p o s s i b i l i t y o f l i v i n g i n a n o r m a l 

f a s h i o n , b u t s a i d t h a t h e v o u l d v r i t e a " c r a c k i n g l e t t e r " t o y o u 

a b o u t i t , o f v h i c h v e h a v e h e a r d s o m e q u e e r e x c e r p t s a n d g a t h e r , 

a l t h o u g h v e h a v e n o t h e a r d d e f i n i t e l y , t h a t h e v a s s o m e t i m e a g o 

v i t h m u c h c r e a k i n g o f s y n t a x a n d t o r t u r e d r e c o l l e c t i o n s o f t h e 

p a r a d i g n s o f s u c h c o m p l i c a t e d v e r b s a s t o b e , a n d a l s o b e c a u s e h e 

a s k e d u s n o l e s s t h a n t h r e e t i m e s h o v t o s p e l l b l a c k g u a r d , v a s 

a c t u a l l y i m p r o v i n g i t , a n d b y n o v m a y v e i l h a v e p o s t e d i t . We 

c a n o n l y g u e s s a t t h e n a t u r e o f t h e c o m p l e t e d m a s t e r v o r k v h i c h 

y o u h a v e r e c e i v e d , o r v i l l r e c e i v e - v e v e r e h a r d p u t t o i t n o t 

t o l a u g h , v h i c h v o u l d h a v e h u r t h i s f e e l i n g s , a t v h a t p a r t s v e 

h e a r d , b u t h e r e a g a i n I s h o u l d b e o n y o u r g u a r d b e c a u s e i t m a y 

v e i l b e t h e t h e r e a n e r r i n g i s m a d e i n a n o t h e r d i r e c t i o n , a n d v e 

f e e l u n e a s y , e s p e c i a l l y i f h e h a s s e e n t o r e g a r d y o u a s a s o r t o f 

" c o n s p i r a t o r " v h i c h v e k n o v t h a t y o u v i l l n o t l i k e . O n t h e o t h e r 

h a n d , v h a t e v e r i t s a y s , i t s c a r c e l y c a n f a i l t o c o n v i n c e y o u , i f 

t h e r e a r e a n y f a c t s i n i t a t a l l , t h a t t h e r e i s s o m e t h i n g 

d e f i n i t e l y v r o n g o n t h e o t h e r s i d e o f t h e c a s e , a n d s i n c e t h i s 

m a n i s t h e t r u s t e d a p p o i n t e e o f A . B . C a r e y a n d h e n c e o f P a r k s , 

t h a t u n n e g o t i a b l y p a r a d o x e s e x i s t i n t h e p r e s e n t s e t u p a n d t h a t 



. 1 7 4 

i f M a u r i c e C a r e y i s n o t a l l t h a t s h o u l d be d e s i r e d a s a n 

a m b a s s a d o r o f v e r i t y , t h e n n e i t h e r a r e A . B . C a r e y o r P a r k s . T h a t 

y o u w i l l n o t v i s h t o be a s s o c i a t e d w i t h t h i s k i n d o f t h i n g g o e s 

w i t h o u t s a y i n g , a n d I now want t o s a y f l a t l y t h a t t h e a p p e a l t o 

y o u r s e l f was v e r y l a r g e l y made i n o r d e r t h a t ve c o u l d be 

d e l i v e r e d o n c e a n d f o r a l l f r o m t h i s n i g h t m a r e o f c o n f u s e d w i l l s 

a n d d i r e c t i o n s , d i s h o n e s t a n d o t h e r w i s e , i n o u r l o t . I n t h i s 

r e s p e c t we h a v e a p p e a l e d t o y o u s o t o s p e a k a s t h e T r u t h and i f 

t h e T r u t h f i n d s i t s e l f t o be on t h e s p o t a l i t t l e i t i s no 

w o n d e r , b u t I t h i n k t h a t we may h a v e done s o m e t h i n g s o f a r i n 

t h i s l e t t e r t o remove c e r t a i n s u p e r f i c i a l d o u b t s i n y o u r m i n d a s 

t o o u r i n t e g r i t y w i t h y o u w h i c h i s _ , w h i c h h a s b e e n , a n d w i l l 

c o n t i n u e t o be a n d must be f o r a l l o u r s a k e s , c o m p l e t e . 

Now b e f o r e d i s c u s s i n g some o f t h e o t h e r m a t t e r s b r o u g h t up 

i n y o u r l e t t e r , I w i s h , i f p o s s i b l e , t o a c c o u n t b r i e f l y a n d a s 

b e s t I may, f o r I m y s e l f am n o t y e t a c q u a i n t e d w i t h t h e w h o l e 

p a i n f u l s t o r y , f o r t h e r e a s o n f o r a l l t h i s a n d why a n y 

a l l e g a t i o n s h a v e b e e n made a t a l l b y P a r k s a n d t h e O.M. o f s u c h a 

s e r i o u s n a t u r e t h a t t h e y h a v e o b v i o u s l y c a u s e d y o u , i n s p i t e o f 

t h e f a c t t h a t I s a i d b e f o r e h a n d t h a t t h e y w o u l d be o f s u c h a 

n a t u r e , a p p a r e n t l y t o c h a n g e y o u r m i n d r e g a r d i n g h e l p i n g us_. Oo 

y o u remember M i l l e r , t h e l i t t l e c o m m u n i s t i n M e x i c o ? 1 My 

t r o u b l e s seem t o d a t e f r o m my a s s o c i a t i o n , o f a p u r e l y f r i e n d l y 

a n d non p o l i t i c a l n a t u r e , w i t h h i m . I w i l l n o t go i n t o d e t a i l 

b u t I s t r o n g l y s u s p e c t h e r e t h e hand o f b l a c k m a i l t h a t a c e r t a i n 

p e r s o n o r p e r s o n s h a v e v o l u n t e e r e d i n f o r m a t i o n o f a d e f a m a t o r y 

c h a r a c t e r t o t h e O.M. w i t h t h e v i e w o f e x t o r t i n g money b a s e d upon 



175 

my p u r e l y s u p e r f i c i a l r e l a t i o n s h i p w i t h him and w i t h some of h i s 

c o n f r e r e s . I n s p i t e of t h e f a c t t h a t I was not even t h e n of 

t h e i r p e r s u a s i o n s and o n l y the m i l d e s t k i n d of p i n k and i n s p i t e 

of t h e f a c t t h a t t h e s e a l l e g a t i o n s were m o n s t r o u s l y u n t r u e t h e y 

v e r e n e v e r t h e l e s s u n d o u b t e d l y made, w i t h whatever m o t i v e , and the 

f a c t t h a t I had been a s s o c i a t e d w i t h t h e s e p e o p l e i n any way 

whatsoever has s e r v e d t o b l a c k e n my name and t o a c t as a w o r k i n g 

h y p o t h e s i s f o r i n v e s t i n g me not o n l y w i t h DISEASES but CRIME as 

w e l l . I have heard the most i n c r e d i b l e s t o r i e s about m y s e l f 

which I know have got back t o t h e O.M. and i n o n l y one of which 

i s t h e r e a g r a i n o f t r u t h . U n f o r t u n a t e l y t h i s one was by a l l 

odds t h e most damaging of a l l . A female t o whom P a r k s had been 

i n t r o d u c e d and w i t h whose " s e t " I had been c o n s o r t i n g soon a f t e r 

the i n t e r o g a t o r y s t a t e of a f f a i r s v i t h J a n , had one h e l l of a 

b r a v l f o r h e r s e l f vhen t i g h t and v i t h her husband i n my room 

vhere t h e y had come, v h i s k e y b o t t l e i n hand, s e e k i n g me. 

A l t h o u g h I vas not even t h e r e a t the time and o n l y a r r i v e d l a t e r , 

vhen the h o t e l c l e r k and I t r i e d t o g e t them o u t , t h e damage had 

a l r e a d y been done. The female had a p p a r e n t l y got i t i n t o her 

head t h a t she v a n t e d t o commit s u i c i d e , h y s t e r i a and usquebaugh 2 

vas a l l over the p l a c e , she had a b l a c k eye and a c r a c k e d r i b 

(her husband had c r a c k e d t h i s f o r her t h r e e months p r e v i o u s l y , 

though) but I vas on the c a r p e t . I t d i d l i t t l e good f o r t h e 

female some days a f t e r v a r d t o s p r i n g t o my r e s c u e or even the 

h o t e l s t a f f t o a f f i r m t h a t i t vas not my f a u l t , t h e onus vas 

e n t i r e l y on me. F o r t u n a t e l y i t vas o n l y a l o c a l i z e d r o v , no 

p o l i c e , or a n y t h i n g l i k e t h a t , and P a r k s , I t h i n k , t o do him 



176 

j u s t i c e , v o u l d not have r e p o r t e d t h i s m a t t e r had not ve v i o l e n t l y 

q u a r r e l e d a t t h i s p o i n t and I c a l l e d him a c r o o k . I n d e s p a i r as 

t o hov t h i s a f f a i r v o u l d sound i n the Wesleyan hush of my 

f a t h e r ' s house I s e n t a t e l e g r a m t o S t u a r t , 3 t e l l i n g him t h a t 

P a r k s vas a crook and a s k i n g him s i m p l y f o r enough money t o get 

me by the n e x t c o u p l e of months and t h e n t o i n f o r m the O.M. t h a t 

I vas a b s o l u t e l y t h r o u g h v i t h any money from t h a t s o u r c e from 

t h e n on, v h i c h s h o u l d e n a b l e me t o go t o Nev Y o r k , — I had not met 

Margie a t t h i s t i m e , — a n d t r y and make a f r e s h s t a r t on my ovn 

hook. P a r k s i n t e r c e p t e d t h e t e l e g r a m a t the desk and s e n t i t t o 

my f a t h e r , h a v i n g t o l d them t h a t he v o u l d s i m p l y g e t i t s e n t f o r 

me. ( T h i s f o r your d e l e c t a t i o n i s a c r i m i n a l o f f e n c e . But v h a t , 

under the c i r c u m s t a n c e s , c o u l d I do?) I t vas t h e n I got v i n d of 

the g e n e r a l i d e a t h a t the O.M. had formed from t h e s e r e p o r t s of 

me, v h i c h vas t o have me d e c l a r e d incompetant and have me s h u t up 

i n a s a n i t a r i u m vhere I c o u l d be of no f u r t h e r harm t o anybody. 

Tears o f rage might v e i l s t r e a m dovn the o l d countenance a t t h i s , 

and a l s o a t t h e e f f e c t of v h a t must have been a g h a s t l y r e p o r t of 

s o m e t h i n g , v h i c h hovever might have happened t o anybody, upon the 

a u n t s and p r o s t i t u t e s a t home, i t d i d not a l t e r t h e f a c t t h a t 

from t h a t time on my goose vas cooked. You speak of my O.M. 

coming t o the r e s c u e , but i n p o i n t of f a c t , a l t h o u g h t h i s i s v h a t 

the poor o l d f e l l o v thought he vas d o i n g no such coming t o the 

r e s c u e has t a k e n p l a c e a t a l l , nor vas any r e s c u e needed i n the 

sense you s u g g e s t , the o n l y p e r s o n vho came t o any r e s c u e vas 

M a r g i e , y e s , f i n a n c i a l l y t o o , because you must remember I never 

s a v a f r a c t i o n of the money s e n t out f o r met And indeed the o n l y 



time I a p p e a l e d t o the O.M. f o r h e l p vas l a t e l y vhen i n d e s p a i r 

a t c o n v i n c i n g him t h a t both he and I had been caught i n a veb of 

f a l s e h o o d I v r o t e him an a b s o l u t e l y d e s p a i r i n g l e t t e r i n v h i c h I 

begged, much as I d i s l i k e t o beg, t o be a b l e t o see you vhom of 

a l l p e o p l e I f e l t a l o n e a b l e t o t r u s t t o make an a b s o l u t e l y 

i m p a r t i a l c o l l o c a t i o n of the nevs v i t h r e g a r d t o m y s e l f w i t h o u t , 

I f e l t , any due f a v o r t o me. I i n c l u d e d the l a t t e r because vhen 

you d i d not v r i t e met — I I mean you, p e r s o n a l l y , d i d n ' t : not 

M a r y . I — l a f t e r l e a v i n g Mexico I vas l e f t v i t h the c o n c l u s i o n t h a t 

s o m e t h i n g , I do not knov p r e c i s e l y v h a t , vas r a n k l i n g . With t h i s 

i n mind I vas not as a s t o n i s h e d as I might o t h e r v i s e have been a t 

the tone of your r e c e n t l e t t e r s . I v a n t t o a s s u r e you a g a i n nov 

t h a t I i n t e n d , have i n t e n d e d , i n t e n d i n the f u t u r e , and have done 

i n r e l a t i o n t o M a r g e r i e t o t e l l you the a b s o l u t e t r u t h and 

n o t h i n g but the t r u t h . I d e e p l y v a l u e your f r i e n d s h i p and a t 

such a time as t h i s I v i s h p r o f o u n d l y t h a t i f t h e r e a r e any vorms 

i n e i t h e r of our bosoms t h e y s h o u l d be removed. There i s not one 

f a c t t h a t I have v i t t i n g l y d i s t o r t e d t o you. In o r d e r t o make my 

s t o r y more p l a u s i b l e t o you I v i c h t h a t I c o u l d p a i n t A.B.Carey 

l e s s b l a c k , P a r k s l e s s c y n i c a l , m y s e l f l e s s e x p l o i t e d , t h a n I 

have done but the f a c t remains t h a t a l t h o u g h I do not v i s h t o 

make a song about i t I have been more b l o o d i l y misused t h a n any 

f i v e p e o p l e you can t h i n k o f , i f ve e x c e p t the C z e c h o s l o v a k i a n s 

and t h e F i n n s , and i f you l o v e me as a f r i e n d as I b e l i e v e and 

can o n l y c o n c l u d e from v h a t you have done f o r me a l r e a d y t h a t you 

do, I f e e l t h a t you v i l l do something about i t . 

As t o d r i n k r o t t i n g one's h o n e s t y , a l a s , t h a t i s t r u e . At 



178 

one time I f e l t indeed t h a t more than r o t t i n g my h o n e s t y i t vas 

d e s t r o y i n g my i d e n t i t y as v e i l . Many of my t r o u b l e s , but a l s o 

many of my v i s e s t d e c i s i o n s , a r e due t o i t but I am n o t , as P a r k s 

has s u g g e s t e d , a l l e r g i c , v h a t e v e r t h a t means, t o i t . I have a t 

l a s t g o t t e n v i s e t o i t , ceased t o t e l l m y s e l f p o l i t e l i t t l e l i e s 

about i t , f o r c e d m y s e l f t o r e a l i z e v h a t a l l o w a n c e s a r e made f o r 

one when t i g h t , and hence hov much one d e c e i v e s one's s e l f , and 

have a t l a s t put t h i s bogy vhere i t s h o u l d be, as s i m p l y a 

c o n c o m i t a n t of s o c i a l i n t e r c o u r s e . In s h o r t , I s t i l l l i k e as 

much as a l m o s t anyone you can t r u s t t o have a f e v d r i n k s , or even 

on o c c a s i o n , more t h a n a f e v , but on the o t h e r hand i t i s the 

f i r s t time i n my l i f e I might a l m o s t s a y I can t a k e a d r i n k i f 

the o c c a s i o n seems t o demand i t or I can l e a v e i t a l o n e 

a l t o g e t h e r . I am c a p a b l e of p r o b a b l y more s e l f d i c i p l i n e t h a n 

you imagine and I t h i n k you v i l l be r e l i e v e d t o hear t h i s and 

t h a t no e x h o r t a t i o n s a r e any l o n g e r n e c e s s a r y on t h i s s u b j e c t . 

With v i n e and o t h e r b o o t l e g l i q u o r as cheap as i t i s and v i t h 

M a u r i c e a l m o s t c o n s t a n t l y b a r r a c h o * i t v o u l d be q u i t e p o s s i b l e 

f o r me t o keep q u i t e p l a s t e r e d here veek i n and veek out even on 

the amount of money t h a t I have s h o u l d I v i s h t o do s o , so 

t e m p t a t i o n c o u l d not p o s s i b l y be any v o r s e i n Boston than i t i s 

h e r e . The bogy may r a i s e i t s head a g a i n but not i f I s a y so 

v h i l e you a r e the a r b i t r a t o r and even i f i t does b o t h Margie and 

m y s e l f a r e v e i l equipped t o d e a l v i t h i t . P r i n c i p a l l y I have 

been f o r c e d t o t h i s a t t i t u d e by the r e a l i z a t i o n t h a t i t d i d 

a c t u a l l y r o t one's h o n e s t y and by the d e t e r i o r a t i n g and vaporous 

e f f e c t i t had b o t h v i t h my vork and i n my r e l a t i o n s h i p v i t h 



179 

M a r g e r i e who, a b l e t o s t a n d i t and never c o m p l a i n i n g about i t , i s 

the o n l y p e r s o n who has ever c o n v i n c e d me t h a t i t vas worth w h i l e 

r e g u l a r i z i n g . But i f d r i n k i n g r o t s the h o n e s t y i t i s a c u r i o u s 

t h i n g t o s a y I have y e t t o meet t h e t e e t o t a l e r whom I can w h o l l y 

t r u s t . However. So much t h e n , f o r a l e . 

You r e f e r t o my ' o b l i q u i t y ' i n Mexico and I t h i n k you w i l l 

agree t h a t I am j u s t i f i a b l y h u r t t h a t you r e f e r and have r e f e r r e d 

t o t h a t and n o t h i n g e l s e i n c o n n e c t i o n w i t h your v i s i t . I d i d my 

v e r y l e v e l b e s t t o accomodate you and t o make you and Mary happy 

w h i l e you were t h e r e . I took you a l l as w e l l as I c o u l d t o my 

r h e u m a t i c bosom, a more r e a s o n a b l e d i v o r c e l a w y e r was p r o c u r e d 

t h a t you might have o t h e r w i s e been a b l e t o o b t a i n , and a l t h o u g h 

you a r e under no o b l i g a t i o n t o me whatsoever about t h i s , I l i k e 

t o f e e l I p l a y e d my poor p a r t , i n s p i t e of t h e m a n i f e s t r e l i e f I 

do not blame you i n the l e a s t f o r f e e l i n g when you went, i n 

s e n d i n g you and Mary upon your d e s t i n y . You must remember t h a t I 

was p r o b a b l y more s e r i o u s l y i l l t h a t you knew, my i l l n e s s h a v i n g 

s i n c e been d i a g n o s e d as a ( n o n - i n f e c t i o u s ) s o r t of a t r o p h y . 

a p p r o a c h i n g i n f a n t i l e p a r a l y s i s , which sometimes i s the 

accompaniment of r h e u m a t i c f e v e r i n them p a r t s . The r e p o r t , 

t h r o u g h what c h a n n e l s I do not know, got back t o the O.M. t h a t I 

was s u f f e r i n g from b o t h e p i l e p s y and WORSE and I was i n c i d e n t a l l y 

abandoned by Jan s t i l l much i n the same c o n d i t i o n , which d i d not 

add t o my p l e a s u r e s . A l l of which t o g e t h e r w i t h t h e f a c t t h a t 

whatever I may have s a i d I r e a l l y f e l t m y s e l f t o be w a l k i n g on 

t h e edge of a p r e c i p i c e w i t h J a n , may go f a r t o a c c o u n t f o r what 

o b l i q u i t y the a l c o h o l may not a c c o u n t f o r . 



180 

R e g a r d i n g the e p i l e p s y and WORSE: you may s a y t h a t p e o p l e do 

not do t h e s e t h i n g s , and of c o u r s e I have o n l y P a r k ' s word t h a t 

t h e y v e r e s a i d , but your ovn r e a c t i o n t o my f a t h e r ' s l e t t e r v o u l d 

seem t o j u s t i f y t h e e x i s t a n c e of such r e p o r t s . I t vas upon t h e 

b a s i s of t h e s e l i e s t h a t P a r k s formed h i s f i r s t o p i n i o n of me and 

I mention t h i s as a t o u c h s t o n e o f the p r o b a b l y a c c u r a c y of most 

of the r e p o r t s you have r e c e i v e d about me. I need s c a r c e l y s a y 

t h a t t h e s e t h i n g s a r e r i d i c u l o u s but not t h e b e s t t h i n g s i n t h e 

v o r l d t o f e e l t h a t someone f a r avay i s c h a r g i n g a g a i n s t you. I 

must add t h a t so f a r as the company I k e p t i s concerned I have 

been a f f o r d e d a r i c h l e s s o n by my e x p e r i e n c e s v h i c h I v i l l not 

f o r g e t i n a h u r r y . The m a j o r i t y of the r e p o r t s t h a t v e n t home 

a p a r t from t h o s e from some m y s t e r i o u s s o u r c e i n M e x i c o , p r o b a b l y 

an i n d i v i d u a l by t h e name of Mensch 9 vhom I g o t out of a 

f r i g h t f u l jam a t my ovn expense, have emanated from Jan and l a t e r 

P a r k s . S i n c e P a r k s d i s c r e d i t e d Jan's v o r d t o England and J a n , 

P a r k s ' , and m y s e l f , nov, b o t h of t h e i r v o r d s , and as I am t e l l i n g 

you the a b s o l u t e u n v a r n i s h e d t r u t h , you can make up your mind f o r 

y o u r s e l f hov much c r e d a n c e t o g i v e t o v h a t you have h e a r d . I do 

not e x p e c t you t o make any f i n a l judgement u n t i l ve have the 

o p p o r t u n i t y of s p e a k i n g t o g e t h e r but I am a s k i n g you a t l e a s t t o 

suspend judgement upon a c c u s a t i o n s v h i c h I c o u l d not a n s v e r . 

N e v e r t h e l e s s I can see t h a t P a r k s and the O.M. have q u i t e 

n a t u r e l l y had t h e i r i n f l u e n c e upon you and i t i s the purpose of 

t h i s l e t t e r t o g i v e as much l i g h t as I can upon p a s t e v e n t s v h i c h 

I hope v i l l r e s u l t i n your f e e l i n g l e s s uneasy about M a r g e r i e and 

m y s e l f s h o u l d ve be a b l e t o come. (Another t h i n g I have heard 



181 

about m y s e l f . That I had g o t i n t o t r o u b l e v i t h the P o l i c e , due 

t o d r i n k . I never have. E x c e p t once, y e a r s ago, a t c o l l e g e . I t 

i s a b l o o d y l i e . And i t can be proved.) 

I see t h e d i f f i c u l t y you a r e p l a c e d i n v i t h r e g a r d t o Margie 

v i t h your c o n s c i e n c e . You may l i k e me but on the o t h e r hand you 

do not v a n t t o be i n any vay t h e i n s t r u m e n t of a t t a c h i n g me t o 

somebody vho might prove such a headache t o the O.M. as J a n . The 

s i t u a t i o n i s e n t i r e l y d i f f e r e n t . My v i s h i s t o s u p p o r t Margie by 

my ovn e f f o r t s as soon as p o s s i b l e and i t has a l v a y s been ray 

v i s h . I f i t so be t h a t some money c o n t i n u e s t o be f o r t h c o m i n g so 

much t h e b e t t e r f o r us, but so f a r i s t h e s i t u a t i o n u n l i k e 

a n y t h i n g v h i c h o c c u r r e d v i t h J a n t h a t M a r g e r i e had e x p r e s s e d 

h e r s e l f as p e r f e c t l y v i l l i n g and even eager t o s u p p o r t me, u n t i l 

such time as I got on my f e e t , and had she not g i v e n up her j o b 

v i t h Penny S i n g l e t o n * v o u l d have been a b u n d e n t l y a b l e t o do s o . 

You do see hovever the p o s i t i o n i n v h i c h b o t h v a r and 

c i r c u m s t a n c e s have p l a c e d us and i f ve f o r g e t t h e former f o r a 

moment America i s c l e a r l y enough the s o l u t i o n . On t h e o t h e r hand 

a l t h o u g h I t h i n k you might have put i t more c h e e r i l y I can see 

your p o s i t i o n as one h a v i n g the pover t o have me c u t o f f w i t h o u t 

a penny and do f r e e l y a b s o l v e y o u i n advance s h o u l d you c o n s i d e r 

t h i s t o be the w i s e s t c o u r s e and s i n c e I know t h a t you would not 

a d v o c a t e t h i s u n l e s s I l e t you down I v a n t i t t o be u n d e r s t o o d 

here and nov and h e r e a f t e r t h a t t h i s makes a b s o l u t e l y no 

d i f f e r e n c e t o my f e e l i n g of f r i e n d s h i p v i t h you. Perhaps i t 

might t u r n out even t o be a good t h i n g and ve v o u l d a l l be 

h a p p i e r i f ve a r e l i v i n g c o n t i g u o u s l y a t such a time i f the 



182 

monetary element d i d not c o m p l i c a t e our n a t u r a l g e n e r o s i t i e s 

towards each o t h e r . But, as I have s a i d b e f o r e and f o r r e a s o n s 

t o t a l l y u n a l l i e d t o the c o n d i t i o n s of the t r a n s a c t i o n , I have n_g_ 

i n t e n t i o n o f l e t t i n g you down. Another a s p e c t of the s i t u a t i o n 

has o c c u r r e d t o me. You may f e e l t h a t by h a r b o r i n g M a r g e r i e you 

a r e r u n n i n g the r i s k of h a v i n g her f a m i l y r i s i n g i n i n d i g n a n t 

p r o t e s t about i t . Margie has had t o t e l l some o f her f r i e n d s 

t h a t she i s m a r r i e d s i m p l y i n o r d e r t o a v e r t g o s s i p . Her mother, 

however, knows t h a t t h e r e a r e o b s t a c l e s t o our m a r r i a g e and t h a t 

we have t o w a i t u n t i l such time as t h e y a r e removed. She i s 

s a t i s f i e d t h a t we a r e s t a y i n g w i t h a m a r r i e d c o u p l e and i s a l s o 

p l e a s e d w i t h t h e i d e a of her g o i n g t o Boston where she would be 

l i v i n g under the same, but b e t t e r , c o n d i t i o n s , which would be, i f 

you demand i t , t h e c o n d i t i o n s which she b e l i e v e s e x i s t . Here 

a g a i n the e x t e n u a t i n g c i r c u m s t a n c e s of the war have combined t o 

persuade her t o waive any o b j e c t i o n t o the a p p a r e n t 

u n c o n v e n t i o n a l i t y o f our s t a t u s and I ask you most e a r n e s t l y a l s o 

t o t a k e i n t o a c c o u n t i n r e g a r d t o my not w r i t i n g the O.M. a t t h i s 

time t h e s e s e l f - s a m e e x t e n u a t i n g c i r c u m s t a n c e s . I t might be a l l 

r i g h t but I d a r e not r i s k our p o s s i b l e s e p a r a t i o n . I s u g g e s t t o 

you as one who i s e n l i g h t e n e d t h a t t h i s r e s p e c t of the 

c o n v e n t i o n s v i t h r e g a r d t o the O.M. might do more harm t h a n good 

and I am l o a t h e t o t e l l a s o r t of h a l f l i e as s u g g e s t e d by you, 

i . e . : t h a t I've j u s t nov i n f o r m e d you of the s i t u a t i o n and t h a t 

you have agreed i n advance t o M a r g i e ' s coming a l o n g l a t e r f o r a 

v i s i t . I t i s t r u e t h a t i f i t v o r k e d i t v o u l d put t h i n g s on a 

s e c u r e r f o o t i n g but i f i t d i d not vork i t v o u l d mean d i s a s t e r and 



183 

I t h i n k a f t e r you have d i g e s t e d the above you v i l l agree v i t h me 

t h a t I v o u l d have no c h o i c e but t o d e c l i n e t o go t o America a t 

a l l , hang on here on some excuse or a n o t h e r as b e s t I c o u l d , j o i n 

t h e army, and t h e n , u n t i l ve a r e a b l e t o be m a r r i e d d e c r e e Margie 

my common l a v v i f e and s u p p o r t her on $35 a month. D i d t h i s 

promise me any f u t u r e i t might be a v a l u a b l e e x p e r i e n c e but on 

the v h o l e i t i s a c o u r s e v h i c h you v o u l d not v i s h me t o have t o 

t a k e . I have t o s a y r i g h t here and nov, p u t t i n g my f o o t dovn as 

hard as I can v i t h o u t b r i n g i n g dovn a l l t h a [ t ] has been so 

s k i l l f u l l y e n g i n e e r e d upon our heads t h a t I v o u l d d e f i n i t e l y 

renounce any p e r s o n a l g a i n t h a t might a c c r u e t o me by g o i n g t o 

America a l o n e and s t a y h e r e . We can be m a r r i e d next October and 

even i f I have t o go s h o r t l y a f t e r , a t l e a s t M a r g e r i e v o u l d have 

the s a t i s f a c t i o n o f a v a i t i n g my r e t u r n as my v i f e . I t h i n k t h a t 

as the c i r u m s t a n c e s o f v a r v i l l c o n t i n u e t o be more e x t e n u a t i n g 

as time goes on t h a t i f you f e e l t h a t our a c t i o n s j u s t i f y your 

r a i s i n g your v o i c e on our b e h a l f t h a t perhaps t h e r e v o u l d be not 

such a grave p a r e n t a l o b j e c t i o n e i t h e r But i f the O.M. knev t h a t 

ve had l i v e d t o g e t h e r b e f o r e our m a r r i a g e , v h i c h vere I t o be 

c o m p l e t e l y honest v i t h him I v o u l d have t o admit t h a t ve had, he 

v o u l d be opposed t o i t . S u r e l y , Conrad, you can see t h a t t h i s i s 

a m a t t e r more of c o n v e n t i o n t h a n of h o n e s t y . I can even go 

f u r t h e r and s a y t h a t even i f the O.M. s u s p e c t e d t h a t ve had l i v e d 

t o g e t h e r b e f o r e our m a r r i a g e he v o u l d r a t h e r not knov about i t , 

put h i s t e l e s c o p e t o h i s b l i n d eye, so t h a t he v o u l d not be 

f o r c e d by the r i g i d i t y o f h i s Wesleyan s p i r i t t o o b j e c t , and t h i s 

b r i n g s me dovn t o the s u b t l e d i f f e r e n c e betveen h o n e s t y and vhat 



184 

I t h i n k Ibsen c a l l e d the ' d i s e a s e of i n t e g r i t y . ' 

Margie and I have s t r i v e n v i t h a l l our s o u l s t o make our 

r e l a t i o n s h i p as f i n e a t h i n g and as honest a t h i n g as ve c o u l d 

under the c i r c u m s t a n c e s and i t seems a p i t y t h a t a l l ve have 

b u i l t up s h o u l d be smeared by a c o n v e n t i o n v h i c h i n t h i s c a s e , 

h a v i n g r e g a r d t o the v a r and t h e f a c t t h a t i t v i l l p r o b a b l y l a s t 

a v e r y l o n g time i n d e e d , v o u l d be a s o r t of s i n i n i t s e l f t o 

r e s p e c t , and h a v i n g r e g a r d t o t h a t v a r , once more, Conrad, have 

you thought about i t s u f f i c i e n t l y v i t h a l l i t s l i t t l e 

i m p l i c a t i o n s i n r e g a r d t o us? Has i t o c c u r r e d t o you, t o put i t 

as c r u e l l y as p o s s i b l e , t h a t i t may v e r y v e i l not make any 

d i f f e r e n c e v h e t h e r the O.M. c u t s me o f f v i t h o u t a penny or n o t ? 

Then t h e r e i s the m a t t e r of vork i n v h i c h Margie has become 

e s s e n t i a l . I n d r a v i n g t o g e t h e r , vork has become a communal t h i n g 

betveen us. M a r g i e i s nov as much i n t e r e s t e d i n Under the 

V o l c a n o as I am. We v o r k t o g e t h e r on i t day and n i g h t . I f e e l 

t h a t i t i s the f i r s t r e a l book I've v r i t t e n . The c e r t a i n t y of 

v a r has l e t l o o s e a h e l l of a l o t of pent up energy and a l l 

p l a y e d a g a i n s t t h e background of the f a l s e i d e a l i s m s and 

a b s t r a c t i o n s of peace t h a t ve v a s t e d our time v i t h vhen ve s h o u l d 

have been t h i n k i n g about l i v i n g , of v h i c h ve a r e b i t t e r l y 

reminded vhen perhaps t h e r e i s not much time any l o n g e r . A l l 

t h i s i s making f o r a r e a l drama, something p o s s i b l y f i r s t r a t e , 

v i t h i n i t s l i m i t s . I'm more t h a n g l a d I never got a chance t o 

f i n i s h i t v i t h o u t her because ve too seem t o be p l a y i n g our p a r t s 

v i t h i n t h e drama. I don't see hov t h e h e l l I can f i n i s h the book 

v i t h o u t her anyhov nov t h a t ve've got s t a r t e d on an a b s o l u t e l y 



185 

new and i m p o r t a n t c h a r a c t e r i n i t v h i c h i s her i d e a . 7 T h i s a g a i n 

i s an i m p o r t a n t p o i n t : i t i s something about v h i c h you v i l l v a n t 

t o be shown, I a d m i t , but I c a n ' t shov i t t o you v i t h o u t b e i n g on 

the s p o t , and I c a n ' t , moreover, hope t o e x p l a i n i t t o the o l d 

man v i t h o u t g e t t i n g the v h o l e t h i n g h o p e l e s s l y m i s c o n s t r u e d , even 

v e r e t h e r e t i m e , v h i c h t h e r e may not be. 

Another t h i n g I v o u l d l i k e you t o t a k e i n t o a c c o u n t i s the 

o l d man's p e c u l i a r i t i e s i n c e r t a i n r e s p e c t s . He d i d h i s b e s t t o 

queer S t u a r t ' s " m a r r i a g e , v h i c h t u r n e d out v e i l , because he d i d 

not make q u i t e t h e r i g h t t a c t i c a l a p p r o a c h . (He vas s p o r t i n g 

about m i n e 9 but need not have been d r a v n i n t o i t s f a i l u r e , had he 

o n l y l e t me a l o n e . ) And I am not t h e f i r s t son t o have had s p i e s 

put on h i s t a i l . 3 - 0 S t u a r t , vhen i n F r a n c e , had the same t h i n g 

done t o him. What the O.M. needs i s a s s u r a n c e of some s o r t t h a t 

a l l i s nov as v e i l as i t can be, and though I might v i s h t h a t 

a s s u r a n c e t o be made anyhov f o r h i s ovn sake I c e r t a i n l y do not 

v i s h i t f o r my ends; and s i n c e ve have a l r e a d y u n d e r s t o o d t h a t 

you v i l l not make any a s s u r a n c e u n l e s s you f e e l t h a t the 

s i t u a t i o n d e s e r v e s i t , you v i l l perhaps see t h a t I am d o u b l y 

a n x i o u s t h a t you s h o u l d be c o n v i n c e d . 

I t h i n k t h a t the v i s e r c o u r s e and the j u s t e r v o u l d be as I 

have s a i d b e f o r e t h a t you suspend judgement upon v h e t h e r you can 

r a t i f y our r e l a t i o n s h i p as a good t h i n g , i f such r a t i f i c a t i o n i s 

needed, u n t i l you have the e v i d e n c e of your ovn e y e s . There i s 

n o t h i n g t o p r e v e n t a t l e a s t my g e t t i n g engaged v i t h o u t my 

f a t h e r ' s knovledge and my f i r s t m a r r i a g e h a v i n g proved an 

embarrassment ( t o him t h r o u g h no f a u l t o f my ovn) and a f a i l u r e , 



he i s not l i k e l y t o l o o k upon any attachment I may form a t the 

p r e s e n t time w i t h f a v o r u n t i l l you a r e c o n v i n c e d t h a t i t i s 

o t h e r w i s e . Why do you not c o n s i d e r our r e l a t i o n s h i p t o be a 

n e c e s s a r y e x p e r i m e n t ? I cannot see t h a t my f a t h e r can e x p e c t me 

e n t i r e l y t o d i s p e n s e w i t h female company. I f Margie d i d not 

e x i s t you would p r o b a b l y s u g g e s t , even i f I kept a p a i r of 

s c i s s o r s handy as you s a y , t h a t I t a k e upon some female 

r e l a t i o n s h i p which r e a s o n i t s e l f would not demand you t o t e l l my 

f a t h e r about and o f which he would not e x p e c t t o know. The p a i r 

of s c i s s o r s so f a r as you're concerned i s i n your own hands and I 

have s a i d b e f o r e h a n d t h a t i f you do not approve our r e l a t i o n s h i p 

e v e n t u a l l y and i f , by the way, any c o n t i n u a t i o n of i t i m p l i e s a 

l e t t i n g of you down tantamount t o the drunken h o r r o r s you e x p e c t 

t o cope w i t h , t h e n as I s a y , i t i s a l l r i g h t by me and you a r e 

s t i l l a l l r i g h t by me and I w i l l j u s t have t o f i g u r e a vay out of 

our d i f f i c u l t i e s v i t h o u t your a s s i s t a n c e and a p p r o v a l but v i t h , I 

hope, i n t h a t case your unexpressed b l e s s i n g . P a r k s ' remedy f o r 

my t r o u b l e s vas the s a y i n g , At n i g h t a l l c a t s a r e g r e y , and i t 

seems t o me i t v o u l d be a t r a g i c t h i n g and a c o n t r a d i c t o r y one 

t h a t v h i l e a p a s s i n g r e l a t i o n s h i p v i t h a h a r l o t might be condoned 

by P a r k s e t a l one v h i c h i s i n i t s e l f a s i m p l e , honest and good 

t h i n g i s n o t . The r i s k s ve a r e t a k i n g ve t a k e v i t h our eyes 

open. 

I had hoped t h a t i n t h i s l e t t e r I had managed t o c l e a r up 

some of the s u s p i c i o n s v h i c h I f e e l you have come t o h o l d s i n c e 

r e c e i v i n g t h e l e t t e r s from the O.M. and P a r k s and I hope a l s o 

t h a t a f t e r you have absorbed e v e r y v o r d o f t h i s l e t t e r t h a t you 



187 

v i l l be c o n v i n c e d t h a t the o n l y f i r s t s t e p t o v a r d s a s e c u r e r 

f o o t i n g and f i n a l l y a s e c u r e f o o t i n g i s f o r you t o see and be 

shovn by y o u r s e l f . O t h e r v i s e I t h i n k I s h o u l d i n e v i t a b l y become 

t h e v i c t i m of some such j u s t i c e as b e f e l l my f r i e n d W i l l a i m 

Empson vhen h i s f e l l o w s h i p a t Cambridge vas t a k e n away, h i m s e l f 

s e n t down and h i s c a r e e r r u i n e d , because he had been abnormal 

enough t o have some c o n t r a c e p t i v e s i n h i s room, and normal enough 

t o i n f o r m t h e dons t h a t t h e y were not ornaments and t h a t he used 

t h e m . 1 1 

For the r e s t , f o r the hope you e x t e n d about M o n t r e a l s h o u l d 

the American i d e a blow up, my d e e p e s t thanks and a l s o r e i t e r a t e d 

t h a n k s f o r e v e r y t h i n g you have both done f o r us. V e r y f i n a l l y I 

want t o s a y a g a i n t h a t so f a r as we a r e concerned t h e r e w i l l be 

no d i s h o n e s t n e s s round c o r n e r s , no drunken s a i l o r s smuggled i n 

from the Navy Yard a t n i g h t and above a l l no communistic t a l k 

under the banana t r e e s . My o n l y hope i s t h a t a f t e r a l l our ups 

and downs our r e l a t i o n s h i p and r e l a t i o n s h i p s as you once 

p r o p h e s i e d the l a s t time I l e f t Rye, c o u l d and would be pure 

S i e r r a Nevada and s o , as Chaucer s a i d , go l i t e l book, which I am 

a f r a i d t h i s has become, go l i t e l myne t r a g e d i e , 1 2 and bear i n 

mind t h a t whatever i t may not be w r i t t e n w i t h i t i s w r i t t e n w i t h 

l o v e 

As e v e r , 

w i t h Both our Loves 

Male 

P.S. I e n c l o s e an o l d s e l f - e x p l a n a t o r y , u n p o s t e d , p . c . 1 3 



I 

188 

E x p l a n a t o r y Notes 
x Not i d e n t i f i e d . 
2 "usquebaugh": w h i s k e y ; G a e l i c , "water of l i f e . " C f . 

Lowry's poem b e g i n n i n g "The doom of each, s a i d Doctor Usquebaugh" 
i n l e t t e r 40, p. 247. 

3 S t u a r t Lowry (1895-1969), Malcolm's e l d e s t b r o t h e r . 
4 " b o r r a c h o " : S p a n i s h , "drunk"; Lowry has m i s s p e l l e d the 

word. 
B Not i d e n t i f i e d . 

• Penny S i n g l e t o n (born M a r i a n a Dorothy McNulty) (1908- ), 
Hollywood a c t r e s s who had t h e t i t l e r o l e i n the 1938-50 " B l o n d i e " 
f e a t u r e s e r i e s . 

7 P r o b a b l y t h e c h a r a c t e r of Yvonne, who was changed from the 
C o n s u l ' s d a u g h t e r , i n the e a r l i e r d r a f t s of Under the V o l c a n o , t o 
h i s w i f e ( c f . Day 272). 

• S t u a r t Lowry; see n. 3 above. 

* Lowry's m a r r i a g e t o Jan G a b r i a l on 6 J a n u a r y 1934. 
x o I t would seem t h a t A r t h u r O. Lowry had h i r e d a d e t e c t i v e 

t o f o l l o w Lowry's movements i n M e x i c o . Elements of t h i s 
s i t u a t i o n a r e p r e s e n t i n Under the V o l c a n o . 

x x W i l l i a m Empson (1906-84), B r i t i s h c r i t i c and poet who 
s t u d i e d a t W i n c h e s t e r C o l l e g e , 1920-25, and Magdalene C o l l e g e , 
Cambridge, 1929; s t u d e n t of mathematics and E n g l i s h who, under 
the t u t o r s h i p of I.A. R i c h a r d s , came f i r s t i n the E n g l i s h T r i p o s 
i n 1929; e d i t o r of t h e Cambridge l i t e r a r y magazine, E x p e r i m e n t , 
i n 1928; a u t h o r of Seven Types of A m b i g u i t y (London: C h a t t o & 
Windus, 1930). I n h i s a u t o b i o g r a p h y , M i c h a e l Redgrave a l s o t e l l s 
of Empson b e i n g " s e n t down, or ' r u s t i c a t e d ' " because he had 
c o n t r a c e p t i v e s i n h i s room ( I n Mv Mind's Eye 6 3 ) . 

x a See Chaucer's " T r o i l u s and C r i s e y d e , " V.1786: "Go, l i t e l 
bok, go, l i t e l myn t r a g e d y e . " 

1 3 The " e n c l o s e d " p o s t c a r d ("p.c") i s m i s s i n g . 

169.1 

170.6 

T e x t u a l Notes 

My dear Conrad \ My dear Conrad{ } 

P a r k s i s t r u s t e d \ <Now> P a r k s i s t r u s t e d 



189 

170.10 

170.17 

172.7 

172.9 

173.4-7 

173.10 

173.13 

173.14- 15 

174.15- 16 

174.17 

174.17 

175.2 

175.21-3 

175.23-4 

175.26-7 

176.8-9 

176.12 

176.13 

176.17 

p r ( o l v i n q \ p r i v i n g ( t y p o . ] 

contempt (and p i t y ) \ contempt ( H a n d pity<,>{)} 

the t r u t h t o A.B.Carey\ the t r u t h <of> ( t o ) 
A.B.Carey 

s e n t i m e n t a l i s t \ sent<a>{i}mental1st 

s u r p r i s i n g , (a manner [. . .] c h a r a c t e r s ) v h i c h 
seemed t o us a l m o s t s u b l i m e i \ s u r p r i s i n g , { ( } a 
manner [. . .] c h a r a c t e r s { ) } v h i c h seemed t o us 
a l m o s t sublime<.>{!} 

heard some queer e x c e r p t s \ heard some <almost 
e q u a l l y { w } s u b l i m e { " } > (queer) e x c e r p t s 

such c o m p l i c a t e d v e r b s as t o be,\ such c o m p l i c a t e d 
< p r e d i c a t e s as the> v e r b ( s ) ( a s ) t o be, 

s p e l l b l a c k g u a r d [. . .] p o s t e d i t . \ s p e l l <the 
r e p r ( i l l e g . ] > b l a c k g u a r d , vas a c t u a l l y < ( i l l e g . ] > 
( i m p r o v i n g i t ) , and by nov may v e i l have <done> 
( p o s t e d i t } . 

as b e s t I may,\ as b e s t I may{,} 

p a i n f u l s t o r y , \ p a i n f u l s t o r y { , } 

r e a s o n f o r a l l t h i s and vhy\ r e a s o n <for> a l l t h i s 
and tvhy> 

c r a c k e d r i b (. . .] but I v a s \ c r a c k e d r i b <vhich> 
{ ( } h e r husband had c r a c k e d ( t h i s ) f o r her t h r e e 
months p r e v i o u s l y , (though}{)} <and> ( b u t ) I vas 

f o r the female some d a y s \ f o r the female <for the 
female> some days 

F o r t u n a t e l y i t vas (. . .] and P a r k s , \ ( F o r t u n a t e l y 
i t vas o n l y a l o c a l i z e d r o v , no p o l i c e , or a n y t h i n g 
l i k e t h a t , and) P a r k s , 

Nev Y o r k , - - I had I . . . ] t i m e , - - \ Nev Y o r k , { - - } I had 
I . . .. ] t i m e , {—} 

c r i m i n a l o f f e n c e . \ c r i m i n a l o f f e n c e <1>. 

c o u l d I d o ? ) \ c o u l d I do?{)> 

a t t h i s , \ a t t h i s { , } 



190 

176.19-20 something I. . .] i t d i d not a l t e r \ something!,} 
<{(}>which {however} might have happened t o 
anybody<{)}>{,} <but i t did> {upon the a u n t s and 
p r o s t i t u t e s a t home i t d i d } not a l t e r 

176.24-5 needed i n the sense you s u g g e s t , t h e o n l y \ needed 
{ i n t h e sense you suggest,} the o n l y 

176.25 any r e s c u e \ <the> {any} r e s c u e 

177.4 d i s l i k e t o bea.\ d i s l i k e t o b_eg_{,} 

177.8- 9 d i d not w r i t e met — II mean you, p e r s o n a l l y d i d n ' t : 
not Mary.[ — J a f t e r \ d i d not w r i t e me[ — H I mean 
you, p e r s o n a l l y , d i d n ' t : not M a r y . } [ — J a f t e r { t h i s 
i n s e r t i o n w r i t t e n i n l e f t - h a n d margin] 

177.20 e x p l o i t e d , \ e x < ( i l l e g . ] > { p l o i } t e d , 

177.27 a l a s , \ a l a s { , } 

178.7 d e c e i v e s \ d e c < l e > { e i } v e s 

178.9 i n t e r c o u r s e . \ i n t e r c o u r s e { . } 

178.16 e x h o r t a t l o n s \ e x { h o r } t < o r > { a } t i o n s 

179.4 y e t t o meet t h e t e e t o t a l e r \ y e t t o meet <a> {the} 
t e e t o t a l e r 

179.5 t r u s t . However. So much t h e n , \ t r u s t . {However.} 
So much t h e n , 

179.6 ' o b l i q u i t y ' \ { • } o b l i q u i t y { ' } 

179.11 r h e u m a t i c bosom,\ r h e u m a t i c bosom{,} 
179.15 blame you i n \ blame you <for> i n [ t h i s d e l e t i o n i s 

made on the t y p e w r i t e r ] 
179.18-20 ( n o n - i n f e c t i o u s ) s o r t of a t r o p h y [. . .] i n them 

p a r t s . \ { ( } n o n - i n f e c t l o u s { ) } <f>{s}or<m>{t} of 
f a t r o p h y t { . } a p p r o a c h i n g i n f a n t i l e p a r a l y s i s ! , } 
which sometimes i s the accompaniment of r h e u m a t i c 
f e v e r i n th<ose>{em} p a r t s . 

179.26 p r e c i p i c e \ p r e c i p < a > { i } c e 

180.8 r i d i c u l o u s \ r < e > { i } d i c u l o u s 

180.9- 10 I must add\ I <need s c a r c e l y > {must} add 

180.15 expense,\ expen<c>{s}e, 



191 

180.17 t h e i r words,\ t h e i r words{,} 

180.18 t r u t h , \ t r u t h { , } 

180.27 m y s e l f \ <MXm}yself 

180.27- t o come. (Another t h i n g [. . . .] be p r o v e d . ) \ t o 
181.3 come. {(Another t h i n g I have heard about m y s e l f . 

That I had got i n t o t r o u b l e w i t h the < [ l l l e g . ] > 
P o l i c e , due t o d r i n k . I never have. {{Except 
once, y e a r s ago, a t c o l l e g e . } } I t i s a b l o o d y l i e . 
And { { i t } } can be proved.)} [ t h e i n s e r t i o n , 
"Except once, y e a r s ago, a t c o l l e g e . " , i s w r i t t e n 
i n t h e top r i g h t - h a n d c o r n e r of t h e page] 

181.10 I f i t so be t h a t some money c o n t i n u e s \ I f <so be> i t 
{so be} t h a t some m o < ( i l l e g . ] > { n e } y 

181.13 w i l l i n g and even eager t o s u p p o r t mef u n t i l \ w i l l i n g 
and {even} eager t o s u p p o r t <&€_>{,} u n t i l 

181.21 and do f r e e l y a b s o l v e vou i n advanceV and {do 
f r e e l y } ^ a b s o l v e you i n advance » 

182.1 n a t u r a l g e n e r o s i t i e s \ natur<e>{a}l g e n e r o < u > s i t i e s 

182.3-4 QQ. i n t e n t i o n \ <QO_> I n t e n t i o n 

182.7 p r o t e s t about i t . \ p r o t e s t <for h a r b o r i n g her> 

{about i t } . 

182.9 knows\ {k}nows 

182.16 w a i v e \ <wave> {waive} 

182.19 t h e s e s e l f - s a m e e x t e n u a t i n g c i r c u m s t a n c e s . \ the{se} 
{self-same} e x t e n u a t i n g c i r c u m s t a n c e s { . } <of the 
wor> 

183.1 d i g e s t e d \ d i g e s t e ( d ) 

183.9 t h a [ t ] \ t h a s [ t y p o . ) 

183.21 £hjs_\ , t h l s , 

184.1 ' d i s e a s e of i n t e g r i t y . ' \ { ' } d i s e a s e of i n t e g r i t y . { ' } 

184.8 t h a t war, once more,\ t h a t war{,} once more{,} 

184.13 work i n which M a r g i e \ work<.> { i n which} Margie 

184.20 peace t h a t we wasted our time w i t h \ peace t h a t 
< [ i l l e g . ] > <one> {we} wasted <one's> {our} time 
w i t h 



192 

184.21 of v h i c h ve a r e b i t t e r l y X of v h i c h <one> {ve} <is> 
{are} b i t t e r l y 

185.8-9 t o queer S t u a r t ' s m a r r i a g e , v h i c h t u r n e d out v e l l , \ 
t o <botch> {queer} S t u a r t ' s m a r r i a g e , v h i c h t u r n e d 
out v e i l { , } 

185.10 (He v a s \ <'>{(}He vas 

185.27 my o v n ) \ my o < ( i l l e g . ] > { v n } ) 

186.5 d i s p e n s e \ dispen<c>{s}e 

186.6 you v o u l d p r o b a b l y s u g g e s t , \ you v o u l d <be f o r c e d 

to> { p r o b a b l y } suggest{,} 

186.10 your ovn hands and I \ your ovn hands <as> {and} I 

186.14 cope v i t h , \ cope v i t h { , } 

186.16 a p p r o v a l \ approv<l>{al} 

186.18 s a y i n g , At n i g h t \ s a y i n g , <a>{A}t n i g h t 
186.20 v h i l e a p a s s i n g r e l a t i o n s h i p \ v h i l e <my> {a p a s s i n g } 

r e l a t i o n s h i p 
186.25 I f e e l you have come t o h o l d \ I f e e l you < { i l l e g . ] > 

{have come to} h o l d 

187.11-12 r e i t e r a t e d t h a n k s \ r e i t e r a t e d t h a n < ( i l l e g . ] > { k s } 

187.18 p r o p h e s i e d \ p r o p h < ( i l l e g . ] > { e } s i e d 

187.19 l i t e l book,\ l i t e l book{,} 

187.24 v i t h Both our Loves (. . . .] p.c.\ ( h a n d w r i t t e n i n 
i n k a t end of l e t t e r ] 



193 

28: From AIKEN t o LOWRY 
K i l l o r i n 242 

S Dennis Mass 

Feb 1 40 

My poor o l d b e w i l d e r e d e x p l a n a t o r y p r o t e s t a n t Male--! What a 

d e l u g e of K a f k a - l i k e e l u c i d a t i o n , e x p l a n a t i o n , a n a l y s i s , 

q u a l i f i c a t i o n , a p o l o g y , r e p r o a c h , e v e r y t h i n g ! E v e r y man h i s ovn 

Laocoon group, complete v i t h the s e r p e n t . But my dear f e l l o v 

t h e r e vas no need f o r i t , s u r e l y — i t ' s a l l been s e t t l e d , l o n g 

s i n c e , I t h o u g h t , t h a t you v e r e c o m i n g — y o u don't need t o t e l l me 

i n advance a n y t h i n g about y o u r s e l f , s i n c e I s h a l l be a - s e e i n g of 

you v i t h my ovn e y e s , and a - h e a r i n g of you v i t h my ovn e a r s , and 

k n o v i n g f o r m y s e l f vhat has become of you, and v h a t t r u t h or l i e s 

c o n s t i t u t e d the nov q u i t e a l a r m i n g l y h y p e r t r o p h i e d Legend of the 

L o v r y v h i c h has been b u i l t up by a l t e r n a t e touches from y o u r s e l f , 

the 0 M, P a r k s , M a r g e r i e , and not f o r g e t t i n g M a u r i c e Carey. Seen 

i n i t s queer t o t a l , I can a s s u r e you, i t d o e s n ' t make s e n s e : i t ' s 

the goddamndest f a r r a g o of i n c o n s i s t e n c i e s I ever d i d s e e , and as 

h o l l o v as a cream p u f f . No, l e t ' s l e t go of a l l t h a t , and j u s t 

s i t t i g h t t i l l you get h e r e . As f o r my s u g g e s t i o n t h a t i t v o u l d 

be v i s e s t and b e s t and most honest t o t e l l the O M nov something 

of the Margie t h i n g , I s t i l l t h i n k s o ; b u t , I ' l l agree t o v a i v i n g 

t h a t f o r the time b e i n g , v i t h the u n d e r s t a n d i n g t h a t maybe v e ' l l 

do i t a l i t t l e l a t e r . So, come a l o n g nov, as soon as you get 

your v a l k i n g p a p e r s , and t h e n v e ' l l b e g i n t o shape our f u t u r e as 

ve t h i n k b e s t . Whether here or i n B o s t o n . . . . Conrad 

W i l l you thank M. Carey f o r h i s l e t t e r , on my b e h a l f - - a n d t e l l 



him I much a p p r e c i a t e d i t — ? I t was v e r y n i c e o f him. 



195 

T e x t u a l Notes 

[No o r i g i n a l i s a v a i l a b l e f o r t h i s l e t t e r ; I have 
t h e r e f o r e had t o r e l y on Joseph K i l l o r i n ' s 
t r a n s c r i p t i o n i n S e l e c t e d L e t t e r s of Conrad A i k e n 
(242)J 



196 

29: From LOWRY t o AIKEN 
TS H; u n p u b l i s h e d 

F e b r u a r y 7, 1940 

My v e r y dear Conrad: 

I am o v e r j o y e d by your l e t t e r . Thank you f o r your 

t h o u g h t f u l n e s s i n t r y i n g t o make i t p o s s i b l e f o r us to have a 

nook t o o u r s e l v e s , and, w i t h such s a n t u a r y , I t r u s t we may prove 

a s t i m u l a t i o n t o work r a t h e r than a h i n d r a n c e . 

We a r e w o r k i n g n i g h t and day on Under the Volcano and am 

s u r e a t l a s t have got something. I t has b l o o d , g u t s , r a p i n e , 

murder, t e e t h , and, f o r your e n t e r t a i n m e n t , even some m o o n l i g h t 

and r o s e s . 1 And a c o u p l e of h o r s e s . 

Dick E b e r h a r t 2 was a t Cambridge a l i t t l e b e f o r e my t i m e : he 

was a f r i e n d of J.D.'s 3 I had many s t r a n g e d o p p e l g a n g e r - 1 i k e 

remote c o n t a c t s w i t h him. He was a s a i l o r , wrote a g o o d i s h f i r s t 

book of poems, ' B r a v e r y of E a r t h ' . S i n c e , he does, as you say, 

seem t o have gone mad as a h a t t e r . He i s now d e v o t e d t o a n o t h e r 

from of what you c a l l 'indoor Marxmanship.'* I b e l i e v e he i s a 

b r i l l i a n t f e l l o w , but he seems t o me t o be tone d e a f , p o e t i c a l l y . 

Once, when accused i n the Cambridge Review by I.A. ("Granada") 

R i c h a r d s , 9 of " s u c k i n g h i s p o e t i c thumb," he c o n f r o n t e d him 

p e r s o n a l l y w i t h s a i d thumb, made a rude g e s t u r e , a s k e d , "How do 

you l i k e t h i s ? " 

I hope t o hear news soon from Washington. P l e a s e t e l l Mary 

I am w r i t i n g her p e r s o n a l l y t o thank her f o r a l l she has done on 



197 

our b e h a l f . 

T e l l me something funny. 

As e v e r , l o v e from us b o t h , 

Male. 



198 

E x p l a n a t o r y Notes 
1 See l e t t e r 20 from A i k e n , p. 132, and Lowry's r e s p o n s e , 

p. 139. 
2 R i c h a r d E b e r h a r t (1904- ), American poet who s t u d i e d a t 

S t . John's C o l l e g e , Cambridge, r e c e i v i n g a B.A. i n 1929, and an 
M.A. i n 1933. He undertook f u r t h e r s t u d y a t Harvard U n i v e r s i t y 
from 1932-33. H i s book of poems, A B r a v e r y of E a r t h , was 
p u b l i s h e d by J o n a t h a n Cape i n 1930. 

3 John Davenport; see l e t t e r 7, n. 12, p. 49. 

* Q u o t a t i o n from l e t t e r 20 from A i k e n , p. 133; see a l s o 
n. 5, p. 134. 

8 I v o r Armstrong R i c h a r d s (1893-1979), B r i t i s h l i t e r a r y 
c r i t i c and poet who s t u d i e d a t Magdalene C o l l e g e , Cambridge, 
r e c e i v i n g a B.A. i n 1914, M.A. i n 1918, and L i t t . D. i n 1932. 
Author of P r i n c i p l e s of L i t e r a r y C r i t i c i s m (New York: H a r c o u r t , 
1925) and P r a c t i c a l C r i t i c i s m ; A S t u d y Qf L i t e r ^ y Judgement (New 
York: H a r c o u r t , 1929). A c c o r d i n g t o C l a r i s s a L o r e n z , R i c h a r d s 
was Lowry's "former examiner (and hero) a t S a i n t C a t h a r i n e ' s 
C o l l e g e " ( L o r e l e i Two 153). Lowry and the A i k e n s (Conrad and 
C l a r i s s a L o r e n z ) j o i n e d up w i t h I.A. R i c h a r d s and h i s w i f e when 
t h e y were v i s i t i n g S p a i n i n 1933; hence Lowry's nickname of 
R i c h a r d s h e r e : "Granada." C f . Lorenz, L o r e l e i Two (153-54). I 
have not been a b l e t o l o c a t e the Cambridge Review a r t i c l e which 
Lowry mentions h e r e . 

T e x t u a l Notes 

196.10 Dick E b e r h a r t \ D i c k Eberhar<d>{t} 

196.11 

196.18 R i c h a r d s , \ Richards<on>{,} 

196.18 thumb,\ thum<g>{bl, 



199 

30: From AIKEN t o LOWRY 
TS H; K i l l o r i n 243 

S Dennis Mass 

Feb 21 40 

J u s t a l i n e , or a between the l i n e s , Male, t o s i g n a l our 

c o n t i n u i n g presence h e r e , w i t h f a c e s westward t u r n e d h o p e f u l l y , 

not t o s a y p r a y e r f u l l y , f o r your w e l l b e i n g s . What news — i f any? 

I t r u s t t h e n o v e l 1 goes f o r w a r d v e n t r e a t e r r e , and i f the Labour 

board would o n l y come t o b a t and beckon you i n — ! But anyway, 

l e t me have a c a r d or s o m e t h i n g . Here, we go from w i n t e r t o 

w i n t e r — d a y a f t e r day of snow and f r e e z i n g w i n d s , housebound, 

s h i v e r i n g , m a r o o n e d — i f i t weren't f o r the c o c k t a i l hour our 

courages would have g i v e n o u t . No end t o i t . But I suppose 

r e a l l y a n o t h e r two weeks s h o u l d see the w i n t e r ' s b l o o d y back 

b l o o d y b r o k e n : I can o n l y s a y i f i t i s n ' t , o u r s w i l l be. I r e -

r e a d most of t h e L i g h t h o u s e , and v i t h much i n c r e a s e d i n t e r e s t , 

r e s p e c t , and d e l i g h t . I f you c o u l d h a u l out the audenesques, 

v h i c h a r e o b v i o u s and u s u a l l y d e t a c h a b l e by t h e u n i t , I t h i n k a 

s m a l l book might be put t o g e t h e r , and good. Perhaps f i r s t 

s e n d i n g some t o P o e t r y . But I'd l i k e t o go over them v i t h you 

vhen you come. M e a n v h i l e , I've s e n t the v h o l e shebang, B a l l a s t , 

L i g h t h o u s e and A d d r e s s , up t o Bob L i n s c o t t 2 f o r a g e n e r a l r e p o r t 

and s u g g e s t i o n s . H i s f i r s t b r i e f n o t e , b e f o r e he'd gone f a r , 

m e r e l y s a y s he f i n d s Address " t a i n t e d v i t h g e n i u s " but 

u n p u b l i s h a b l e , v i s h i n g you'd expended your t a l e n t s on a more 

u s e f u l theme e t c . , and adds t h a t he's nov r e a d i n g t h e pomes v i t h 

enjoyment. I ' l l d o u b t l e s s hear more from him q u i t e soon. I 



200 

thought h i s h a r d b o i l e d p r a c t i c a l eye might be u s e f u l t o us. . . 

We're making an e f f o r t t o g e t the C h a r l e s t o v n house, and hope 

perhaps t o have i t by May. T r y i n g t o buy i t on mortgages and 

t h i n g s — h e a v e n knows v h a t v i l l come of i t . But i t l o o k s t o us a 

more e c o n o m i c a l measure than f o r e v e r p a y i n g r e n t — v i t h the 

advantage t h a t a t the end of umpteen y e a r s w e ' l l own t h e house! 

I t ' s n i c e , I t h i n k y o u ' l l l i k e i t . A second J e a k e . 3 D i d you 

ever heard from John Davenport, by the w a y — I wrote him i n the 

autumn of your p l i g h t , and urged him t o cough up some c a s h f o r 

y o u . 4 I hoped he might send you as i t were a Xmas p r s e n t . Me, I 

haven't heard from him f o r damned near a y e a r — h e was o f f e n d e d 

w i t h me I t h i n k because I c o u l d n ' t go t o v i s i t him a t B a t h — I was 

i l l and t r y i n g t o f i n i s h my n o v e l 8 a t the t i m e , i n no s t a t e t o 

t r a v e l or v i s i t — a n d f o r some r e a s o n he took umbrage. A p i t y . . 

. . Mary's o f f s h o p p i n g a t Hyannis i n a b l i n d i n g b l i z z a r d , w i t h 

Ruth Whitman, 8 w h i l e I t y p e a t the window, f a c i n g a w h i t e and 

w h i r l i n g w o r l d - - I t h i n k i t ' s L a p l a n d , and I'm a w i t c h . Our own 

v a r i o u s a f f a i r s a r e a l l i n a s t a t e of s u s p e n s i o n , and we j u s t s i t 

and w a i t : w a i t f o r Mary t o hear from her a p p l i c a t i o n f o r a 

Guggenheim, w a i t f o r my n o v e l 7 t o come o u t , w a i t f o r t h e Book of 

the Month t o make up i t s mind whether t o t a k e i t or recommend i t , 

w a i t f o r Mary's show of w a t e r c o l o u r s i n N Y May 1 3 t h , w a i t t o see 

i f the summer s c h o o l comes t o a n y t h i n g (we may t r y t o have i t 

here i n J u l y and August) (and we've had two i n q u i r i e s about it)° 

w a i t f o r the p u b l i s h e r s t o d e c i d e whether t h e y ' l l l e t Mary do 

d r a w i n g s f o r a sumptuous s p e c i a l e d i t i o n of my s o n n e t s next 

autumn, 9 w a i t t o see i f the bank w i l l l e n d us enough c a s h t o buy 



201 

the house w i t h , and i f our o f f e r w i l l be a c c e p t e d by the owner 

anyway, w a i t f o r the A t l a n t i c t o pay me $200. which t h e y owe me 

f o r my a r t i c l e on p o e t r y , 1 0 or e l s e d e c i d e t h e y don't want i t , 

w a i t f o r the d e n t i s t t o t a k e out t h r e e r o t t e n t e e t h and put i n 

two l i t t l e p r e h e n s i l e p l a t e s , w a i t f o r Madam P e r k i n s 1 1 t o d e c i d e 

on the case of Lowry v s . U.S.A., w a i t , above a l l , f o r the 

s p r i n g — I Oh, y e s , and w a i t f o r the M e t r o p o l i t a n Museum t o make 

up i t s committee mind as t o whether i t w i l l buy Mary's l o v e l y 

p i c t u r e , The Sussex Maid. So, a l o t c o u l d happen, but 

meanwhi[l]e n o t h i n g a t a l l does; and t h a t i s why we e n j o y the 

c o c k t a i l hour. And nov I must wade out i n t o the snow t o t h e RFD 

box w i t h f l a k e s c r a s h i n g i n t o my e a r s and get the Boston H e r a l d 

and the m a i l . ACnld much l o v e t o you b o t h from the both of us, 

Conrad 

Bob L i n s c o t t ' s l e t t e r has j u s t came, and I t h e r e f o r e n c l o s e i t , 1 2 

f o r i t o c c u r s t o me i t might be g i v e n i n e v i d e n c e , i f need be, 

t h a t your presence i s r e a l l y d e s i r a b l e f o r b u s i n e s s r e a s o n s i n 

B o s t o n . N i c h t wahr????? And not so bad t h a t he wants t o have a 

l o o k s e e a t the new n o v e l I Hot d i g g i t y . 



202 

E x p l a n a t o r y Notes 
1 Under the V o l c a n o . 
2 See l e t t e r 17, n. 7, p. 94. 
3 "Jeake's House," A i k e n ' s home i n Rye, England which he 

bought i n 1924. 

* C£. Lowry's r e q u e s t i n l e t t e r 18, p. 109. 
9 Conversation-

* Ruth ( B a s h e i n ) Whitman (1922- ), American poet and 
t r a n s l a t o r . 

7 C o n v e r s a t i o n : or P i l g r i m s ' P r o g r e s s (New York: D u e l l , 
S l o a n and P e a r c e , 1940). 

a The A i k e n s f i r s t s t a r t e d t h e i r summer s c h o o l i n w r i t i n g 
and p a i n t i n g i n 1938 a t J e a k e ' s House i n Rye. The b r o a d s i d e 
a d v e r t i s i n g t h e " T h i r d Season: 1940" of the s c h o o l i n c l u d e s the 
f o l l o w i n g n o t e : "Owing t o the war/ the t h i r d season o f / J e a k e ' s 
House Sum-/ mer S c h o o l w i l l be/ h e l d i n the v i l l a g e / of South 
D e n n i s , on/ Cape Cod. The s i t - / u a t i o n and ameni-/ t i e s c l o s e l y 
r e s e m b l e / t h o s e o f f e r e d a t Rye./ . . . . F i v e or s i x / r e s i d e n t 
p u p i l s w i l l / be a c c e p t e d . " ( B o n n e l l 225). 

* And i n the Human Heart (New York: D u e l l , S l o a n and P e a r c e , 
1940); an e d i t i o n w i t h Mary A i k e n ' s i l l u s t r a t i o n s was never 
p u b l i s h e d . 

x o "Back t o P o e t r y , " A t l a n t i c M o n t h l y 166.2 (Aug. 1940): 
217-23. 

x x "Madam P e r k i n s " : the " S e c r e t a r y of L a b o r " i n Washington; 
see M a r g e r i e Lowry's 29 J a n u a r y 1940 l e t t e r t o Mary A i k e n i n 
Appendix I I , p. 505. 

x a T h i s l e t t e r i s m i s s i n g . 

T e x t u a l Notes 

199 .7 of snow\ o<r>{f} snow 

199 .14 u n i t , \ unit<e>, 

199 .15 q o o d A rqood> . 

199 .16 go o v e r \ go {o}ver 

199 .21 your t a l e n t s \ y o u { r ) t a l e n t s 



203 

199.22 u s e f u l \ use£u{l} 

200.12-13 I was 111\ I was <both> i l l 

200.14 some r e a s o n \ so{m}e r e a s o n 

201.9 So,\ So{,} 

201.10 meanwhi(1le\ meanwhioe ( t y p o . l 

201.13 A [ n ] d much\ Abd much [ t y p o . ] 



31; From LOWRY t o AIKEN 
TS H; u n p u b l i s h e d 

204 

F e b r u a r y 23, 1940 

Dear Conrad: 

The axe has f a l l e n , as I thought i t v o u l d . I am r e f u s e d -

and cannot go back t o the S t a t e s . I have been a s s u r e d by the 

I m m i g r a t i o n here t h a t the r e f u s a l i s a t e c h n i c a l i t y - i n o t h e r 

vords t h a t i t i s not e t i q u e t t e f o r one department of I m m i g r a t i o n 

t o o v e r r u l e a n o t h e r . T h i s makes i t i m p o s s i b l e f o r me t o a p p l y 

b e f o r e September 23. T h i s i s A.B.Carey's and P a r k ' s f a u l t , I 

t o l d them b o t h t h a t t h i s v o u l d happen and t h e y s t i l l p e r s i s t e d i n 

s a y i n g i t vas f o r my b e n e f i t . S u r e l y t h i s i s p r o o f t h a t t h e y a r e 

not a b l e t o handle my a f f a i r s . By September 23 a n y t h i n g may have 

happened. The s i t z k r i e g become a b l i t z k r i e g , 1 so on and so 

f o r t h . U n l e s s the v a r has stopped I may not be a b l e t o e n t e r t h e 

U n i t e d S t a t e s a g a i n . Meantime I have vork t o f i n i s h , and nov, 

vhen e v e r y t h i n g seems l o s t , i t seems a l l t h e more i m p o r t a n t t o 

f i n i s h i t . 

Dear Conrad and Mary: 

Malcolm had s t a r t e d t h i s l e t t e r t o you but I am g o i n g t o 

f i n i s h i t , I v i l l make i t as b r i e f as p o s s i b l e but i t i s a r e a l l y 

d e s p e r a t e a p p e a l f o r t h e axe has f a l l e n d o u b l y . You a r e the o n l y 

people ve have i n the v o r l d t o a p p e a l t o or vho can h e l p us and I 



cannot put i t too s t r o n g l y how u r g e n t our s i t u a t i o n i s . M a u r i c e 

i s on the most g h a s t l y drunken rampage you can imagine and t h i n g s 

have become so i n t o l e r a b l e t h a t P h y l l i s 2 says we must l e a v e as 

soon as p o s s i b l e , she i s a f r a i d of what may happen. L a s t n i g h t 

M a u r i c e s u d d e n l y went f o r me and knocked me h a l f way a c r o s s the 

k i t c h e n , then t u r n e d on Malcolm, who a l t h o u g h w i l d w i t h f u r y 

because Maurice had s t r u c k me, behaved w i t h the most marvelous 

s e l f - r e s t r a i n t and o n l y t r i e d t o defend h i m s e l f - you see, he 

d i d n ' t dare h i t Maurice because M a u r i c e has a v e r y bad h e a r t and 

h i s i n t e s t i n e s , stomach, e t c . , were so b a d l y s h o t t o p i e c e s , he 

i s such a s i c k man t h a t one good blow might v e r y e a s i l y k i l l him. 

I can not t e l l you how c r a z y he i s - even when sober he behaves 

i n such an i r r a t i o n a l manner t h a t he i s dangerous and when drunk 

he i s a mad man. We have had t o s t a n d a s i d e and see him beat 

P h y l l i s and h i s t h r e e c h i l d r e n , smash the house up, and f i g h t 

w i t h anybody who was around and he has gone f o r days w i t h o u t 

s p e a k i n g t o us except to t h r e a t e n us, but now t h i s - he d i d n ' t 

h u r t me v e r y much but Malcolm has one eye c o m p l e t e l y c l o s e d , a 

b a d l y c u t mouth and i n j u r e d hand, and Maurice i s s t i l l drunk and 

c r a z y . P h y l l i s f e a r s t h a t he w i l l have another breakdown and be 

s e n t t o the h o s p i t a l any moment, or t h a t h i s h e a r t w i l l g i v e out 

i n one of these f r e n z i e s . But i n any c a s e , i f another row l i k e 

l a s t n i g h t were t o happen, which i t v e r y w e l l may a t any moment 

d e s p i t e a n y t h i n g we can do, we have no l o c k on our door and he 

come r a g i n g i n a t a l l h o u r s , and i f he were t o d i e from sheer 

e x c i t e m e n t or some s l i g h t chance blow from Malcolm m e r e l y t r y i n g 

t o defend h i m s e l f , or even me i f Malcolm were not a t home, I need 



206 

not t e l l you v h a t a c a t a s t r o p h e t h a t v o u l d be. We must g e t out 

of here and q u i c k l y . Here, of c o u r s e , ve have no p l a c e t o go. We 

do not knov v h a t t o s u g g e s t as ve do not knov v h a t v o u l d be b e s t 

f o r you or v h a t you v o u l d r a t h e r do but t h i s much ve v i l l say: I f 

you c o u l d meet us i n M o n t r e a l or Quebec or v h a t e v e r p o i n t i n 

Canada i s n e a r e s t f o r you - i f , a f t e r t a l k i n g t o us and s e e i n g 

us, you a r e not a b s o l u t e l y c o n v i n c e d t h a t ve a r e r i g h t , 

c o m p l e t e l y honest v i t h you about e v e r y t h i n g , and v i t h Malcolm's 

v o r d (and mine t o o , of c o u r s e ) never t o l e t you dovn, i f you a r e 

not c o n v i n c e d t h a t ve a r e t r y i n g v i t h a l l our minds and s o u l s t o 

s i m p l y make a decent l i f e f o r o u r s e l v e s , then you can s i m p l y vash 

your hands of the v h o l e t h i n g , v r i t e Malcolm's f a t h e r v h a t e v e r 

you t h i n k and abandon us t o our f a t e . Malcolm has been the 

v i c t i m of b i t t e r and t r a g i c c i r c u m s t a n c e s and has been b a d l y 

t r e a t e d and even A.B.Carey has a d m i t t e d t o him t h a t t h e y were 

wrong. Malcolm saw him the o t h e r day and A.B.Carey s a i d s o , s a i d 

t h a t Malcolm was a b s o l u t e l y O.K. and t h a t he had been i n the 

wrong and wound up by s a y i n g t h a t he thought Malcolm s h o u l d t r y 

and h e l p M a u r i c e l My God, what i r o n y ! 

Meantime we have been w o r k i n g l i k e mad on Under the V o l c a n o , 

which Malcolm i s c o m p l e t e l y r e - w r i t i n g and v h i c h i s now about 

h a l f done. I t i s u n l i k e a n y t h i n g he has w r i t t e n b e f o r e and, I 

t h i n k , w i l l be t r u l y a g r e a t book when i t i s f i n i s h e d - and i t  

must be f i n i s h e d . Malcolm i s a g e n i u s and i f you c o u l d see the 

work he i s d o i n g now, under c i r c u m s t a n c e s and c o n d i t i o n s t h a t 

would appear i m p o s s i b l e t o one l e s s d e t e r m i n e d and, y e s , l e s s 

i n s p i r e d t o w r i t e , you would agree w i t h me. 



He i s s i c k w i t h d i s a p p o i n t m e n t over the news from A m e r i c a , I 

c a n ' t t e l l you how he was l o o k i n g f o r w a r d t o s p e n d i n g some time 

w i t h you - he t a l k e d of i t c o n s t a n t l y . B e s i d e s he w i l l not be 

a b l e t o w r i t e or t y p e f o r a w h i l e because i t was h i s r i g h t hand 

t h a t was h u r t so t h a t ' s why I am w r i t i n g f o r us. I'm s o r r y i f 

t h i s l e t t e r seems r a t h e r i n c o h e r e n t but I am w r i t i n g a g a i n s t time 

so t h a t t h i s w i l l c a t c h the a i r m a i l out t o d a y - a l s o I am a 

l i t t l e dazed m y s e l f t o d a y , but you s h o u l d g e t t h i s by Monday and 

c o u l d you l e t us know soon - i f we j u s t have some a s s u r a n c e from 

you we can hang on by our t e e t h and t o e n a i l s somehow f o r a l i t t l e 

b i t l o n g e r . 

And now a g a i n , our d e e p e s t , u n d y i n g g r a t i t u d e t o you both 

f o r a l l you have done f o r us and our a b s o l u t e a s s u r a n c e t h a t a l l 

we ask i s j u s t enough t o l i v e on and a chance t o work and be 

t o g e t h e r and t o prove t o you, and Malcolm's f a m i l y , t h a t we mean 

what we say. 

Our l o v e t o you b o t h , 

M a r g e r i e 

Dear Mary: 

I was w r i t i n g you p e r s o n a l l y t o thank you f o r your sweet 

h e l p on our b e h a l f when M a u r i c e ' s f i s t f e l l a l o n g w i t h the axe. 

I have read M a r g i e ' s l e t t e r and a l t h o u g h i t doesn't sound s o r t of 

l i k e l y you may f e e l , about me, i t i s a l l t r u e so h e l p us. That 

i s , a l l save t h e g e n i u s s t u f f ; but the new book is. g o i n g w e l l . 

We a r e a t our w i t ' s end and I can b a r e l y see t o w r i t e or h o l d a 



208 

pen vhat Margie v i l l t r a n s c r i b e , and ask you t o a c c e p t t h i s note 

i n the meantime as e x p r e s s i o n of my g r a t i t u d e . Could not Conrad, 

perhaps, t a k e c a r t e - b l a n c h e under these c i r c u m s t a n c e s ? Any 

e x p e n d i t u r e s v o u l d be f u l l y r e p a i d . I hate t o put him t o any 

t r o u b l e j u s t vhen h i s book i s coming o u t , but ve a r e r e a l l y 

h a r m l e s s good f o l k and p l e a s e do not be alarmed by the f a c t t h a t 

our f a t e i s i n your hands. P l e a s e h e l p us. 

Malcolm 



209 

E x p l a n a t o r y Notes 
1 " s i t z k r i e g . . . b l i t z k r i e g " : German, l i t e r a l l y , " s i t t i n g 

war" and " l i g h t n i n g war." 
2 P h y l l i s Carey, M a u r i c e Carey's w i f e . 

T e x t u a l Notes 

207.23 - 4 h e l p us. That i s , a l l save the g e n i u s s t u f f ; but 
the new book is. g o i n g w e l l . We a r e \ h e l p us. 
{That i s , a l l save the g e n i u s s t u f f ; but the new 
book i s _ g o i n g w e l l . } We a r e [ t h i s i n s e r t i o n i s 
h a n d w r i t t e n a t bottom r i g h t of page] 

2 0 8 . 4 e x p e n d i t u r e s \ < [ i l l e g . ] > { e x p e n d i t u r e s } 



210 

33; FEOW LQWRX to A I K E N 
TS H; u n p u b l i s h e d 

[ l a t e F e b r u a r y 1940J 

Dear Conrad and Mary: ( A p o l o g i e s i n advance, Mary, f o r t h i s s e l f -

c o n s c i o u s 'Waile of a l e t t e r ' v h i c h c o n t a i n s TOmch I have no 

r i g h t t o bore you v i t h - - o n l y I vanted i t t o be t o you both) 

I am s e n d i n g a n o t h e r note h o t f o o t i n g i t a f t e r you t h r o u g h 

the c r a s h i n g s n o v f l a k e s i n the hope of s u g g e s t i n g a p o s s i b l e 

r e d i s t r i b u t i o n of t h e s o l u t i o n s of our c u r r e n t problems v h i c h i s 

not too much a t v a r i a n c e v i t h your v a r i o u s p l a n s o u t l i n e d i n your 

e x c e e d i n g l y velcome, c h e e r y and good l e t t e r v h i c h gladdened our 

s o u l s . Reason f o r t h i s l e g a l p r o s e , t h i s 'rummy' s t y l e , I am 

d i c t a t i n g the l e t t e r , my hand b e i n g vounded. There i s the same 

i n f i n i t e m i s e r y here as b e f o r e upon v h i c h ve v i l l not e x p a t i a t e 

save t h a t my enormous b l a c k eye seems t o be s i m p l y g l a r i n g 

d e m o n i a c a l l y t h r o u g h the v h i t e v a s h v i t h v h i c h ve have l a v i s h l y 

p a i n t e d o u r s e l v e s t o you and c o n t i n u e , i n s p i t e of the b l a c k eye, 

t o p a i n t o u r s e l v e s v i t h t r u t h f u l l y . We a r e not o n l y v r i t i n g 

Under the V o l c a n o , ve a r e l i v i n g smack dovn i n i t . We cannot 

h e l p k i d d i n g about i t but n e v e r t h e l e s s our p o s i t i o n i s b l o o d y 

d e s p e r a t e . 

I've j u s t r e c e i v e d a v e r y c h e e r y l e t t e r from my mother, not 

c h e e r y because she has g i v e n up a l l hope of c o p i n g v i t h the w o r l d 

a t a l l and i s now c o u n t i n g on the unseen, but i n w h i c h she says 

t h a t she has heard t h a t I'm g o i n g t o s t a y w i t h you and t h a t i n 



211 

any event she i s a n x i o u s t h a t I s h o u l d i n some vay c o n t a c t you 

because she f e e l s , she cannot knov hov r i g h t l y , hovever i n t e n s e l y 

she f e e l s , t h a t you v o u l d be a h e l p t o me. From t h i s I deduce 

t h a t , s i n c e a n y t h i n g t h a t makes the mater happy makes the O.M. 

happy t o o , t h a t even vere I t o proceed t o M o n t r e a l or e l s e v h e r e 

t o be under your a u s p i c e s , i t v o u l d be the r e a l r i g h t t h i n g from 

her p o i n t of v i e v and hence from the O.M.'s. A l l of v h i c h makes 

me t h i n k hov s i m p l e a l l t h a t c o u l d be i f I c o u l d o n l y e x p l a i n i t 

t o the O.M. p e r s o n a l l y and not have my e x p l a n a t i o n s s i d e t r a c k e d 

by the b l a s t e d O x f o r d Groupers and l a v y e r s . A l l t h a t b e i n g s o , 

the o n l y p r a c t i c a l s u g g e s t i o n I can make nov i s t h i s : i f you 

c o u l d t a k e j u s t a f e v days o f f and come t o M o n t r e a l or v h e r e v e r 

t o meet us, as ve s a i d i n our l a s t l e t t e r , i f ve do not c o n v i n c e 

you, t h e n you can s i m p l y q u i t the v h o l e t h i n g and s t i l l have our 

b l e s s i n g f o r t r y i n g . I f you a r e c o n v i n c e d of our h o n e s t y , v h i c h 

you must be by nov, t h e n perhaps ve c o u l d do t h i s : go t o some 

s m a l l t o v n near the b o r d e r , on the Gaspe P e n i n s u l a maybe, vhere 

l i v i n g v o u l d be v e r y cheap and the s u r r o u n d i n g s b e a u t i f u l , and 

s e t t l e dovn f o r the summer t o v o r k . 

Meantime the O.M. c o u l d be g r a d u a l l y broken i n t o the i d e a 

t h a t Margie vas coming t o v i s i t me. We - i f i t came t o t h a t -

v o u l d g l a d l y g i v e you h a l f of v h a t I t h i n k I have - i . e . h a l f 

$150 - or i f v a r has reduced t h a t t o $100, s a y 25% of i t , v h i c h 

might h e l p , i n a d d i t i o n , of c o u r s e , t o P a r k s ' f e e v h i c h you v o u l d 

be g e t t i n g . I hope you v i l l not t h i n k my motive f o r s u g g e s t i n g 

t h i s i n v i d i o u s : i t i s s i m p l y t h a t i n Canada ve c o u l d l i v e on $75 

a month, ve have f e v e r r e s p o n s i b i l i t i e s than you, and you, on our 



212 

b e h a l f , more t h a n may seem t o be t a k e n c a r e of by the f e e , 

a l t h o u g h I v o u l d do my utmost t o make t h e s e as few as p o s s i b l e 

f o r you. Moreover, ve a r e a n x i o u s t o impress you v i t h the f a c t 

t h a t a l l ve need i s enough t o l i v e on and v o r k . Because the 

v h o l e problem seems t o be a m a t t e r of money vhen i t i s c a n a l i z e d 

as i t i s t h r o u g h the p r e s e n t s o u r c e s the s o c a l l e d ' i m m o r a l i t y ' 

seems t o be t h a t I s h o u l d use p a r t of the money f o r M a r g i e . T h i s 

i s much of an o b l i q u i t y because i n the f i r s t p l a c e i f ve c o u l d 

get somevhere vhere she c o u l d cook and keep house ve c o u l d both 

l i v e f o r v h a t i t v o u l d c o s t me t o board or l i v e a t a h o t e l a l o n e . 

I cannot get my vork done v i t h o u t M a r g i e , I r e a l i z e my f a u l t i s , 

r o u g h l y s p e a k i n g , t o o much l o q u a c i t y and not enough a c t i o n , and 

hams i n the v i n d o v , and t h e r e she h e l p s me immeasureably by her 

c e n s o r s h i p and s u g g e s t i o n s . B e s i d e s v h i c h i f I d i d not have her 

I'd have t o pay a t y p i s t . A p a r t from the f a c t t h a t I l o v e Margie 

she has become an i n e x t r i c a b l e p a r t of my v o r k . (I do not mean 

i n the L u d v i g L e v i s o h n 1 sense.) O b j e c t i v e l y s p e a k i n g I t h i n k 

t h a t such a dependance might not be a good t h i n g i n many c a s e s 

but i n our case i t d e f i n i t e l y v o r k s and even though one may be 

v o r k i n g i n the dark and a g a i n s t time t o the f a t e of some k i n d of 

obscure posthumously second o r d e r G o g o l , n e v e r t h e l e s s vhat vork 

ve a r e a c c o m p l i s h i n g , f o r b e t t e r or v o r s e , does have j u s t t h a t 

v e r y q u a l i t y of i n t e n s i t y v h i c h vork i n the dark a g a i n s t time 

e t c . has g i v e n the Gogols and the K a f k a s : ve may not be so good 

so f a r but I f e e l p a r t s of Under the Volcano bear t h i s s o r t of 

comparison and ve have been g i v e n encouragement t h r o u g h t h i s t o 

f e e l t h a t i f o n l y ve had t h e time and c o u l d s t i c k t o g e t h e r ve 



213 

c o u l d produce not j u s t one book but a l a r g e body of work stamped 

a t l a s t w i t h an i n d i v i d u a l i m p r i n t . But how the h e l l t o get a l l 

t h i s over t o the O.M. i n the l i g h t of my d i s m a l f a i l u r e s i n the 

p a s t I s i m p l y don't know: and I am f o r c e d t o the c o n c l u s i o n t h a t 

the o n l y t h i n g t o do i s t o prove the p r a c t i c a b i l i t y of the 

arrangement f i r s t , which i n a l l i t s a s p e c t s , i t s u n c o n v e n t i o n a l 

c o m p l e x i o n a t the moment r e n d e r s i m p o s s i b l e , and g e t i t over 

a f t e r w a r d s when I have something c o n c r e t e t o show. Meantime 

s i n c e Margie has renounced a l l c l a i m s on me and hence a l l 

p o s s i b l e c l a i m s e t c on the O.M., Margie remains my 

r e s p o n s i b i l i t y , one w h i c h , i f even much l e s s p r o v i s i o n i s made 

f o r me t h a n has h i t h e r t o been made, I am c a p a b l e of h o l d i n g . But 

not o n l y t h i s - i t i s a b u n d a n t l y c l e a r t o me t h a t o n l y t h r o u g h 

Margie can I r e a c h t h e s t a g e of independence from r e s p o n s i b i l i t y 

e t c . which i s g e n e r a l l y d e s i r e d , t a k i n g w i t h me o n l y j u s t t h a t 

n e c e s s a r y p a r t of my p s y c h i c t u r m o i l s which a r e , t o put i t 

b l u n t l y , s a l e a b l e ; and i f Under the V o l c a n o i s no Anna K a r e n i n a , 

and was not meant t o b e , 2 a t l e a s t , u n l e s s I am v e r y s a d l y 

d e c e i v i n g m y s e l f , i t i s " p u b l i s h a b l e a t a p r o f i t . " 

Were I not v e r y w e l l aware of the many m a t t e r s r e l a t i v e t o 

Mary's work and your own u n i t i e s & h e a l t h such as the Summer 

S c h o o l , your book, the impending d e n t a l m i s e r y which we hope w i l l 

not t u r n out t o o p a i n f u l , e t c . , I might have been a b l e t o 

s u g g e s t , perhaps w i t h o u t f o r w a r d n e s s , t h a t our Lady of the 

Snows, 3 ( i n the not remote M o n t r e a l r e g i o n s which I u n d e r s t a n d 

a r e v e r y b e a u t i f u l , ) might have h e l d some p o s s i b i l i t y of 

a t t r a c t i o n f o r y o u r s e l v e s i n Summer. As i t i s , r e a l i z i n g t h a t 



such a t h i n g i s i m p o s s i b l e but a t the same time not a l l o w i n g 

m y s e l f u t t e r l y t o d e s p a i r of the f a c t of the p o s s i b i l i t y of our 

not b e i n g a b l e t o see one a n o t h e r once more - and t h i s would be a 

v e r y r e a l d e s p a i r s h o u l d I g i v e way t o i t , s i n c e what t r u e r 

f a t h e r have I than you, and as Thomas Wolfe s a y s , a r e ve not a l l 

l o o k i n g f o r our f a t h e r s - I can o n l y p l a c e once more our problems 

b e f o r e you, l e s s c o m p l i c a t e d as t h e y a r e nov by h a v i n g f e v e r 

s o l u t i o n s , and e n t r e a t you once a g a i n t o t r y and h e l p us, I 

h a v i n g a l r e a d y g i v e n you my v o r d as an a r t i s t , a man and a f r i e n d 

not t o l e t you dovn. As your ovn method of d e a l i n g v i t h the O.M. 

seems t o have been much more s u c c e s s f u l than a n y t h i n g I c o u l d 

hope t o s u g g e s t I h e s i t a t e t o make any s u g g e s t i o n s but I f e e l 

t h a t i f a t t h i s p e r i o d you c o u l d g i v e the O.M. t o r e a l i z e hov 

d e s p e r a t e l y i n e a r n e s t I am about a c c o m p l i s h i n g my vork i n 

v h a t e v e r time may be a l l o t e d t o me, of hov p r o x i m i t y t o y o u r s e l f , 

even i f i n M o n t r e a l , v o u l d b e n e f i t me i n t h a t r e g a r d and how 

a l r e a d y c e r t a i n encouragement has been g i v e n me by, f o r i n s t a n c e , 

L i n s c o t t , which makes f o r some promise of d e f i n i t e n e s s i n a l l 

t h i s , t h a t I have c e r t a i n m a t t e r s t o t a l k over w i t h you and 

c e r t a i n problems - I won't go on, you know a l l the c i r c u m s t a n c e s 

h e r e , use your own good judgement about what you s a y , but c o u l d 

you ask f o r c a r t e b l a n c h e t o do what you t h i n k i s b e s t f o r me? 

S i n c e our s i t u a t i o n i s so u r g e n t , c o u l d you not send a c a b l e ( f o r 

which you'd be r e i m b u r s e d ) or i f n o t , a l e t t e r by the C l i p p e r , 

o t h e r w i s e i t may t a k e too l o n g . The l e t t e r from my mother was 

w r i t t e n j u s t a f t e r C h r i s t m a s and she spoke of o t h e r l e t t e r s she 

had w r i t t e n me which I never r e c e i v e d . My Mother says i n her 



215 

l e t t e r how much she wants me t o succeed i n my work and now I know 

t h a t I am r e a l l y on the verge of d o i n g something about i t i f I 

can o n l y f i n i s h the Volcano and r e - w r i t e In B a l l a s t as I see i t 

now. But, Conrad, we cannot s t a y here f o r t h e s i t u a t i o n i s 

r e a l l y dangerous and growing i n c r e a s i n g l y more s o , a t any moment 

something may happen which we cannot a v e r t which w i l l d e s t r o y 

e v e r y t h i n g we have t r i e d so d e s p e r a t e l y and worked so hard t h e s e 

l a s t months t o b u i l d up. I t would be p a r t i c u l a r l y b i t t e r now, 

s i n c e the e n c o u r a g i n g l e t t e r from L i n s c o t t (I f e e l c e r t a i n the 

V o l c a n o w i l l be a b e t t e r bet w i t h him) and your own encouragement 

about the L i g h t h o u s e - I c a n ' t b e g i n t o t e l l you how much t h a t 

meant t o me. 

Should you r e c e i v e c a r t e - b l a n c h e from the O.M. I f u l l y 

r e a l i z e the d i f f i c u l t i e s i n v o l v e d i n d o i n g what i s b e s t f o r me 

and s t i l l r e t a i n i n g your own i n t e g r i t y and h o n e s t y w i t h the O.M. 

To t h a t end I can o n l y s a y t h a t i f a f t e r s e e i n g us and t a l k i n g t o 

us you f e e l t h a t I am t o be t r u s t e d and t h a t I do mean what I 

s a y , perhaps you'd be j u s t i f i e d i n g i v i n g us a chance i n t h e s e 

next few months t o prove t o you, and the f a m i l y , t h a t we a r e 

s i n c e r e i n t r y i n g t o make a new l i f e f o r o u r s e l v e s . T h i s might 

e n t a i l t e l l i n g a few w h i t e l i e s t o the O.M. but we know i n the 

l o n g run h e ' l l be g r a t e f u l t o you f o r g i v i n g us t h a t chance and 

f o r r e s c u i n g us from t h i s h o r r o r here i n Vancouver. I f you do 

not f e e l you can do t h i s we can e f f e c t some s o r t of compromise 

whereby we c o u l d f i n d someone wherever we were s t a y i n g t o s i m p l y 

pay our b i l l s - perhaps the bank - and g i v e us an a l l o w a n c e of 

whatever you t h i n k - a l l not t o exceed an agreed sum. There I 



v o u l d be under your a e g i s as I am under P a r k s 1 here - v i a an 

i n t e r m e d i a r y - but v o u l d be f r e e of the b u n g a l i n g h y p o c r a c y i f 

I b s e n i s h A.B., D o s t o i e v s k i s h M., Carey, and p o s s i b l y you c o u l d 

come up f o r a day or t v o nov and t h e n and see f o r y o u r s e l f v h a t 

ve a r e d o i n g . I f t h i s von't do, perhaps ve c o u l d f i n d some 

c o u p l e who would l e t us s t a y v i t h them so t h a t ve v e r e p r o p e r l y 

chaperoned and vho v o u l d board us as ve a r e here but i n a more 

decent and vholesome atmosphere. There i s so much work I v a n t t o 

do i n t h e s e next f e v months i f I can o n l y have the chance t o do 

i t - f i n i s h the V o l c a n o , r e - v r i t e I n B a l l a s t , r e - v r i t e the 

L i g h t h o u s e v i t h your s u g g e s t i o n s and The L a s t Address v i t h d i t t o , 

s e v e r a l s h o r t s t o r i e s and a nev n o v e l , N i g h t J o u r n e y A c r o s s the 

Sea,* i n the o f f i n g . And nobody seems t o r e a l i z e t h a t t h e s e next 

f e v months may be a l l I ' l l have t o do my vork i n , or t o be v i t h 

M a r g i e , f o r I may have t o go t o var i m m e d i a t e l y a f t e r ve a r e 

m a r r i e d , or even b e f o r e , f o r t h a t matter s i n c e I s h a l l be i n 

Canada. I f you o n l y knev v h a t ve v o u l d n ' t g i v e j u s t t o have a 

chance t o l i v e , t o b r e a t h e , t o have a l i t t l e freedom t o vork and 

peace of mind as v e i l . Not t o mention a hot b a t h nov and t h e n , 

we g e t one b e t v e e n us, lukewarm, about once e v e r y t h r e e v e e k s . 

The F i n n s g e t one once a veek, by the vay - and a decent meal, ve 

haven't had a square meal s i n c e C h r i s t m a s , and even t h a t vas s o r t 

of t r i a n g u l a r - ve had t o depend upon the t a i l end of i t u n t i l 

damn n e a r l y the end of J a n u a r y - We've had n_o f r e s h m i l k , 

b u t t e r , eaas. f r u i t or v e g e t a b l e s i n f i v e months and l i v e on a 

d i e t of b r e a d , soggy p o t a t o e s and w a t e r y stew. Very w e l l , you 

s a y , go out and e a r n i t , but t h i s i s o n l y p r e c i s e l y what we a r e 



217 

a s k i n g f o r a chance t o do! 

The house sounds s w e l l but I am sad I s h a n ' t see i t : perhaps 

i n September. Haven't heard from J.D.* f o r t h r e e y e a r s when he 

phoned me a t Cuernavaca. H i s umbrages a r e i n c i d e n t but soon 

f o r g o t t e n . Thank you v e r y much f o r w r i t i n g hira on my b e h a l f . 

And, a thousand t h a n k s f o r i n t e r e s t i n g L i n s c o t t : the V o l c a n o 

might do f o r him. And f o r your remarks about the poems 0 I am 

l i k e w i s e v e r y g r a t e f u l : I was k i n d of h o p i n g a g a i n s t hope t h e r e 

would be a few you'd l i k e : p a r t i c u l a r l y one about the Harkness 

l i g h t , and a n o t h e r about Crusoe's f o o t p r i n t s or some s u c h . W e l l , 

I'm immensely beholden t o you f o r a l l you've done f o r me, f o r us, 

and do hope you w i l l s t i l l be a b l e t o h e l p me w i t h the 

L i g h t h o u s e . T a l k i n g about L a p l a n d : N o r d a h l G r i e g 7 i s t h e r e on 

m i l i t a r y s e r v i c e , s e n t t h e r e as a punishment f o r d e f e n d i n g R u s s i a 

i n the A r b e i d e r b l a d e t : • s e r v e him r i g h t , perhaps; but what an 

e n d i n g t o I n B a l l a s t t o the White Sea! 

W e l l : here goes a n o t h e r D e c l i n e and F a l l of the Roman 

Empire- And our v e r y b e s t l o v e and good wishes t o Mary and 

y o u r s e l f , ' p o w e r f u l ' t o h e l o t h e s e q u i l t v l i v e s -

y o u r s v e r y west of Eden* 

Male & Margie 



218 

E x p l a n a t o r y Notes 
1 L u d v i g L e v i s o h n (1883-1955), American e d i t o r , c r i t i c , 

t r a n s l a t o r , and n o v e l i s t ; h i s n o v e l s a r e o f t e n concerned w i t h 
m a r i t a l problems caused by c o n f l i c t w i t h t r a d i t i o n or law. 
Author of The Broken Snare (1908), The Case of Mr. Crump (1926), 
The I s l a n d W i t h i n (1928), and T h i s P e o p l e (1933); e d i t o r of New 
P a l e s t i n e and the American Z i o n i s t Review. 

2 C f . l e t t e r 8, n. 11, p. 60. 
3 C f . K i p l i n g ' s poem "Our Lady of the Snows, 1897" i n which 

"Our Lady of the Snows" i s a p e r s o n i f i c a t i o n of Canada. 

* See l e t t e r 18, p. 110. 
3 John Davenport; see l e t t e r 7, n. 12, p. 49. C f . Douglas 

Day's Malcolm Lowrv i n which he t e l l s of Lowry phoning Davenport 
from Cuernavaca i n l a t e 1937 ( 2 2 9 ) . 

° "The L i g h t h o u s e I n v i t e s the Storm": see l e t t e r 18, n. 17, 
p. 112. For the two poems mentioned here see " Q u a r t e r m a s t e r a t 
the Wheel" (5-86; 6-55] and " X X I I I " (6-51] i n the U.B.C. Lowry 
C o l l e c t i o n . 

7 N o r d a h l G r i e g (1902-43), Norwegian p o e t , n o v e l i s t , and 
d r a m a t i s t whom Lowry met i n 1931. Author of The S h i p S a i l s On 
(1927; S k i b e t oar v i d e r e 1924). C f . a l s o l e t t e r 10, n. 2, p. 69, 
and l e t t e r 67, n. 8, p. 351. 

° " A r b e i d e r b l a d e t " : paper, founded i n 1884 by Holtermann 
Knudsen, which was the o f f i c i a l mouthpiece of the Norwegian 
Labour P a r t y . I t was s h u t down d u r i n g W.W. I I when the Germans 
o c c u p i e d Norway, and was s t a r t e d up a g a i n a f t e r the war. 

9 A l l u s i o n t o A i k e n ' s Landscape West of Eden (London: J.M. 
Dent, 1934). 

T e x t u a l Notes 

210.1-3 Dear Conrad and Mary: ( A p o l o g i e s [. . .1 b o t h ) \ Dear 
Conrad and Mary: { ( A p o l o g i e s i n advance, Mary, f o r 
t h i s s e l f - c o n s c i o u s 'Waile of a l e t t e r ' which 
c o n t a i n s TOmch I have no r i g h t t o bore you w i t h — 
o n l y I wanted i t t o be t o you both)> 

210.15 t r u t h f u l l y . \ , t r u t h f u l l y , . 

212.6 1 i m r a o r a l i t y ' \ { • } i m m o r a l i t y { • } 

212.9 somewhere\ <a place> {somewhere} 



219 

212.12 not enough a c t i o n , \ not enough a c t i o n C , } 

213.15 t a k i n g w i t h me\ t a k i n g <we> {with} me 

213.17 s a l e a b l e ; \ s a l { e } a b l e ; 

213.21-3 your own u n i t i e s I. . .] p a i n f u l , e t c . , \ your own 
u n i t { i e s & h e a l t h } such as the Summer S c h o o l , {your 
book, the impending d e n t a l m i s e r y which we hope 
w i l l not t u r n out too < [ i l l e g . ] > p a i n f u l , } e t c . , 

213.24-7 Lady of the Snows, ( i n (. . .] i n Summer.\ <l>{L}ady 
of the <s>{S}nows{,} { ( } i n the not remote M o n t r e a l 
r e g i o n s which I u n d e r s t a n d a r e v e r y b e a u t i f u l , { ) } 
might have h e l d some p o s s i b i l i t y of a t t r a c t i o n f o r 
yourselves<.> { i n Summer.} 

214.22 b e s t f o r me?\ b e s t f o r me<.>{?} 

216.3 D o s t o i e v s k i s h M., C a r e y , \ D o s t o i e v s k i s h M.{,} 
Carey{,} 

216.17 I f you o n l y knew\ <My [ i l l e g . ] > <i>{I}f you o n l y 
' knew 

216.25 five monthS\ / f i v e months> 

217.19 'poyeKfuI'\ 'powerful' 
——— < J 



220 

33: From AIKEN t o LOWRY 
K i l l o r i n 244 

S Dennis 

Feb 29 40 

My dear M a l e s - - j u s t a s w i f t l i n e t o t r y and c a t c h the a i r 

m a i l — y r s j u s t r e c e i v e d , and a l r e a d y out of d a t e , o l d f e l l o w , f o r 

I c a b l e d the 0 M l a s t Tuesday, the 2 7 t h , u r g i n g him t o t r a n s f e r 

you t o M o n t r e a l i m m e d i a t e l y on the ground t h a t I b e l i e v e d 

Vancouver environment most u n s u i t a b l e , and o f f e r i n g t o assume 

r e s p o n s i b i l i t y f o r you on any arrangement he w i s h e d . I've a l s o 

w r i t t e n t o an o l d f r i e n d of mine a p a i n t e r Kenneth Forbes 3 - i n 

T o r o n t o , t o ask i f he'd s o r t of sponsor you i f you came t o T., or 

recommend someone i f t o M o n t r e a l . So now we w a i t f o r the 0 M*s 

n e x t move—and I done a l l I c o u l d swelp me. T h i s must go o f f now 

t o wunst, so c h i n c h i n , c h e e r y ho and a l l our l o v e s - - Conrad 



221 

E x p l a n a t o r y Notes 
x Kenneth K e i t h Forbes (1892-1980?), Canadian p o r t r a i t 

p a i n t e r and amateur boxer. C f . l e t t e r 42, p. 255. 

T e x t u a l Notes 

[No o r i g i n a l i s a v a i l a b l e f o r t h i s l e t t e r ; I have 
t h e r e f o r e had t o r e l y on Joseph K i l l o r i n ' s 
t r a n s c r i p t i o n i n S e l e c t e d L e t t e r s o f Conrad A i k e n 
(244)] 



222 

34: From LOWRY t o AIKEN 
TS H; u n p u b l i s h e d 

March 3, 1940 

--We thank you both from the bottom of our h e a r t s , and want 

you t o know i m m e d i a t e l y t h a t , whether the O.M.'s r e p l y i s 

f a v o r a b l e or not we a r e e t e r n a l l y g r a t e f u l t o you b o t h even f o r 

t r u s t i n g us and h e l p i n g us and t h a t i f ever t h e r e i s a t h o r n i n 

the Hoover-Aiken 3 - c l a w s we w i l l go t h r o u g h h e l l and h i g h water t o 

p u l l i t o u t . S p r i n g comes, s u n l i g h t b e g i n s t o a g a i n 'roar l i k e a 

v a s t i n v i s i b l e s e a ' 2 - t h i s i s the f i r s t s p r i n g I have r e a l l y 

been aware of s i n c e I used t o read fragments of t h e House of Dust 

i n o l d C o t e r i e s on Hayes Common t w e l v e y e a r s ago. 

Meantime, i n t h e m a r i t i m e w o r l d , a l l i s not so good. There 

a r e few s h i p s I have w r i t t e n about t h a t have not met t h e i r f a t e 

i n a s t i c k y manner. A r i a d n e N P a n d e l i s and H e r z o g i n C e c i l e i n In 

B a l l a s t went t o the bottom a few weeks a f t e r I had w r i t t e n about 

them. A t h e n i a l e a v e s The same p o r t , s i n k s i n the same p l a c e w i t h 

Norse boat t o the r e s c u e , as A r c t u r i a n i n In B a l l a s t ! But t h a t 

i s n o t h i n g t o what has j u s t happened, by way of c o i n c i d e n c e , t o 

two s h i p s , r e a l and i m a g i n a r y , i n my f i r s t e a r l y p l a g i a r i s t i c 

paen t o p u b e r t y , U l t r a m a r i n e . Do you remember a German w i r e l e s s 

o p e r a t o r i n the book? He i s mentioned as coming from a German 

s h i p , the W o l f s b u r g (which I had seen i n t h e Suez C a n a l ) 3 The 

W o l f s b u r g was t o r p e d o e d a f o r t n i g h t ago by an E n g l i s h submarine, 

h a l f the crew r e s c u e d . The Nawab i n U l t r a m a r i n e was r e a l l y the 

P y r r h u s (the s h i p I was a c t u a l l y o n ) . * The P y r r h u s was torpedoed 



223 

by a German submarine o f f the West c o a s t of England the day 

b e f o r e y e s t e r d a y , a t o t a l l o s s and h a l f the f i r e m e n k i l l e d . 

S t r a n g e : The Acushnet, the r e a l Pequod - i n Moby, met s i m i l a r 

f a t e t o Pequod, a f t e r he had w r i t t e n the book. 5 N o t h i n g i n i t my 

dear f e l l o w s , but these here c o r r e s p o n d e n c e s of the subnormal 

w o r l d w i t h the a b n o r m a l l y s u s p i c i o u s a r e damned queer, i f you 

l i k e t o t h i n k so. Joyce says t h a t n e a r l y a l l the c h a r a c t e r s 

mentioned i n the f u n e r a l scene i n U l y s s e s , or p e o p l e w i t h the 

same names, have met a s t r a n g e f a t e . One mentioned, not 

a c c o u n t e d f o r : Lowry. 6 That Telemachus i s a s i s t e r s h i p t o the 

P y r r h u s cannot a p p a r e n t l y have a n y t h i n g t o do w i t h the s u b j e c t ! 

I have the s t r a n g e f e e l i n g t h a t the d i s a s t e r t o my o l d s h i p , 

coming on top of e v e r y t h i n g e l s e t h i s l a s t week, was i n t e n d e d , by 

some queer subaqueous f o r c e majeure, f i n a l l y t o p o l i s h me. o f f . I f 

so i t c e r t a i n l y d i d not succeed! On the c o n t r a r y perhaps t h a t 

was j u s t a l l my p a s t l i f e w i t h i t s f a l s e b u l k h e a d s , f i r e m e n , 

f u n n e l s and w i n d l a s s e s s i n k i n g below the waves! Somehow we 

f o o l e d 'em. 

M a r g i e , who i s an e x p e r t , has i n v e i g l e d me i n t o r e a d i n g 

astronomy. (Not to be c o n f u s e d w i t h a s t r o l o g y . 7 Margie begs me 

t o i n s i s t , d o u b t l e s s p a i n e d t o t h i n k t h i s s h o u l d be a s s o c i a t e d 

w i t h the o t h e r mumbo jumbos i n my l e t t e r . ) I s t i l l do not know 

which s t a r s are coming or g o i n g , but the e n c l o s e d poem 8 emerging 

from the f o l l o w i n g m e t a p h y s i c makes me t h i n k t h a t , w i t h p r a c t i c e , 

I might d e v e l o p i n t o an E l i z a Cook y e t . 9 "That when Venus i s 

n e a r e s t t o the e a r t h she appears as a t h i n c r e s c e n t , a l m o s t 

i n v i s i b l e , as the d i s t a n c e i n c r e a s e s , more of the b r i g h t d i s c 



224 

becomes v i s i b l e , the i n c r e a s i n g d i s t a n c e tends t o make the p l a n e t 

appear l e s s b r i g h t , but the change i n phase a c t s i n a c o n t r a r y 

d i r e c t i o n ; the r e s u l t of the two e f f e c t s i s t h a t the b r i g h t n e s s 

c o n t i n u e s t o i n c r e a s e f o r about 36 days from the time Venus i s a t 

her n e a r e s t . T h e r e a f t e r the e f f e c t of the i n c r e a s i n g phase i s 

more than c o u n t e r b a l a n c e d by the g r e a t e r d i s t a n c e . When a t her 

b r i g h t e s t , Venus i s much b r i g h t e r than any s t a r or any o t h e r 

p l a n e t and can be seen w i t h o u t d i f f i c u l t y by the naked eye i n 

broad d a y l i g h t . I have on more than one o c c a s i o n seen i t w i t h o u t 

l o o k i n g f o r i t and w i t h o u t r e a l i z i n g a t f i r s t t h a t I was a c t u a l l y 

l o o k i n g a t Venus." Here i s something e l s e t o o , which would seem 

t o be f r u c t i f y i n g , i f a p p l i e d t o mankind. "The l i g h t r e a c h i n g us 

from Venus can be compared w i t h the l i g h t w h i c h we r e c e i v e 

d i r e c t l y from the sun. In n e i t h e r case i s the l i g h t pure 

s u n l i g h t . The l i g h t which we r e c e i v e from t h e sun d i r e c t l y has 

some wave l e n g t h s weakened or m i s s i n g because of a b s o r p t i o n i n 

the atmosphere of the e a r t h . " Or perhaps you have a l r e a d y 

e x p r e s s e d t h i s somewhere. Or thought i t not w o r t h e x p r e s s i n g . 

I g a t h e r from L i f e t h a t England i s none t o o p o p u l a r i n 

American q u a r t e r s . 1 0 I am v e r y sad I s h a l l not be a b l e t o see 

Mary's p i c t u r e s f o r some t i m e . 

There i s a photograph of former Hoover s u b j e c t , "Man w i t h 

C o n c e r t i n a " E l l i o t P a u l , i n Time t h i s week, p l a y i n g boogie-woogie 

i n the t e m p l e . 1 1 

Once I c o u l d p l a y boogie-woogie f i n e . . . 1 2 

A l l thanks and l o v e a g a i n to both from b o t h . 

Male & Margie 



225 

P.S. A m y s t e r i o u s photograph of a s a i l i n g s h i p , v e r y much the 

worse f o r wear, c a l l e d the L a w h i l l has appeared i n our l o c a l 

d r u g s t o r e . L a w h i l l i s the name of the s h i p i n The L a s t A d d r e s s . 

The L a w h i l l has a l s o been - er - r e c e n t l y sunk. But what the 

h e l l boys and g i r l s . Hoppla! Wir l e b e n ! 1 3 

The V o l c a n o i s r a p i d l y r e a c h i n g i t s l a s t b e l c h . 



226 

E x p l a n a t o r y Notes 
1 Hoover i s Mary A i k e n ' s maiden name. 
2 Q u o t a t i o n from A i k e n ' s "Movements from a Symphony: 

O v e r t o n e s , " C o t e r i e 3 (Dec. 1919): 53; c f . l e t t e r 1, n. 6, p. 8, 
and l e t t e r 2, n. 1, p. 15. 

3 The German w i r e l e s s o p e r a t o r , Hans P o p p l e r e u t e r , f i r s t 
appears i n c h a p t e r 3 of U l t r a m a r i n e ; "the W o l f s b u r g " i s mentioned 
on p. 117. 

4 The P y r r h u s i s the name of the s h i p on which Lowry s a i l e d 
when he went to sea as a deckhand i n 1927. 

s The Pequod i s the name of C a p t a i n Ahab's s h i p i n Moby  
D i c k . See Lewis Mumford's Herman M e l v i l l e (New York: H a r c o u r t , 
Brace & Co., 1929): "The crew of the Acushnet was an i l l - f a t e d 
one . . . the s h i p i t s e l f foundered i n the v e r y year he 
[ M e l v i l l e ] wrote Moby D i c k . . ." ( 4 4 ) . C f . a l s o l e t t e r 23, n. 
8, p. 153. 

6 See U l y s s e s (London: The B o d l e y Head, 1937): "Mr. Bloom's 
g l a n c e t r a v e l l e d down the edge of the paper, s c a n n i n g the d e a t h s . 
C a l l a n , Coleman, Dignam, F a w c e t t , Lowry . . ." ( 8 3 ) . I n h i s 25 
August 1951 l e t t e r t o David Markson, Lowry a g a i n mentions J o y c e ' s 
s u p e r s t i t i o n "about the name Lowry, which o c c u r s i n h i s f u n e r a l 
scene. No sooner had he g i v e n them t h e s e names . . . t h a n one 
a f t e r t h e o t h e r these names a c q u i r e d l i v i n g , or r a t h e r dead, 
c o u n t e r p a r t s , a l l of v h i c h . . . were found t o have come t o 
g r o t e s q u e and t r a g i c ends I I never checked up t o see i f a s t a n d -
i n c a l l e d L. has a l r e a d y l e t me out . . ." ( B r e i t 250). 

7 C f . M a r g e r i e Bonner's The Shapes That Creep (194) f o r a 
s i m i l a r s t a t e m e n t . 

a The " e n c l o s e d " poem i s m i s s i n g . 
9 E l i z a Cook (1818-89), London-born poet who was a r e g u l a r 

c o n t r i b u t o r t o the Weekly Despatch. From 1849-54 she was,the 
e d i t o r and p u b l i s h e r of E l i z a Cook's J o u r n a l . Her b e s t known 
poem i s "The Old Arm C h a i r . " 

1 0 I have been unable t o i d e n t i f y the a r t i c l e t o which Lowry 
i s r e f e r r i n g . 

1 X Lowry i s r e f e r r i n g t o one of Mary (Hoover) A i k e n ' s 
p a i n t i n g s of E l l i o t H a r o l d P a u l (1891-1958), American n o v e l i s t 
and p a r t - t i m e j a z z p i a n i s t who was founder and c o - e d i t o r w i t h 
Eugene J o l a s of the l i t e r a r y magazine t r a n s i t i o n . An u n s i g n e d 
a r t i c l e on E l l i o t P a u l , "Bach and Boogie-Woogie," appears i n Time 
4 March 1940: 48. Cf. a l s o l e t t e r 18, n. 24, p. 112. 

1 2 C f . l e t t e r 10, p. 66. 



227 
1 3 "Hoppla! Wir Leben!": t i t l e of a p l a y by E r n s t T o l l e r 

(1893-1939) 7 German e x p r e s s i o n i s t d r a m a t i s t ; p u b l i s h e d i n E n g l i s h 
i n 1935 as H o p p l a l Such i s L i f e l 

T e x t u a l Notes 

222.14-15 A t h e n i a [. . .] i n In B a l l a s t ! \ A t h e n i a l e a v e s {The} 
same p o r t , s i n k s i n {the} same p l a c e w i t h Norse 
boat t o the r e s c u e { , } as A r c t u r i a n i n In 
B a l l a s t < . > { ! } 

222.23 PyrrhusX P y r r { h } u s 

222.23 PyrrhusX P y r r { h } u s 

223.9 One mentioned,\ One mentioned*,} 

223.11 PyrrhusX P y r r { h } u s 

223.14 f o r c e majeure, f i n a l l y t o p o l i s h jne_ o f f .\ < f o r c e 
majeure, f f i n a l l y t o p o l i s h <me, o f f . 

223.25 "That when Venus\ {"}That when Venus 

224.18 Or thought i t not w o r t h e x p r e s s i n g . \ [ t h i s s e n t e n c e 
i s h a n d w r i t t e n i n i n k ] 

224.19 I g a t h e r from L i f e t h a t \ I g a t h e r {from L i f e } t h a t 

224.23 i n Time t h i s week,\ i n Time <with> { t h i s } week, 
225.6 The Volcano i s r a p i d l y r e a c h i n g i t s l a s t b e l c h . \ 

[ t h i s s e n t e n c e i s h a n d w r i t t e n i n i n k ] 



228 

35: From AIKEN t o LOWRY 
TS H; K i l l o r i n 244 

South Dennis Mass. 

March 7 40 

My dear d e f r a u d e d l o n g s u f f e r i n g Male--

I've d e l a y e d w r i t i n g c h i e f l y because I had hoped by now 

t o have heard from P a r k s , or some fragment of good news from 

anywhere--but no, not a word. I d i d n ' t l i k e t o r e p o r t o n l y the 

m e l a n c h o l y c a b l e from the 0 M w i t h i t s sad d i s m i s s a l of a l l hopes 

f o r s i x months, nor r a i s e your hopes w i t h r e p o r t of my l e t t e r t o 

P a r k s t i l l t h e r e was perhaps some chance of a chance. But no. 

N o t h i n g . The 0 M s i m p l y s a i d t h a t you must s t a y i n Vancouver, a t 

the same a d d r e s s , t i l l s i x months were up, and then r e a p p l y f o r 

e n t r y a t the same p l a c e as b e f o r e : no p o s s i b l e chance of a 

removal e a s t . T h i s seemed, and seems, r i d i c u l o u s t o me: but 

t h e n , of c o u r s e I know n o t h i n g of t h e s e r e g u l a t i o n s . However, on 

the s t r e n g t h of my f e e l i n g s , I wrote t o P a r k s and asked f o r a 

complete r e p o r t as t o the r e a s o n s g i v e n , names of persons who 

gave them, and so on, w i t h a view t o then t r y i n g t o f i n d someone 

i n Washington who might a t l e a s t attempt a r e o p e n i n g of the c a s e . 

Mary's mother, who l i v e s In W., might d i g up someone. But f i r s t , 

we must know the e x a c t f a c t s , so as not t o mess t h i n g s up or 

j e o p a r d i z e t h i n g s i n any way. That, I t h i n k , i s i m p o r t a n t . 

Hence my l e t t e r t o P., 1 and I hope i n a day or two w e ' l l hear 

from him. (Meanwhile, we've a l r e a d y w r i t t e n a l s o t o Mary's 

mamma, and s h o u l d be h e a r i n g from her t o o . ) Which, a l a s , seems 

t o be about a l l t h a t can be done. I s a i d t o P t h a t I_ saw no 



229 

r e a s o n why you s h o u l d not come to M o n t r e a l pro tem, 2 a t l e a s t — 

and then perhaps r e t u r n t o Van f o r the r e e n t r y . I've w r i t t e n t o 

the 0 M t o the same e f f e c t , and informed him of ray i n t e n t i o n t o 

t r y t o wangle t h i n g s i n Washington, on my own r e s p o n s i b i l i t y — 

r e p e a t i n g the s t a t e m e n t of my c a b l e t h a t I b e l i e v e d your 

c i r c u m s t a n c e s i n Van most u n s u i t a b l e , t o g e t h e r w i t h r e a s s u r a n c e s 

about your work, L i n s c o t t , pomes, n o v e l s , and so on. In s h o r t , 

my dear o l d Male, I've done a l l I c o u l d t h i n k o f . And of c o u r s e 

i f t h e r e proves t o be any chance whatever, or so s m a l l 

whatsumever, I ' l l go on t r y i n g . But i t l o o k s bad, I a d m i t , and 

so I suppose you w i l l be wise t o d e c i d e now t h a t you must somehow 

manage t o s t i c k i t , AND above a l l t r y t o get the V o l c a n o done 

quam c e l . 3 That w i l l or s h o u l d c o m f o r t you t o do, t h a t and 

whatever you d e c i d e t o do as w e l l — s o m e more p o m e s ? ? ? — a n d more 

t o the p o i n t , i t w i l l be a h e l p a l l round i f you can get the Mss 

t o me f o r L i n s c o t t w h i l e he i s s t i l l f r e s h l y i n t e r e s t e d . T r y t o 

do i t , now, and do i t w e l l , t o o - - r e a l l y I t h i n k we might g e t 

somewhere w i t h i t . For you sound i n good form, and I f i n d m y s e l f 

b e l i e v i n g from the tone of your r e c e n t l e t t e r s t h a t the work you 

a r e d o i n g must be good. But above a l l , don't p e r m i t y o u r s e l v e s 

t o be d e p r e s s e d : no use now i n t h a t : y o u ' l l o n l y r i s k a h u r t t o 

e v e r y t h i n g . T h i n k , i f i t w i l l h e l p you a t a l l , t h a t we're 

k e e p i n g our eyes on you, and w a i t i n g t o see you, and w i l l be here 

f o r you when you come: and how good t h a t w i l l be. Not so damned 

l o n g , e i t h e r . And then we can e x p e c t a t l e a s t s i x months of 

g e n i a l j u i c e - s w a p p i n g i n B o s t o n , i f we get our house, or h e r e , i f 

we don't. (We a r e a d v e n t u r i n g f u r t h e r w i t h the h o u s e — t r y i n g t o 



230 

r a i s e mortgages here and t h e r e , r i s k i n g e v e r y t h i n g — i t seems the 

o n l y s e n s i b l e t h i n g t o do, we might as w e l l be hung f o r a sheep 

as f o r a r a b b i t ) . So keep the c h i n up. And g e t on w i t h t h e 

work. . . . I've j u s t had the 1 s t copy of my new book*--they've 

made a n i c e j o b of i t , I t h i n k , - - a n d now we w a i t f o r i t s f a t e 

w i t h f i n g e r s c r o s s e d . I t h i n k i t has a good c h a n c e — n o t t o o 

highbrow ( i f a t a l l ) , a p e r f e c t l y normal and s i m p l e and good 

theme, s i m p l e , s t r a i g h t f o r w a r d , v i v i d — a n d t e n d e r , I t h i n k — s o 

t h a t w h i l e i t ' s a good j o b of work, qua form e t c . , i t ' s a l s o 

perhaps near enough the l . c . d . s t o c a t c h on. Good god, I c a n ' t 

t e l l you how much we p r a y f o r t h a t , nor what a d i f f e r e n c e i t 

would make t o t h e s e two l i v e s . I f i t s h o u l d s e l l , you never 

knov, we might even come out t o c a l l on you! So add your p r a y e r s 

t o ours i f you s t i l l p r a y . . . And now a l l our l o v e s and 

d e v o t i o n s , on a g r e y day i n M a r c h -

Conrad 



231 

E x p l a n a t o r y Notes 
1 P a r k s . 
2 "pro tem1': "pro tempore," L a t i n , "as time p e r m i t s . " 
3 "quam e e l " : "quam c e l e r r i m e , " L a t i n , "as soon as 

p o s s i b l e . " 

* C o n v e r s a t i o n . 
B " l . c . d . " : " l o w e s t common denominator." 

T e x t u a l Notes 

228.3 heard from P a r k s , \ heard <word> from P a r k s , [ t h i s 
d e l e t i o n i s done on the t y p e w r i t e r ] 

228.17 someoneA som{e}one. 

228.19 j e o p a r d i z e \ jeopard!<n>ze 

229.2 r e t u r n \ r e t < i > { u } r n 

229.10 whatsumever,\ whatsume<e>ver, 



232 
36: From LOWRY to AIKEN 

TS H; unpublished 

[March 1940] 

Dear old fellow: 

Not melancholy Lowry's are we, but overjoyed at the 
sweetness of your letter, which has mitigated our bitter 
dissappointment. 

If a l l blows up, including the world, I shall cherish as 
long as I live that wise sensitiveness which informed what you 
said at this bad time. I means more than I can say and more than 
I have said. We continue also to be unable to express our 
appreciation of what you and Mary have done and are doing on our 
behalf 1 

Lately I wrote a pretty good letter to my mater who seems 
pro to my going to be under your Eye, and this, coupled with your 
letter, may s t i l l do the trick, change the O.M.'s mind. Also I 
wrote the O.M., sanely, sobersidedly, emphasizing the practical 
importance of going east anyhow. 

Meantime, we work with renewed vigor upon the Volcano. 
Elsewhere, also, are volcanoes. 

Am looking forward tremendously to reading the Conversation. 
Paris change, mais rien de ma melancholie, s'a bouge. . . x 

Very pretty, but not true, in our case. The ship sails on.2 



233 

Love zu haus zu h a u s . 3 

Male 



2 3 4 

E x p l a n a t o r y Notes 
1 Q u o t a t i o n from B a u d e l a i r e ' s "Le Cygne," i n "Tableaux 

p a r i s i e n s , " Les f l e u r s du mal: " P a r i s change! mais r i e n dans ma 
me*lancolie/ N'a bouge'!" ( P a r i s changes! but n o t h i n g i n my 
m e l a n c h o l y has changed!). 

2 The S h i p S a i l s On (1927) i s the t i t l e of the E n g l i s h 
t r a n s l a t i o n of N o r d a h l G r i e g ' s S k i b e t gar V i d e r e (1924). C f . 
l e t t e r 32, n. 7, p. 218. 

3 "zu haus": German, " a t home." 

T e x t u a l Notes 

232 .2 m e l a n c h o l y \ me 1 < [ i l l e g . ) > { a } n c h o l y 

232.19 P a r i s change, mais r i e n de ma m e l a n c h o l i e , s'a 

233.1 Love zu haus zu haus.\ Love<,> <ZMz}u haus 
<z>{z}u haus 



235 
37: From LOWRY t o AIKEN 

TS H; u n p u b l i s h e d 

March 20, 1940. 

J u s t a mumbling v o r d s e n d i n g you both the b e s t of our l o v e s 

and the v e r y b e s t of l u c k w i t h "The C o n v e r s a t i o n ! 

May i t have as t r i u m p h a n t a voyage as the Queen E l i z a b e t h , 

dodging a l l t o r p e d o e s from submarines of mean r e v i e w e r s on both 

s i d e s of the A t l a n t i c and coming t o r e s t g l o r i o u s l y i n the P i e r 

16 of the b e s t s e l l e r l i s t ! May i t be u n l i k e the Queen E l i z a b e t h 

o n l y i n p a s s i n g u n n o t i c e d (and of c o u r s e i n b e i n g u n f i n i s h e d . 

T h i s Queen E l i z a b e t h a n a l o g y i s g e t t i n g us i n t o t r o u b l e but i t 

means w e l l ! ) and may i t r e c e i v e a symphony of a c c l a i m from 

f r i e n d s and enemies a l i k e ! Which we know i t w i l l d e s e r v e ! 

In s h o r t : THE VERY BEST OF LUCK! 

(Here: 
O t t f l i e s t o Dimaggio, 
R i p p l a pops to Dimaggio, 
Mcmathy f l i e s t o D i m a g g i o , — 
No r u n s , no h i t s , no e r r o r s . ) 1 

Male & M a r g i e . 



236 

E x p l a n a t o r y Notes 
1 O t t , Dimaggio, R i p p l a , and McMathy a r e names of American 

b a s e b a l l p l a y e r s . 

T e x t u a l Notes 

235.2 "The C o n v e r s a t i o n \ {"},<t>(T}he C o n v e r s a t i o n , ! 

235.6 u n l l k e \ <un>like 

235.7-9 u n n o t i c e d (and of c o u r s e i n b e i n g u n f i n i s h e d . T h i s 
Queen E l i z a b e t h a n a l o g y i s g e t t i n g us i n t o t r o u b l e 
but i t means w e l l ! ) and may i t \ u n n o t i c e d {(and of 
c o u r s e i n b e i n g u n f i n i s h e d . T h i s Queen E l i z a b e t h 
a n a l o g y i s g e t t i n g us i n t o t r o u b l e but i t means 
w e l l ! ) } and may i t [ t h i s i n s e r t i o n i s h a n d w r i t t e n 
i n the top l e f t - h a n d c o r n e r of page] 

235.12-16 (Here: 
O t t f l i e s t o Dimaggio, 
R i p p l a pops t o Dimaggio, 
Mcmathy f l i e s t o Dimaggio,--
No r u n s , no h i t s , no e r r o r s . ) \ [ t h e s e l i n e s 

a r e h a n d w r i t t e n a t the end of the l e t t e r b e f o r e the 
s i g n a t u r e ] 



237 

38: From LOWRY t o MARY HOOVER AIKEN 
MS H; u n p u b l i s h e d 

[Vancouver] 

(23 March 1940] 

P o r t r a i t of A t l a n t i s ! 

Or some new p a t t e r n s f o r one's 

S p r i n g s u i t i n g ! 

God b l e s s you. 

Malcolm. 



238 

T e x t u a l Notes 

[ p o s t c a r d of the "Ruinas de M i t l a " i n Mexico; 
a d d r e s s e d t o : "Mary Hoover A i k e n 

c/o G. W i l b u r . 
South Dennis 

M a s s a c h u s e t t s . 
U.S.A."] 

date [postmarked 23 March 1940] 

237.2 Or some new p a t t e r n s \ {Or some new} p a t t e r n s 



239 

39: From AIKEN t o LOWRY 
TS H; u n p u b l i s h e d 

S Dennis Mass. 

A p r i l 1 40 

My dear n e g l e c t e d M a l e — t h i s l o n g s i l e n c e i s not due t o 

i n d i f f e r e n c e , s u l k s , c h a g r i n , s p l e e n , temper, worms, b i l e , or 

boredom—no, I've been f l a t on my v e r y s o r e back w i t h a k i n d of a 

fake but a l l - t o o - c o n v i n c i n g pneumonia, and am s t i l l f a r from 

h a l e . Nor can I pause now t o w r i t e any more than the b r i e f e s t 

n o t e , e i t h e r , f o r we f i n d t h a t poor Mary must undergo an 

immediate o p e r a t i o n f o r f i b r o i d s , and so tomorrow we h a s t e n her 

t o h o s p i t a l i n B o s t o n , where she w i l l have t o s t a y two weeks. 

A f t e r t h a t , a month of c o n v a l e s c e n c e . A i n ' t l i f e c u t e and f u l l 

of c u n n i n g t r i c k s ? I s h a l l s t a y i n town f o r a week, u n t i l 

e v e r y t h i n g i s g o i n g w e l l , t h e n come back h e r e . My a d d r e s s w i l l 

be ( t i l l t h e 8th) 374 Commonwealth Ave. Mary t a k e s i t of c o u r s e 

v e r y c a l m l y , and s o , by r e f l e c t i o n , do I--but s t i l l ! 

So don't worry i f we don't w r i t e . 

The n o v e l 1 i s b e i n g peed on, crapped on, s p a t on, sneezed 

on, coughed on, e j a c u l a t e d on, d i e d and r o t t e d on, by a l l the 

c r i t i c s from the N a t i o n up. And b a n g — I f e a r - - g o our hopes. 

But t h e r e ' s l i f e i n the o l d team y e t . 

much l o v e t o b o t h 

Conrad 



240 

E x p l a n a t o r y Notes 
1 C o n v e r s a t i o n . An u n s i g n e d r e v i e w appeared i n the N a t i o n 

23 March 1940: 401. 

T e x t u a l Notes 

239.3 I've\ I'<b>{v}e 

239.4 am s t i l l \ am<d> s t i l l 

239.6 f i n d t h a t \ f i n d t<j>{h}at 

239.7 o p e r a t i o n \ o p e r a t i { o } n 

239.7 f i b r o i d s \ f i b r < p > { o } i d s 



241 

40; From LQWRY, fro A T K E N 
TS H; u n p u b l i s h e d 

A p r i l 9, 1940. 

Dear o l d b i r d : 

- a w f u l s o r r y t o hear of your r e v e r s e s - y o u r s and Mary's -

so here i s a l e t t e r , & a funny pome out of a n o t h e r e x i s t e n c e , t o 

cheer you up. 

I t seems t o me t h a t t h e s e oaves of r e v i e w e r s must have some 

grudge a g i n you. As though you had wounded some of t h e s e l i t t l e 

men on t h e i r amour p r o p r e s i n bygone y e a r s . E l s e why i s i t you 

so o f t e n get s t u p i d r e v i e w s , but what has been u n f a v o r a b l y 

r e v i e w e d never f a i l s t o g e t mentioned i n the same paper a c o u p l e 

of y e a r s l a t e r by someone younger as a m a s t e r p i e c e ? Which i t 

proves t o be. 

Anyhow, I t h i n k t h a t you're one of the f i v e l i v i n g g r e a t e s t 

w r i t e r s and most o t h e r people do t o o , t o whom l i t e r a t u r e i s not 

merchandise, and t h a t ' s the k i n d of o p i n i o n t h a t m a t t e r s i n the 

l o n g r u n , though I s e z i t m y s e l f . Not a l w a y s , damn i t , t o the 

p u r s e , though p r o b a b l y , i n the l o n g r u n , t o t h a t t o o . 

I r e a d a more or l e s s f a v o u r a b l e but somewhat p e t t y r e v i e w 

i n Time.3-

By the way, might I v e r y humbly and p e n i t e n t l y ask i f I may 

borrow a copy of The C o n v e r s a t i o n ? We don't have enough money t o 

buy i t a t the moment; l i b r a r i e s sometimes t a k e 3 months t o get a 

book from U.S. But I r e a l l y mean borrow. Would r e t u r n i t 



2 4 2 

d e f i n i t e l y i n a few weeks ( i f you can b e g i n t o b e l i e v e me i n 

t h e s e d a y s ) . L a t e r , when have enough money w i l l buy i t . I do 

not vant t o put you on the s p o t of f e e l i n g e i t h e r a f t e r I have 

asked t h a t you cannot v e r y w e l l r e f u s e , e t c . (And here may I go 

on r e c o r d as a p o l o g i s i n g f o r n o t , those y e a r s back, acknowledged 

the P r e l u d e s and O s i r i s . 2 The i m p e r t i n a n c e of t h i s makes me now 

want t o go and drown m y s e l f s l o w l y i n the n e a r e s t p o o l . But i t 

was not m a l i c i o u s n e s s or a n y t h i n g e l s e . I was m e r e l y t i g h t , 

Conrad, j u s t t i g h t . ) 

I am on the l a s t c h a p t e r of Volcano - a s t r a n g e book and I 

t h i n k i t makes an odd but s p l e n d i d d i n . I t i s the f i r s t book of 

mine t h a t i s not i n one way or a n o t h e r p a r a s i t i c on your work. 

( T h i s time i t i s p a r a s i t i c however on some of your w i s e c r a c k s i n 

M e x i c o , & upon your p o l i t i c a l o p i n i o n s l Poor M a l e . ) 3 

I f you remember a t the time you s a i d you d i d n ' t mind about 

t h i s : i n f a c t we both d e c i d e d t h a t i t would be good f u n f o r b o t h 

of us t o do a book about Mexico and see what came of i t . * But 

a p a r t from the w i s e c r a c k s , the ' c h a r a c t e r ' 3 i s not y o u r s e l f . 

N e v e r t h e l e s s , I thought I would ask t o be a b s o l v e d i n advance f o r 

any ' c o i n c i d e n c e s . ' The t r o u b l e i s , you s e e , t h a t t h i s 

p a r t i c u l a r c h a r a c t e r g e t s - e r - pushed over a r a v i n e . (There i s 

a horrendous r e a l c o i n c i d e n c e i n c o n n e c t i o n w i t h t h i s f o r the day 

a f t e r I'd w r i t t e n t h a t scene f o r the f i r s t time i n M e x i c o , a man 

was s h o t and pushed over a r a v i n e i n e x a c t l y the same way, by 

name, W i l l i a m E r i c k s o n . My c h a r a c t e r was a t t h a t time named 

W i l l i a m E r i c k s o n , the same name as the guy i n In B a l l a s t . ) " 

S t r a n g e p s y c h o l o g i c a l g o i n g s on, h e r e , I a d m i t , but I do want t o 



2 4 3 

come to my own rescue by denying that while making p r e t t y 

speeches to you with one hand I was a t the same time engaged i n 

shoving you down the r a v i n e with the other. No, Conrad, the 

t r u t h i s the guy who goes down the r a v i n e , d i s g u i s e d i n dark 

g l a s s e s and a f a l s e beard, i s p a r t l y myself, p a r t l y the l i t t l e 

ghost of what was once bad between us, bad about me. There i s 

a l s o a b i t of Margie's f a t h e r , a b i t of the guy who introduced 

Margie and I, and a b i t of you, to account f o r the good p a r t s . 

And of course the wise c r a c k s the o p i n i o n s (and how r i g h t most of 

them were!) an i n c i d e n t with my cat" 7 (I made him love c a t s f o r a 

dramatic reason) I had to make the ghost an amusing f e l l o w a f t e r 

a l l . But i n a s t a t e of r e c o n c i l i a t i o n with the burden of the 

mystery g r e a t e r than I have ever reached I j u s t wished to while 

r e i t e r a t i n g my deep love f o r you - and I want you to know t h a t I 

mean i t - to ask you s i n c e r e l y to regard any apparent 

s i m i l a r i t i e s or NUANCES with the f a t h e r l y t w i n k l e , and f o r the 

r e s t , with a detached p s y c h o l o g i c a l amusement. I c o u l d h a r d l y 

w r i t e t h i s l e t t e r were i t not a l l r i g h t with me. A l s o f o r the 

r e s t , damn i t , there are some s i m i l a r i t i e s I can't h e l p . The 

c o n f l i c t s of d i v o r c e , c o n f l i c t s of s o u l t o r n between England and 

America, the s e t t i n g of Mexico i t s e l f , a l l these t h i n g s are mine 

too; my anguishes and such, while a g a i n , ray a n c i e n t doppelganger, 

I am, deep down i n my psyche - i f you w i l l not be offended a t my 

s a y i n g so - damned l i k e you. My consciousness has not the 

i n t e n s i t y of yours and i t has been a long l a b o r i o u s process 

t e a c h i n g i t to be t r a c t a b l e and work a t a l l , but I'm s u r p r i s e d a t 

the amount that i s r e a l l y t h e r e , w a i t i n g to be mined. Poetry, I 



244 

b e l i e v e t o o : some g o l d , l e s s t i n than I t h o u g h t . But some of the 

p r o c e s s e s of m e t a l l u r g y a r e s t a r t l i n g l y and n a t u r a l l y l i k e y o u r s : 

and t h i s I c a n ' t h e l p , and v o u l d not i f I c o u l d . 

But what I can and c o u l d do vas t o v r i t e a book v h i c h put 

dovn my ovn r e f l e c t i o n of the moon i n my ovn r e a l broken b o t t l e . 

And I t h i n k I have done. 

T h i s book i s a l s o as i t v e r e a g e s t u r e on the p a r t of a 

g r a t e f u l p u p i l t o h i s master. 

I have not v r i t t e n a s i n g l e scene v i t h o u t f i r s t of a l l 

s u b m i t t i n g i t , as i t v e r e , t o the A i k e n m i c r o s c o p e . That 

microscope has d e t e c t e d some f a u l t s , v h i c h v i l l s t i l l p r o b a b l y be 

i n vhen I send you the book, but not so many as u s u a l . And 

f i n a l l y , as I approach the end, i t was w i t h a sense of t r i u m p h -

many t h i n g s c o n t r i b u t e t o t h i s . I f e e l , f o r i n s t a n c e , t h a t i t i s 

the s o r t of book you would want me t o w r i t e , t h a t , i n a sense 

a l s o , i t i s a c o m p l e t i o n of the B r i d g e which Hart Crane d i d not 

f i n i s h . And moreover i t has been w r i t t e n under I t h i n k as 

h o r r i b l e c o n d i t i o n s as any book t h a t has ever been w r i t t e n , and I 

do not e x c e p t books w r i t t e n i n p r i s o n , r e f o r m a t o r i e s , c o r k l i n e d 

rooms, s h i p s or f r o n t l i n e t r e n c h e s . The m i x t u r e of p h y s i c a l 

d i s c o m f o r t , n o i s e and gnawing a n x i e t y t h a t a t one moment one 

would have t o s t o p , or t h a t we would be s e p a r a t e d , produced 

something unique i n a b h o r r e n t c o n d i t i o n s . And out of a l l t h i s 

e f f o r t , t o g e t h e r w i t h the l e t t e r s we t o s s e d t o and f r o , much, i t 

seems has bloomed. Margie and I have r e a l l y d i s c o v e r e d something 

so r e a l , t h a t a l t h o u g h we have not l e f t our one a t t i c room a t a l l 

i n the l a s t months, t h a t we f e e l we can l a u g h a t everybody. And 



2 4 5 

a l t h o u g h you and I haven't g o t t e n anywhere w i t h the O.M., a t 

l e a s t not y e t , I f e e l much has been r e s o l v e d between us which i s 

p u r e l y good, i n t h a t grand e f f o r t you made on our b e h a l f , i n ray 

endeavor t o show you t o o , t h a t a t h e a r t I was a l o y a l and s i n c e r e 

f r i e n d , w i t h a l l of which the c o m p l e t i o n of the book i n i t s 

p r e s e n t form, the p a t t e r n of our own l i v e s , has something 

m y s t e r i o u s l y t o do. Excuse t h i s p o r t e n t o u s n e s s , but I f e e l i t t o 

be s o . 

Margie has a l s o w r i t t e n a d e t e c t i v e n o v e l 8 (she s c r a p p e d an 

e a r l i e r v e r s i o n the p l o t of which was s n a f f l e d by Ben Ames 

W i l l i a m s ) * w h i c h , when c u t a b i t , w i l l be damned good. I t r e a l l y 

does h o l d your i n t e r e s t and s p e c u l a t i o n t o the v e r y end and, i n 

my o p i n i o n , i t s h o u l d s e l l . Anyhow, i t ' s a d e f i n i t e p r o f e s s i o n a l 

and good p i e c e of work i n i t s own genre: and e x c e l l e n t l y 

c o n s t r u c t e d . Do you know anybody who might be i n t e r e s t e d ? 

Any by the way, some time ago b e f o r e you i n t e r e s t e d 

L i n d s c o t t i n i t , I promised Whit B u r n e t t , who now has the S t o r y 

P r e s s amalgamated w i t h L i p p i n c o t t , t o submit the Volcano t o 

h i m . 1 0 What would you a d v i s e me t o do? Anyhow, I s h a l l send you 

a copy f i r s t b e f o r e I do a n y t h i n g . But you might a d v i s e me 

meantime as t o the e t h i c s of t h i s m a t t e r . 

P l e a s e convey our sympathies a g a i n t o Mary, t o whom a l e t t e r 

goes on same p o s t and here's h o p i n g y o u ' l l be on your f e e t a g a i n 

soon, and t h a t the r e v i e w s w i l l p i c k up. The v e r y l a s t of my 

book o f f e r s s t u b b o r n r e s i s t a n c e . T r u l y , as someone s a i d , 'our 

books d e t e s t us.' 



246 

Both our l o v e s 

Male. 

You S a i d you were s t a y i n g a t Commonwealth Av. t i l l 8th. T h i s i s 

9th, so we send i t t o S. Dennis. 



The doom of each, s a i d Doctor Usquebaugh, 1 2 

Q u i t e c l e a r l y b i d s our l o u t i s h bones t o s t a r e . 

True, d r i n k ' s u n f r u i t f u l on a l a r g e r s c a l e ; 

I t s music i s an e q u i n o c t i a l g a l e : 

S t i l l , u n e m b a r r a s s i n g : and, p r o f o u n d e r , 

O u t v i n d s the range of Cupid's organ g r i n d e r . 

I f worms a r e s a b a t t i c a l i n a d r u n k a r d ' s dream 

No f o u l e r ' s t h i s than l o v e ' s n o c t u r n a l game, 

S i n c e dream of l o v e i t i s , l o v e of the p i t 

For i t s own s a k e , the v i r g i n i t y of the p r e s e n t , 

Whose abyss i s a womb s h a l l not deny 

A w i n t r y plunge t o n e s c i e n t e c s t a s y , 

Unsheathed e n t r a n c e t o the s p i r i t ' s T a r q u i n , 

But f e a t h e r l e s s and f r e e from o v e r t d i n , 

E x t e n d i n g a p l a t t e r e d L u c r e c e w i t h ferment, 

Yet deeper than she, and r i c h w i t h m o i s t c o n s e n t . 

So w e l l might we i n q u i r e , c o n t e n t t o r o t , 

What do you o f f e r , l o v e , which d r i n k does not? 



248 

E x p l a n a t o r y Notes 
1 U n s i g n e d , "Books," Time 25 March 1940: 97. 
2 P r e l u d e s f o r Memnon (New York: S c r i b n e r ' s , 1931); The  

Coming F o r t h By Day of O s i r i s Jones (New York: S c r i b n e r ' s , 1931). 
3 Lowry i s p r o b a b l y r e f e r r i n g t o the p o l i t i c a l debate 

between the C o n s u l and Hugh i n c h a p t e r X of Under the V o l c a n o 
(303-13), i n which the C o n s u l assumes the p o s i t i o n of A i k e n , and 
Hugh t h a t of Lowry. 

* A i k e n d i d w r i t e a n o v e l l o o s e l y based on h i s 1937 t r i p t o 
M e x i c o : A Heart f o r the Gods of Mexico (London: M a r t i n Seeker, 
1939). 

B i . e . , the C o n s u l , G e o f f r e y F i r m i n . A c c o r d i n g t o M a r g e r i e 
Lowry, the C o n s u l was based l a r g e l y upon A i k e n ("Fireworks 
F a c t o r y , 1 1 Malcolm Lowrv Remembered 133). 

e There i s a l s o a c h a r a c t e r named E r i c k s o n i n Lowry's Dark  
as the Grave Wherein My F r i e n d i s L a i d (New York: New American 
L i b r a r y , 1968) who i s based upon N o r d a h l G r i e g . 

7 A i k e n r e f e r s t o t h i s i n c i d e n t i n a l e t t e r t o the e d i t o r i n 
the Times L i t e r a r y Supplement 16 Feb. 1967: 127. 

* The L a s t T w i s t of the K n i f e (New York: S c r i b n e r ' s , 1946). 

* Ben Ames W i l l i a m s (1889-1953), American j o u r n a l i s t and 
n o v e l i s t who i s the a u t h o r of a number of d e t e c t i v e s t o r i e s 
i n c l u d i n g The S i l v e r F o r e s t (1926), The D r e a d f u l N i g h t (1928), 
and Money Musk (1932). I have been unable t o i d e n t i f y the 
W i l l i a m s book a l l u d e d t o here by Lowry. 

1 0 See l e t t e r 17, n. 7, p. 94, and l e t t e r 18, n. 17, p. 112. 
1 X See Lowry's poem "Doctor Usquebaugh" i n the U.B.C. Lowry 

C o l l e c t i o n [4-62; 6-55). 
i a "usquebaugh": c f . l e t t e r 27, n. 2, p. 188. 

T e x t u a l Notes 

241.3 & a funny pome\ {&} a funny pome 

241.15-16 damn i t , t o the p u r s e , \ damn i t , <though> t o the 
p u r s e , 

242.8 m a l i c i o u s n e s s \ < [ i l l e g . ] > { m } a l i c i o u s n e s s 



249 

( T h i s time (. . . .] Poor M a l c . ) \ { ( } T h i s time i t i s 
p a r a s i t i c however on some of your w i s e c r a c k s i n 
Mexico, {&} upon your p o l i t i c a l o p i n i o n s ! Poor 
Male.{)} 

i n c o n n e c t i o n w i t h t h i s f o r the day a f t e r I'd 
w r i t t e n t h a t s c e n e \ i n c o n n e c t i o n w i t h t h i s { f o r 
the} <D>{d}ay a f t e r I'd w r i t t e n th<is>{at} scene 

by name,\ <in> {by} name, 

d r a m a t i c r e a s o n ) \ d r a m a t i c r e a s o n < [ i l l e g . ) > ) [ t h i s 
d e l e t i o n i s made on the t y p e w r i t e r ! 

s i m i l a r i t i e s or NUANCES\ s i m i l a r i t i e s {or NUANCES} 

to Mary, t o whom a l e t t e r goes on same p o s t and\ t o 
Mary, {to whom a l e t t e r goes on same post} and 

Both our l o v e s \ [ t h i s i s h a n d w r i t t e n i n i n k ] 

You S a i d you were [. . . .] S. D e n n i s . \ You S a i d you 
were s t a y i n g a t Commonwealth Av. t i l l 8 t h . T h i s 
{ i s } 9 t h , so {we} send i t t o S. Dennis. [ t h e s e 
s e n t e n c e s a r e h a n d w r i t t e n i n ink a t end of l e t t e r ] 

[poem; TS H] 



250 
41: From LOWRY t o AIKEN 

TS H; u n p u b l i s h e d 

A p r i l 24, 1940. 

Dear Conrad: 

I hope t h a t by now Mary c o n v a l e s c e s h a p p i l y , t h a t a l l i s 

w e l l w i t h y o u r s e l f t o o , w i t h both y o u r s e l v e s . 

For o u r s e l v e s , we a r e w e l l and s t i l l h o l d i n g our o a s i s i n 

the d e s e r t of n i g h t m a r e s . Under the V o l c a n o o n l y needs two or 

t h r e e weeks more p o l i s h i n g and then w i l l be f i n i s h e d . A p a r t from 

t h a t , e x t r a o r d i n a r y , and p o s s i b l y marvelous news! M a r i e P r o c t o r , 

the Head of the I m m i g r a t i o n Board a t S e a t t l e , Washington, t h r o u g h 

whom my a p p l i c a t i o n had t o go t o Washington D.C, has w r i t t e n to 

me t o say t h a t I do not have t o come back t o Vancouver i f I go 

e a s t - I can make my a p p l i c a t i o n anywhere i n Canada, o n l y she 

w i l l f o r w a r d the papers of the case t o whatever p o r t i s 

c o n v e n i e n t t o me t h i r t y days b e f o r e next September 23, which w i l l 

e x p e d i t e my e n t r y . 

T h i s would seem t o i n d i c a t e , s i n c e P a r k s had t o l d me and the 

o l d man t h a t my a p p l i c a t i o n had to be made t h r o u g h B l a i n e , - near 

Vancouver - t h a t he has m a n i p u l a t e d a l l t h i s so t h a t I would be 

kept here f o r h i s own ends. Even A.B.Carey was amazed a t t h i s 

and s a i d he thought you and my f a t h e r s h o u l d be i m m e d i a t e l y 

i n f o r m e d ! 

What I have done, however, i s t o send the o r i g i n a l of the 

l e t t e r , by c l i p p e r , t o my f a t h e r , and a copy t o P a r k s , v h i c h 



251 

g i v e s him the s p o r t i n g chance t o save h i s f a c e by c a b l i n g the o l d 

man and so g e t t i n g h i s news i n f i r s t , now t h a t he sees he i s on 

the s p o t . O t h e r w i s e , my f e a r i s t h a t my f a t h e r and he - f o r the 

sake of p r e s e r v i n g t h e unimpeachableness of a u t h o r i t y - w i l l cook 

up something l i k e the form master and the u n c l e d i d i n Thoraa's 

s t o r y . . 1 (. Both the form master and the boy's u n c l e had i t i n 

f o r the boy who had come t o the s c h o o l w i t h a 'bad c h a r a c t e r ' . 

One day the boy asked the u n c l e t o do a sum f o r him. To save h i s 

f a c e and w i t h much g r u m b l i n g the u n c l e d i d the sum. When the boy 

got the sum back from the form master i t was c o v e r e d w i t h r e d 

i n k . 'Only a donkey would do i t l i k e t h a t , ' s a i d the form 

master, and gave him d e t e n t i o n . 'But I o n l y c o p i e d i t from my 

u n c l e , ' s a i d the boy. 'You're a l i a r , ' s a i d the form master. 

For t h i s d e t e n t i o n the boy then got a h i d i n g from the u n c l e . 

•But' he p r o t e s t e d t o the u n c l e , ' I t was your f a u l t f o r not d o i n g 

i t r i g h t . ' . The form master s a i d : 'Only a donkey would do i t the 

way you d i d i t . ' 'You're a l i a r , ' s a i d the u n c l e and gave him 

a n o t h e r h i d i n g . L a t e r the u n c l e and the form master were seen 

t a l k i n g t o g e t h e r . The next day the form master s e n t f o r the boy 

and s a i d : 'I have had a n o t h e r l o o k a t your sum and i t i s q u i t e 

r i g h t , o n l y i t i s done an o l d f a s h i o n e d way, a way we don't use 

nowadays. But you t h o r o u g h l y d e s e r v e t o be kept i n j u s t the 

same, f o r your i n s u b o r d i n a t i o n . Anyway, you d i d not even copy 

the sum c o r r e c t l y from your u n c l e . ' But the boy had e x a c t l y 

c o p i e d the sum. L a t e r the u n c l e wrote t o the boy's mother t o say 

t h a t he s h o u l d not be e x p e c t e d t o r e c e i v e any more h e l p from him 

s i n c e he c o u l d not even copy t h i n g s down c o r r e c t l y and t h a t t h i s 



252 

put him i n a f a l s e p o s i t i o n . . .) 

Anyhow, t h e r e i t i s , Conrad. There i s n o t h i n g f o r the w o r l d 

now t o p r e v e n t ray coming e a s t , i f the o l d man w i l l o n l y see eye 

t o eye on the s u b j e c t . 

So, i t may be t h a t the O.M. w i l l c a b l e you - p r o b a b l y making 

a l l s o r t s of u n t e n a b l e p r o v i s o s . 

I know f u l l w e l l t h a t you c a n ' t and do not e x p e c t you t o do 

a n y t h i n g about us w h i l e Mary i s s i c k and y o u r s e l f seedy and I am 

a n x i o u s about t h a t f o r your own s a k e , not f o r o u r s . You may t a k e 

the p h i l o s o p h i c a l v i e w p o i n t about an o p e r a t i o n , but t h e y a r e 

b e a s t l y t h i n g s n e v e r t h e l e s s and our sympathies a r e d e e p l y w i t h 

you. 

I f e e l i n the f a c e of t h i s a h e e l f o r even m e n t i o n i n g our 

problems. But I suppose I b e t t e r had. I t appears t h a t June 1 i s 

our approximate d e a d l i n e . The M a u r i c e Carey's p l a n t o l e t t h i s 

house a t t h a t time anyhow and a r e s h u f f l e of some s o r t then i s 

i n e v i t a b l e . I f we cannot go e a s t by then i t w i l l of c o u r s e be 

tough on us. N o t h i n g e l s e seems t o have changed, save f o r the 

b e t t e r . 

I r e c e i v e d , a week ago, a v e r y k i n d l y l e t t e r from the O.M., 

i n which he demurred from my g o i n g e a s t p u r e l y on the grounds 

t h a t i t would c o s t t o o much (presumably f o r me t o go e a s t , come 

back h e r e , proceed e a s t once more). So I have p r e s e n t e d him w i t h 

the new e v i d e n c e , and once more one must w a i t . I a s s u r e d him, 

and I meant what I s a i d , t h a t I wanted t o g i v e him some 

s a t i s f a c t i o n i n me a t l a s t about my work, t h a t I was n e a r i n g 

p r o o f of t h i s , but t h a t some c l o s e r c o n t a c t w i t h you was 



253 

e s s e n t i a l . As f o r Margie - i f t h i s were s i m p l y a f r i v i l o u s l o v e 

a f f a i r , or even j u s t a l o v e a f f a i r - or even i f i t were s o l e l y 

• l o v e ' - I t h i n k I might h e s i t a t e t o ask you s t i l l to count us 

' a l s e i n e r ' 2 w i t h o u t f i r s t o b t a i n i n g r a t i f i c a t i o n from the O.M., 

e t c . But M a r g i e , a p a r t from a n y t h i n g e l s e , i s now so a b s o l u t e l y 

i n e x t r i c a b l e from my work t h a t I c a n ' t get a l o n g w i t h o u t her from 

t h i s p o i n t of view a l o n e , and were I t o be s e p a r a t e d from her I 

c o u l d not keep the promises about my work I have made both t o the 

O.M. and t o you! Meantime we have w r i t t e n something which I f e e l 

might compare not u n f a v o u r a b l y w i t h K a f k a ' s 'The T r i a l ' . I t 

c o s t s no more f o r us both t o l i v e than one a l o n e , we a r e 

u n c o m p l i c a t e d by e x p e c t i n g any c h i l d r e n , we a r e not even m a r r i e d , 

y e t , - so what? 

Could you not l e n d me 'The C o n v e r s a t i o n * - b l a s t ye - i f I 

r e t u r n i t ? I s h a l l buy i t when I can. 

A l l our v e r y b e s t l o v e s t o you b o t h . 

Malcolm. 



254 

E x p l a n a t o r y Notes 
1 Ludwig Thoma (1867-1921), German n o v e l i s t , s h o r t s t o r y 

w r i t e r , d r a m a t i s t , and e s s a y i s t . Lowry i s r e f e r r i n g to one of 
the s t o r i e s i n Thoma's L a u s b u b e n o e s c h i c h t e n (1905). 

2 " a l s e i n e r " : German, "as one." 

T e x t u a l Notes 

250.4 o u r s e l v e s , \ <our_,selves, 

250.9 a p p l i c a t i o n \ a p p l { i } c a t i o n 

250.11 Canada, o n l y she\ Canada{,} o n l y <she> 

250.16-18 t h r o u g h B l a i n e , - near Vancouver (. . .] h e r e \ 
t h r o u g h B l a i n e , <here,> - near <Vn> Vancouver -
t h a t he has m a n i p u l a t e d a l l t h i s so t h a t I would be 
kept here<,> 

250.19 s a i d \ sai<s>{d} 

250.20 i n f o r m e d ! \ informed<.>{!} 

250.21 done, however,\ done{,} however{,} 

251.4 sake of p r e s e r v i n g \ sake of <the> p r e s e r v i n g 

251.5 something l i k e \ something <as> { l i k e } 

251.5-6 Thoma's s t o r y . . (. B o t h \ Thoma's s t o r y . {. (.} Both 

251.13 s a i d the boy.\ s a i d t < [ i l l e g . 1 > { h e } boy. 

251.16 r i g h t . ' . \ r i g h t { . } ' { . } 

251.16 s a i d : 'Only\ s a i d { : '}<o>{0}nly 

251.18 master\ maste{r} 

252.1 p o s i t i o n . . . ) \ p o s i t i o n . . .{)} 

253.6 from my work t h a t I c a n ' t \ from my work<,> { t h a t } I 
can' t 



255 

42: From AIKEN t o LOWRY 
TS H; u n p u b l i s h e d 

s d e n n i s 

A p r i l 28 [1940] 

Dear o l d M a l e — 

Thanks f o r your l e t t e r and the good news. 

That would be s w e l l — b u t I h a s t e n t o warn you t h a t i t might be as 

w e l l not t o o get your hopes t o o h i g h , f o r j u d g i n g from the l a t e s t 

note from the 0 M i t i s thought i n o f f i c i a l q u a r t e r s t h a t your 

durance v i l e i s d e s e r v e d , and does you good, and s h o u l d be 

a p p r e c i a t e d by you as p r a c t i c a l l y s e l f - i m p o s e d : i n s h o r t , the 0 M 

may not t h i n k i t a d v i s a b l e t o move you anyway. But of c o u r s e he 

may, and I hope he w i l l ; but I t h i n k perhaps I'd b e t t e r m y s e l f 

f o r the moment make no move. I f he does d e c i d e t o t o l e t you 

come e a s t , the arrangements between the 0 M and me a r e more or 

l e s s s h i p s h a p e , so t h e r e ! ' ] s n o t h i n g much t o worry about on t h a t 

s c o r e . Where would you go? I have a f r i e n d , Canadian a r t i s t 

w i t h e n g l i s h w i f e , Kenneth F o r b e s , 1 87 A l c i n a Ave., T o r o n t o , t o 

whom I've a l r e a d y w r i t t e n about you ( l o n g s i n c e . ) He's a damned 

good egg, and a s u c c e s s f u l p o r t r a i t p a i n t e r , and h i s w i f e i s a 

b e a u t y — g r e a t f r i e n d s of L a u r a K n i g h t and H a r o l d . 2 He w r i t e s me 

t h a t any f r i e n d of mine i s a f r i e n d of h i s , and he'd l i v e up t o 

h i s word. So t h i s might be kept i n mind. But i t w i l l take time 

i n any e v e n t , and y o u ' l l keep me au c o u r a n t . U n l e s s of c o u r s e I 

s u d d e n l y get c a b l e s from the 0 M. Meanwhile we're on the v e r y 

b r i n k of b u y i n g a house h e r e , the one i n town p r o v i n g beyond us. 

Expect t o know and maybe s i g n up next week. A f i n e o l d 



e i g h t e e n t h c e n t u r y r u i n , which w i l l take a l o t of f i x i n g , but 

which you and M w i l l l i k e , and i n which t h e r e ' l l be room and t o 

s p a r e . C l o s e r t o S Yarmouth, shops, e t c than t h i s , and n i c e r 

a l t o g e t h e r . . . Mary's o p e [ r ] a t i o n t u r n e d out t o be much l e s s 

than f e a r e d , she was i n h o s p i t a l o n l y a week, and i s now mending 

r a p i d l y . What a b l e s s e d b l e s s e d r e l i e f ! She l o o k s i n f a c t 

b e t t e r t h a n b e f o r e . Next week, her show i n N Y which we go down 

t o . Hope i t does b e t t e r than the n o v e l . 3 (Can't send you a 

copy, h a v i n g none t o s p a r e . Maybe l a t e r ! ) I look f o r w a r d t o y r 

p o r t r a i t of a i k e n the o l d medusa, and h i s d e a t h i n the b a r r a n c a , 

w i t h my customary s a n g f r o i d : i t seems a l o g i c a l end! My p o r t r a i t 

of you i n A Heart f o r the Gods of Mexico ( s h a t upon by G G r e e n e ) 4 

was more k i n d l y , I s u s p e c t ! . . . Can't do a decent l e t t e r a t 

the moment, Gordon B a s s e t t * i s h e r e , and thanks t o our v a r i o u s 

i l l n e s s e s and p o v e r t y and the house problem and one t h i n g and 

a n o t h e r we're behindhand w i t h e v e r y t h i n g . P r o s p e c t s f o r our 

summer s c h o o l p r e t t y dim, dammit. . . a But I ' l l w r i t e you more 

a t l e n g t h l a t e r , and meanwhile our l o v e s t o you both as a l w a y s - -

Conrad 



257 

E x p l a n a t o r y Notes 
1 Kenneth K e i t h F o r b e s : see l e t t e r 33, n. 1, p. 221. 
2 (Dame) L a u r a (Johnson) K n i g h t (1877-1970) and H a r o l d 

K n i g h t (1874-1961), both p a i n t e r s , were London f r i e n d s of A i k e n . 
3 C o n v e r s a t i o n . 
4 See Graham Greene, "Boy Loses G i r l , " S p e c t a t o r 27 J a n . 

1939: 141. 
9 Gordon B a s s e t t (1890-1951), Harvard f r i e n d of A i k e n t o 

whom he d e d i c a t e d Ushant i n 1952. C f . l e t t e r 83, p. 437. 
6 See l e t t e r 30, n. 8, p. 202. 

T e x t u a l Notes 

255.9 hope he w i l l ; \ hope he w i l l { ; } 

255.12 so t h e r e [ ' J s \ so t h e r e ( s ( t y p o . ] 

256. 4 o p e [ r ] a t i o n \ ope a t i o n [ t y p o . ] 



258 

43: From LOWRY t o AIKEN 
TS H; u n p u b l i s h e d 

May 15, 1940 

Dear o l d P h a l l e r : 

Thanks a l o t f o r your l e t t e r and I'm v e r y r e l i e v e d Mary's 

o p e r a t i o n t u r n e d out O.K. That's r e a l l y s p l e n d i d news and I wish 

I had as good t o match i t from t h i s end. 

I would l o v e t o see your e i g h t e e n t h c e n t u r y r u i n but I have 

t o a d m i t , a l a s , t h a t the o n l y r u i n t h a t we a r e l i k e t o see i s a 

t w e n t i e t h c e n t u r y one, and t h a t not i n A m e r i c a . 

H e l l z a p p o p i n i n Europe now and i t doesn't p r o p h e t t h i s 

prophet (more e x a c t than most) a damn t h i n g t h a t he was a 

p r o p h e t . 

C o n s c r i p t i o n may come a t any moment and a t our back we 

a l m o s t hear Time's ' p h i b i a n t a n k s a'changing g e a r , not t o s a y , 

the f i r s t 'goosestep' of God. . . x 

Meantime - bad news from E n g l a n d , which has t i g h t e n e d up, 

a l l of a sudden, on the money. 

We swung a f a s t and l u c k y one on A.B. by g e t t i n g out of 

M a u r i c e ' s c l u t c h e s i n t o a n o t h e r room f o r $15 a month, and we now 

have $10 a week i n a d d i t i o n t o do e v e r y t h i n g e l s e on. But our 

p e r i l i s i n c r e a s e d t h e r e b y and the o n l y t h i n g t h a t I can s a y i s : 

t h a t we a r e r i g h t , and t h a t some God of some s o r t of good, 

( p r o b a b l y you i n d i s g u i s e ) seems t o be h e l p i n g us t o f i n i s h our 



259 

work. 

For the r e s t : s t a r k , s t a r i n g t r a g e d y may f a c e us, and i t i s 

a good t h i n g i f so t h a t one can face i t c a l m l y and f e a r l e s s l y and 

s o b e r l y and even w i t h o u t anger, and I can assume o n l y t h a t we a r e 

a b l e t o do t h i s because we have a l r e a d y b l e d our s o u l s as w h i t e 

as bone. 

I am t r y i n g d e s p e r a t e l y t o s e l l some s t u f f t o E s q u i r e i n the 

hope t h a t t h e n , s t i l l , we may be a b l e t o go e a s t and spend what 

few months we have l e f t i n p e a c e . 2 

J u d g i n g by the muddle-headed v i n d i c t i v e n e s s I r e c e i v e from 

time t o time from P a r k s , - v i a presumably the o l d man, who has, 

however, w r i t t e n one p l e a s a n t but r a t h e r c o n f u s e d l e t t e r - one 

can e x p e c t l i t t l e u n d e r s t a n d i n g from t h a t q u a r t e r . But I s t i l l 

t h i n k I may g i v e the 0 M some h a p p i n e s s i n me. 

The V o l c a n o i s on i t s l a s t t y p i n g - r e which I have, by the 

way, r e c e i v e d an e n t h u s i a s t i c l e t t e r from Whit B u r n e t t ( S t o r y 

P r e s s and L i p i n c o t t , any good?) and what w i t h t h a t , and even 

b e t t e r , your l e t t e r from L i n s c o t t , we have hopes of s e l l i n g i t . 

I have not much doubt but t h a t i t i s a good book. 

I do not see how you can a s s i s t us any f u r t h e r save by 

l e t t i n g your g e n i u s s t o r m i n t o our s p i r i t s from time t o time i n 

these s t r a n g e h o u r s , but by h e l p i n g us thus f a r i n our s t r u g g l e 

as I have s a i d , f a r more has been a c h i e v e d t h a n meets the eye f o r 

good and good a l o n e between us a l l . 

A l l the b e s t t o Mary from us b o t h . 



Haarlem burns and Joe V e n u t i 3 s w i n g s , 

y o u r s , 
Male. 



261 

E x p l a n a t o r y Notes 
1 Cf. Andrew M a r v e l l ' s (1621-1678) "To H i s Coy M i s t r e s s " : 

"But a t ray back I always h e a r \ Time's winged c h a r i o t h u r r y i n g 
n e a r ; " ( 1 . 21-22). 

2 No p i e c e s by Lowry ever appeared i n E s q u i r e . 
J Guiseppe ("Joe") V e n u t i (1898-1978), American j a z z 

v i o l i n i s t who l e d the j a z z group "Blue F o u r " ( A c k e r l y 217). 

T e x t u a l Notes 

258.10 a p r o p h e t . \ a p<h>{r}ophet. 

259.13 from t h a t q u a r t e r . \ from < ( i l l e g . ] > { t h a t } q u a r t e r . 

259.14 may g i v e the 0 M some\ may g i v e <him> {the 0 M} some 

260.1-3 V e n u t i s w i n g s , 
Y o u r s , 

Male.\ V e n u t i s w i n g s , { / } y o u r s , 
Male. 

(Lowry has i n s e r t e d a s l a s h between "swings," and 
" y o u r s , " t o i n d i c a t e a movement of the second 
phrase t o a lower l i n e ] 



262 

44: From AIKEN t o LOWRY 
TS H; K i l l o r i n 246 

s dermis Mass 

May 21 40 

Dear Old Male: 

y r s r e c e i v e d , and c o n t e n t s noted w i t h r e l i e f : 

v i z . , t h a t you've moved i n t o b e t t e r q u a r t e r s , and a r e more 

independednt and p r o s p e r o u s . Good. You don't say how you 

managed i t - - i t must have t a k e n some d o i n g ? ? ? And of c o u r s e i f 

you c o u l d manage t o get e a s t t h a t would be s w e l l . And we've 

b e l e i e v e i t or not a c q u i r e d a ROOF of our own, t h i s v e r y day 

a c q u i r e d i t , f i v e m i l e s from h e r e , a t West B r e w s t e r , on the n o r t h 

s i d e of the cape, h i g h up, and w i t h d i s t a n t view of the s e a , 

which i s a c o u p l e of m i l e s away: a f i n e wreck of a house, (the 

o t h e r one was s n a t c h e d away from us by the l o w e s t of 

c h i c a n e r i e s ) , and a l r e a d y the d e l i g h t of our h e a r t s . Rats pop i n 

and out of a f r e s h deep s t i n k i n g s h i t - s h o t t e n h o l e i n a m a t t r e s s 

i n the a t t i c , a l l the windows a r e b r o k e n , the f l o o r s bend under 

the f o o t , the rooms s t i n k , the chimneys a r e f a l l i n g , the r o t t e n 

bulkhead door i s shored up w i t h seaweed, and the o l d E.C., 

o u t d o o r s , p r a c t i c a l l y blows you o f f your f e e t : BUT the whole 

t h i n g i s g o i n g t o be w o n d e r f u l l y r i c h and b e a u t i f u l when we've 

s c o u r e d i t and p a i n t e d i t and hung Mary's p i c t u r e s on the w a l l s , 

and t h e r e a r e l o v e l y t r e e s round about, and a p p l e s , and a peach, 

and g r a p e s , and w i l d c u r r a n t s , and seven a c r e s of p i n e s , and a 

c r a n b e r r e y bog, twenty f e e t below, which i n s p r i n g becomes a 

pond. The house s i t s t h e r e among the s p r u c e s as i f i t had been 



t h e r e a t h o u s a n d y e a r s , u p s t a i r s t h e r e a r e umpteen u n f i n i s h e d 

c u b i c l e s w h i c h c a n become r u d i m e n t a r y b e d r o o m s , s o we a r e r e a d y 

f o r t h e r e f u g e e s when t h e y b e g i n c o m i n g — K n i g h t s , x N a s h e s , 2 

A i k e n s , A r m s t r o n g s , 3 t h e R o y a l F a m i l y , L o w r i e s , o r w h o e v e r . B e a r 

us i n m i n d ! We a r e now i n p r o c e s s o f b e s p e a k i n g a w a t e r - s y s t e m , 

l i g h t i n g , r e o r g a n i z a t i o n a n d r e p a i r s , b u t hope t o move i n w i t h i n 

a month. T h e n , p e r h a p s a f r a g m e n t o f a summer s c h o o l — E L 

M a s t e r s ' d a u g h t e r , 4 p e r h a p s , and a d a y p u p i l o r t w o : w h i l e we 

s c r a p e w a l l s a n d p a i n t them, d i g t h e s a n d and p l a n t b e a n s , o r s i t 

i d l y among t h e h o l l y h o c k s r e a d i n g o f t h e s u n s e t o f t h e w e s t e r n 

w o r l d . L e t us n o t , h o w e v e r , m e n t i o n t h a t : y o u s u r e l y , I f e e l , 

won't be d r a g g e d i n : n o r n e e d y o u be? I hope t o g o d n o t . I'm s o 

g l a d B u r n e t t i s k e e n on V o l e . Had he s e e n t h e new v e r s i o n , o r 

was he s p e a k i n g o f t h e o l d ? And I t h o u g h t y o u meant t o s e n d i t 

t o L i n s c o t t ? B u t o f c o u r s e a s y o u t h i n k b e s t . My own p o o r book 

i s now d e a d : * I saw t h e p u b l i s h e r s i n N Y a n d t h e y were v e r y 

h a n g d o g a b o u t i t . What b o o t s i t ? o r w r e x a l l , f o r t h a t m a t t e r . 8 

I f e e l a b i t f e d up, b u t n e v e r t h e l e s s am g i r d i n g m y s e l f s l o w l y 

and r h e u m a t i c a l l y f o r a n o t h e r g o , p r o b a b l y t h i s t i m e a t a s o r t o f 

f i c t i o n a l i z e d h a u g h t y b i o g r a p h y , Rooms, S t r e e t s , a n d Houses:" 7 i t 

somehow seems t o be e s s e n t i a l t h a t no y e a r be a l l o w e d t o p a s s 

w i t h o u t a n o t h e r book s e n t s p i r a l l i n g down t h e d r a i n . J o h n 8 g e t s 

h i m s e l f m a r r i e d n e x t m o n t h . J a n e i s s o r t o f e n g a g e d t o a v e r y 3d 

r a t e E n g l i s h m a n (Commonwealth f e l l o w ) whom we d o n ' t l i k e . Ed i s 

s t i l l i n R y e , a n d w i s e c r a c k i n g b i t t e r l y t h r o u g h t h e b o m b f a l l s . 

O u r s e l v e s , we p i c k o f f t h e w o o d t i c k s , and p o u r a n o t h e r g i n a n d 

f r e n c h , and c o u n t o u t t h e l a s t d o l l a r s a s t h e y p a s s , b u t a r e a s 



264 

d e t e r m i n e d as ever t o shape t h i n g s w e l l w h i l e we can, and w i t h 

l o v e . N e v e r t h e l e s s , I s t i l l b e l i e v e , axe i n hand I s t i l l 

b e l i e v e ! And we w i l l b u i l d our house f o u r s q u a r e . Come and see. 

l o v e t o you b o t h 

Conrad 



265 

E x p l a n a t o r y Notes 
1 L a u r a and H a r o l d K n i g h t , see l e t t e r 42, n. 2, p. 257. 
2 P a u l (1889-1946) and Margaret (Odeh) Nash were f r i e n d s of 

A i k e n i n Rye; P a u l Nash was a p a i n t e r and a r t c r i t i c f o r the 
Nat i o n and the New Statesman ( L o r e n z , L o r e l e i Two 8 9 ) ; a t the 
o u t b r e a k of the war he o r g a n i z e d the A r t s Bureau f o r War S e r v i c e 
i n O x f o r d and became the O f f i c i a l War A r t i s t t o the A i r M i n i s t r y 
i n 1940, and t o the M i n i s t r y of I n f o r m a t i o n i n 1941. 

3 M a r t i n Armstrong, B r i t i s h poet and f r i e n d of A i k e n who 
m a r r i e d A i k e n ' s f i r s t w i f e , J e s s i e MacDonald. Cf. l e t t e r 8, n. 
8, p. 60. 

* P r o b a b l y one of the d a u g h t e r s , M a r c i a or M a d e l i n e , of 
Edgar Lee M a s t e r s (1868-1950), American lawyer and p o e t , b e s t 
known f o r h i s Spoon R i v e r A n t h o l o g y (1915). A i k e n wrote many 
c r i t i c a l r e v i e w s of M a s t e r s ' work. 

3 C o n v e r s a t i o n . 
6 A i k e n i s punning on the names of two well-known d r u g s t o r e 

c h a i n s : Boots and R e x a l l . 
7 C f . Ushant: An E s s a y ( 2 3 ) . 
a John A i k e n . 

T e x t u a l Notes 

262.13 m a t t r e s s \ m<e>{a}ttress 

262.22 c r a n b e r r e y bog,\ c r a n b e r r e y bog{,} 

262 . 22 be low,\ below{,} 

263.19 r h e u m a t i c a l l y \ r h e u m a t { i I c a l l y 



266 

45: From LOWRY t o AIKEN 
TS H; u n p u b l i s h e d 

June 10, 1940. 

Dear o l d Conrad: 

I haven't w r i t t e n because we've been s l a v i n g away madly a t 

the end of the V o l c a n o , which p r o t r u d e d some unexpected peaks. 

I'm a w f u l l y s o r r y the C o n v e r s a t i o n i s dead i n A m e r i c a : but 

maybe i t i s by no means dead here. E n c l o s e r e v i e w of i t i n l o c a l 

p a p e r ; 1 I e n c l o s e the McCarthy r e v i e w w i t h i t s i m p l y as an 

i l l u s t r a t i o n of one of these m a t e r i a l o c c a s i o n s when e s s e n c e s 

r e c u r or something or o t h e r , f o r I seem t o remember your s a y i n g 

t h a t McCarthy was one of the few people who spoke up i n England 

f o r what seems t o me now as w e l l as a t 18 1/2 t h a t work of a 

s a t a n i c and marvelous g e n i u s : Blue V o y a g e . 2 - - ( I am t r y i n g t o get 

the P r o v i n c e t o l e t me r e v i e w C o n v e r s a t i o n . ) 

Meantime, your l e t t e r made us laugh h e a r t i l y amid the chaos. 

Yes, i t was hard t o change our a d d r e s s , under the noses of 

the C a r e y s , i n f a c t , p r a c t i c a l l y i m p o s s i b l e , but we d i d i t , 

w i t h o u t mishap, but do not t h i n k we have any more money f o r t h a t 

or t h a t i t i s any the l e s s tough. We now l i v e on $55 a month, 

which has t o t a k e c a r e of e v e r y t h i n g r and we a r e f a c e d w i t h l e s s . 

But we have had one good break. P a r k s has been f i r e d , and 

my o l d man's t r u s t seems r e s t o r e d i n me and he i s g o i n g t o d e a l 

w i t h me p e r s o n a l l y . We s h a l l be l u c k y i f we g e t a n y t h i n g under 

the c i r c u m s t a n c e s under which the O.M. i s p l a c e d and I've t o l d 



267 

him i t doesn't matter I ' l l make out somehow m y s e l f , but the main 

t h i n g i s i n my eye t h a t he and the mater s h o u l d get some 

h a p p i n e s s out of me - perhaps one b r i g h t s p o t on a d i s a s t r o u s 

h o r i z o n . 

I f e e l m y s e l f on the way up, d e f i n i t e l y , and t h a t some money 

w i l l have a c c r u e d from the Volcano and e l s e w h e r e even b e f o r e he 

manages t o send me any funds and t h a t , h e n c e f o r w a r d , I s h a l l be 

a b l e t o fend on my own. 

The whole European s i t u a t i o n i s such t h a t I have been t o l d 

t o abandon America a l t o g e t h e r but I had a l r e a d y done s o , sp t h a t 

i s no s u r p r i s e . 

Nuy f o noy y h i n k h o e r b r t yhsy er - t h i s i s such a good 

t y p o g r a p h i c a l e r r o r I'm not g o i n g t o e r a s e i t . - But do not t h i n k 

however t h a t were we now i n the S t a t e s we would have been a 

charge on you a t t h i s t i m e : Margie c o u l d have got a job and 

t h e r e a r e s t i l l a few hundred d o l l a r s over and moreover, as I 

s a y , I am on the way up. Up where? 

Whether our e f f o r t s w i l l be t r u n c a t e d by c o n s c r i p t i o n I 

don't know, but hope n o t . I f we make enough money we w i l l s t i l l 

go e a s t , i f we can, where we c o u l d be, more or l e s s i n h a i l i n g 

d i s t a n c e of you a t l e a s t . 

A l t h o u g h the r e a s o n s f o r P a r k ' s demise a r e l a r g e l y f i n a n c i a l 

I have r e a s o n t o b e l i e v e f o r my f a t h e r ' s l e t t e r t h a t I have 

succeeded i n d e m o n s t r a t i n g the f a c t t h a t he was an out and out 

c r o o k . For h i s own sake the O.M. i s w e l l s h o t of a man who made 

such a f i n d t h i n g of h i s e x p l o i t a t i o n of human s o u l s , because he 

m e r e l y e x p l o i t e d the O.M.'s a n x i e t y about me, t r u s t i n g i m p l i c i t l y 



268 

t h a t I was too f a r gone as an i d i o t and a d r u n k a r d t o ever r e f u t e 

him 

I r e c e i v e d a l s o a l e t t e r from Jan w h i c h , p a r a d o x i c a l l y 

enough, p u t s me i n the c l e a r t o o . She t o o , says t h a t P a r k s has 

shown h i m s e l f t o be a crook t h u s c o r r o b o r a t i n g now, somewhat t o o 

l a t e , i n o t h e r ways, the t r u t h of my c o n t r i b u t i o n t o the Lowry 

Legend. 

So do not t a k e t o o s e r i o u s l y what you heard from P a r k s 

[--)And do n o t , worse, t h i n k t h a t I've t u r n e d i n t o a p i o u s 

t e e t o t a l e r . ! — W h i c h a t one time I thought perhaps you d i d : and 

remember t o o , t h a t what the O.M. heard about me was from P a r k s 

t o o . 

No - I asked your a d v i c e about s e n d i n g Under the Volcano t o 

W h i t 3 f i r s t , r a t h e r than t o L i n s c o t t because w h i l e , or b e f o r e , we 

were t o s s i n g l e t t e r s t o and f r o , and b e f o r e L i n s c o t t ' s l e t t e r 

a r r i v e d - I had a l r e a d y more or l e s s promised t o send i t t o Whit. 

I do not know q u i t e what t o do: I don't know a n y t h i n g about the 

new S t o r y P r e s s , but I f e e l t h a t I owe a c e r t a i n l o y a l t y t o Whit 

s i n c e he t r u s t e d me f o r a l o n g t i m e . What would s a y o f f h a n d 

l i k e ? I f e e l t h a t i f I d i d send i t t o Whit f i r s t I am s o r t of 

l e t t i n g you down. But on the o t h e r hand i f I s e n t i t t o L i n s c o t t 

f i r s t I am s o r t of b r e a k i n g my promise t o Whit. So I'm i n a b i t 

of a d i t h e r . Perhaps you c o u l d make a s u g g e s t i o n . I hope t o 

have i t completed and ready t o m a i l o f f by the end of t h i s week 

or the f i r s t of n e x t , so i f you want t o g i v e me any a d v i c e about 

t h i s , p l e a s e do i t now. 

I t o l d my mother I would d e d i c a t e The L i g h t h o u s e I n v i t e s the 



2 6 9 

Storm t o h e r , s o , i f the V o l e g e t s a c c e p t e d , I am g o i n g t o t r y t o 

get t h a t p u b l i s h e d a f t e r . * 

C o u l d you h e l p , do you t h i n k , a b i t here? I would l i k e t o 

keep t h a t somewhat r a s h promise to the o l d l a d y , i f o n l y because 

i t would make her f e e l good. I t h i n k i t c o u l d be a good book. 

With a l l the b e s t l o v e t o you and Mary from both of us, 

Malcolm. 

P.S. I see I have w r i t t e n , i n a n o t h e r , unposted l e t t e r t o you:--

re your bad r e v i e w s : 'Once upon a t i m e , Conrad, you h u r t the 

f e e l i n g s of MEDIOCRITY so b a d l y she w i l l never f o r g i v e you.' 



270 

E x p l a n a t o r y Notes 
1 V i c t o r F e l l o w e s , " A i k e n Adopts E f f e c t i v e S t y l e , " The  

Sunday Sun Magazine, The Vancouver Sun S a t u r d a y , 25 May 1940: 7. 
Both t h i s and the "McCarthy r e v i e w " (not i d e n t i f i e d ) are m i s s i n g . 

2 See Desmond McCarthy's r e v i e w of Blue Voyage i n The New  
Statesman 25 June 1927: 344. 

3 Whit B u r n e t t ; see l e t t e r 18, n. 17, p. 112. 
4 "The L i g h t h o u s e I n v i t e s the Storm" remains u n p u b l i s h e d ; 

see l e t t e r 18, n. 17, p. 112. 

T e x t u a l Notes 

266.11-12 Blue Voyage.--(I am t r y i n g [. . . ] C o n v e r s a t i o n . ) \ 
B l u e Voyage.{--I am t r y i n g t o get the P r o v i n c e t o 
l e t me r e v i e w C o n v e r s a t i o n . ) } 

267.1 somehow m y s e l f , \ somehow.myself, [ t y p o . ] 

267.3 one b r i g h t s p o t on\ one b r i g h t s p o t <i>{o}n 

267.17 on the way up. Up where?\ on the way up. [Up 
where?} 

268.8-10 what you heard from P a r k s [ — ] A n d do n o t , worse, 
t h i n k t h a t I've t u r n e d i n t o a p i o u s t e e t o t a l e r . 
[--Jwhich a t one t i m e \ what you heard from P a r k s 
t--]{And do not {{,}} worse, t h i n k t h a t I've t u r n e d 
i n t o a p i o u s t e e t o t a l e r . } [ - - ] w h i c h a t one time 
[ t h i s i n s e r t i o n h a n d w r i t t e n i n ink a t end of 
l e t t e r b e f o r e the p o s t s c r i p t ] 

268.15 t o and f r o , \ t o and f<or>{ro}, 

269.8-10 P.S. I see [. . .] f o r g i v e you.'\ [ h a n d w r i t t e n i n 
ink a t end of l e t t e r ] 



271 

46: From AIKEN t o LOWRY 
TS H; u n p u b l i s h e d 

s d e n n i s Mass 

June 17 40 

Dear M a l e -

r e l i e v e d t o hear from you I was, f o r meanwhile 

I'd had a l e t t e r from the 0 M g i v i n g the news of the cash c r i s i s 

which n e c e s s i t a t e d the c u t t i n g out of P a r k s and the c u t t i n g down 

of the e x p o r t of pounds, which I f e a r e d might prove bad f o r you, 

but hoped might t u r n out a c t u a l l y t o the good. Which I t a k e i t , 

f o r the p r e s e n t anyway, i t does. And t h a t ' s s w e l l . As f o r V o l e , 

why not i f you've got i t i n d u p l i c a t e send one here f o r Bob, but 

w i t h the s t r i n g s t i e d so t o s p e a k — i . e . , I ' l l t e l l him i t ' s not 

f o r the time b e i n g " l o o s e " , but might be l a t e r : and i n any event 

he can a d v i s e about i t and a l s o the pomes, which he s t i l l of 

c o u r s e has. H i s i d e a was t o c o n s i d e r , i f y o u ' l l r e c a l l , the 

whole b o l u s t o g e t h e r , w i t h a view to a g e n e r a l n o t i o n of some 

k i n d . And I t h i n k t h a t c o u l d do no harm. However, be t h a t as 

you see f i t . 

• I haven't the h e a r t t o w r i t e more, w i t h the news of France 

j u s t heard — 

What a r e the chances i n view of the new a l i e n r e s t r i c t i o n s 

here of your g e t t i n g i n next Sept? 

Our house comes on, but s t i l l needs a l o t , and I f e a r our 

s m a l l c a s h won't do i t , but t h e r e ' l l be a r o o f a t l e a s t and a 

C h i c k S a l e , and we've s t a r t e d a v e g e t a b l e p a t c h — 

I woke up from a dream t h i s morning i n which a negress 



272 

i n t e r v i e w e r asked somewhat s c e p t i c a l l y of me what p o s s i b l e 

c o n t r i b u t i o n , i n the w o r l d ' s p r e s e n t dismay, a mere poet c o u l d 

make? And I s a i d " l o v e " , but then f e l t d e e p l y ashamed, as not 

knowing t h a t I r e a l l y knew what l o v e was, or whether i n any event 

i t would do any good: and so woke, and s t i l l wonder. 

Gosh. I mean, gosh. 

but l o v e , j u s t the s a m e — 

Conrad 



T e x t u a l Notes 

[on v e r s o i s a h a n d w r i t t e n note from Malcolm t o 
M a r g e r i e ] 

272.1 p o s s i b l e / possib<o>{1}e 



47: From AIKEN t o LOWRY 
TS H; u n p u b l i s h e d 

s d e n n i s mass 

J u l y 18 40 

Are you f e l l o w s a l l r i g h t , M a l e ? ? ? ? 

I hope the s i l e n c e o n l y i m p l i e s z e a l a t D a e d a l i a n 

l a b o u r s . But I'd a p p r e c i a t e a l i n e . 

N o t h i n g h e r e : t o o busy s w e a t i n g b l o o d and t e r r o r on 

mortgages and n a i l s and p l a s t e r , and t r y i n g t o p o t b o i l 

as w e l l : and t r y i n g not t o hear the d e a d l y sounds 

from E n g l a n d . Dutch boat i n Boston r e p o r t s Plymouth, Pern 

broke and C a r d i f f a l l i n r u i n s : I f e a r i t may be t r u e . 

Damn. C h r i s t . C h r i s t . Damn. C h r i s t . 

We c a b l e d Rye o f f e r i n g a s y l u m — n o t a k e r s as y e t . 

l o v e t o both 

Conrad 

Ed r e p o r t s Rye f u l l of t r o o p s , and " s t r a n g e n o i s e s , o f f " -

a l s o the weather v e r y t h u n d e r y . 



275 

48: From LOWRY t o AIKEN 
TS H; u n p u b l i s h e d 

J u l y 19, 1940. 

My dear Conrad: 

I f i n i s h e d t h e V o l c a n o and s e n t one copy t o Whit B u r n e t t , 

haven't heard from him y e t . I had your copy a l l r e a d y t o send, 

but meantime - two days l a t e r , t o be p r e c i s e , by the time i t took 

me t o t i e up the p a r c e l anyhow, a c o l l o s s a l c e n s o r s h i p descended 

on the l a n d - magazines banned from the S t a t e s , i n c l u d i n g , a l a s , 

Time, and e v e r y t h i n g and everybody s u s p e c t e d , the dark ages on 

us. The book i s r e a l l y a n t i - N a z i , as you know, but p e o p l e i n i t 

have d i f f e r e n t o p i n i o n s and s t a t e them f r a n k l y , and I am d u b i o u s 

about g e t t i n g a n o t h e r copy t h r o u g h the m a i l s . At l e a s t u n t i l 

such time as I g e t back the more or l e s s c e n s o r - e x c l u d i n g l e t t e r 

about i t from the l a t e Governor G e n e r a l , which I s e n t w i t h Whit's 

copy. T h i s may be u n n e c e s s a r y p e r s e c u t i o n s on my p a r t , but I 

don't want t o t a k e any chances a t making e x p l a n a t i o n s w i t h 

u n s y m p a t h e t i c people and b e i n g t i e d up w i t h r e d t a p e . And 

b e s i d e s , we a r e now l i v i n g on $45 per month, which l e a v e s us 

p r a c t i c a l l y no money f o r a n y t h i n g e x c e p t food and a p l a c e t o 

l i v e . Our o n l y d i v e r s i o n i s g o i n g swimming e v e r y day, 

f o r t u n a t e l y we a r e w i t h i n w a l k i n g d i s t a n c e of a beach - where we 

f i n d o u r s e l v e s s u r r o u n d e d more or l e s s by n e g r o e s , C h i n e s e and 

I n d i a n s , s i n c e we l i v e i n t h a t p a r t of town. S t i l l , i t i s a 

beach, and we a r e k e e p i n g f i t : ( f o r what?) 



276 
I am meantime h e l p i n g Margie on her d e t e c t i v e s t o r y 1 and we 

s h a l l have i t f i n i s h e d b e f o r e l o n g . 

I would t o God I c o u l d see you. I f e e l I c o u l d be a good 

poet i f I knew what s o r t of d i s c i p l i n e t o s u b j e c t m y s e l f t o . I 

can read s c a r c e l y any l i v i n g poets save y o u r s e l f and W a l l a c e 

Stevens and the modern dead ones, who f r u c t i f y me, l i k e R i l k e , 

wrote i n languages I c a n ' t r e a d i l y u n d e r s t a n d . I f I were more, 

or l e s s , of a poet I suppose t h i s d e s i r e f o r a d e s i g n g o v e r n i n g 

p o s t u r e of some s o r t wouldn't worry me. I t h i n k even now, poems 

as good as the Spender-Auden-Rukeyser r u n of the m i l l s u g g e s t 

themselves t o me and I won't l e t m y s e l f w r i t e them. Another 

t h i n g : once a poem i s w r i t t e n , I hate i t , seem t o l o s e i t 

d e l i b e r a t e l y , do not want t o send i t anywhere. Of c o u r s e you can 

a d v i s e me a g a i n s t t h i s . But I t h i n k I must r e a l l y want t o be 

s q u e l c h e d , t o be a posthumous r a t h e r t h a n a l i v i n g p o e t . The 

Keats and C h a t t e r t o n i d e a you once s u g g e s t e d . A ' o r r i d t h o u g h t . 

W e l l , you can a d v i s e me a g a i n s t t h i s t o o . But g i v e me some 

a d v i c e , I g e n e r a l l y f o l l o w y o u r s as one h y p n o t i z e d . 

I had thought t o d e d i c a t e the Volcano t o Margie and you and 

Mary: but i f you f e e l the Mexican scene i s t o o m u t u a l l y a f f e c t i v e 

or whatever, I ' l l d e d i c a t e a n o t h e r one t o y e z . Anyhow, f o r 

b e t t e r or w o i s e , i t ' s w r i t t e n t o you, or a t y o u . 2 

I am more or l e s s persona g r a t a w i t h the O.M. now, p r o b a b l y 

thanks t o you. . . I much v a l u e t h a t l e t t e r you wrote us. . . 

Did you g e t the r e v i e w I s e n t you on C o n v e r s a t i o n ? . . . 3 Margie 

and I seem t o have d i s c o v e r e d a B e t t e r T h i n g v i a our honeymoon i n 

chaos. . . Yes, Conrad, by God, l o v e c e r t a i n l y i s something, i n 



277 

f a c t , e v e r y t h i n g . . . P l e a s e glow on us w i t h some of i t even i f 

a t a d i s t a n c e . . . There i s c o n s c r i p t i o n here on August 19: 

don't know y e t whether i t a p p l i e s , or s h o u l d , i f i t d o e s n ' t , t o 

me. 

And l o v e : t o n s of i t , t o you and Mary 

from us b o t h . 

Male. 

P.S. - N.B. Would you be k i n d enough - i f i t a i n ' t too 

e x p e n s i v i s h , or maybe send them c o l l e c t - t o send a l o n g the 

L i g h t h o u s e and L a s t Address so t h a t I can i m m e d i a t e l y s t a r t 

w o r k i n g them over as I have no time t o waste (remembering 

p o s s i b l e c o n s c r i p t i o n . ) I f you have any s u g g e s t i o n s f o r e i t h e r , 

do p l e a s e send them. (The same t h i n g a p p l i e s perhaps t o In 

B a l l a s t as t o the V o l e , f o r the p r e s e n t anyhow??.) 



278 

E x p l a n a t o r y Notes 
1 The L a s t T w i s t of the K n i f e : see l e t t e r 40, n. 8, p. 248. 
2 Under the Volcano was f i n a l l y d e d i c a t e d t o M a r g e r i e a l o n e . 
3 See l e t t e r 45, p. 266. 

T e x t u a l Notes 

277.12-14 c o n s c r i p t i o n . ) I f you have [. . . .] anyhow??.)\ 
c o n s c r i p t ion.)<.> I f you have any s u g g e s t i o n s f o r 
e i t h e r , ^o. p l e a s e send the<.>{m.} { < [ i l l e g . l In 
B a l l a s t > {{(The}} <I suppose> same t h i n g a p p l i e s 
perhaps t o In B a l l a s t as t o the V o l e , f o r the 
p r e s e n t anyhow{{??}} <perhaps>.)} 



279 

49: From AIKEN t o LOWRY 
TS UBC; u n p u b l i s h e d 

s t o n y brook r d 
west b r e w s t e r mass 

aug 18 40. 

My dear o l d M a l e — 

t h i s w i l l be t h r e e l i n e s o n l y , f o r we have have 

j u s t moved, a r e s t i l l i n w i l d e s t chaos, have no time f o r a n y t h i n g 

but the e n d l e s s p h y s i c a l s t r u g g l e i n v o l v e d i n j u s t k e e p i n g our 

heads above the s t r e a m of wreckage and the b i l l o w s of b i l l s . 

I ' l l make a d e s p e r a t e attempt t o get o f f L a s t Address t o y o u — 

kept i t t o show an a g e n t , who was of c o u r s e alarmed by [ i ] t . The 

pomes a r e w i t h L i n s c o t t . S h a l l I ask f o r t h e t m ] . Y o u ' l l r e c a l l 

he asked t o keep them and B a l l a s t t i l l he c o u l d a l s o see V o l c a n o . 

Say the word! Our house w i l l be b e a u t i f u l — a n d a l r e a d y the 

r e f u g e e s a r e f o r m i n g i n a l i n e . Bob M o r s s 1 and f a m i l y may spend 

the w i n t e r w i t h u s — ( y o u remember him? Ginn & Co., Queen Sq., 

London. The poor d e v i l has a pulmonary c a n c e r , can l i v e a year 

or two or f o u r , and i s broke i n t o the b a r g a i n . ) A l s o the Noxons 2 

have a r r i v e d i n T o r o n t o , and we a w a i t a v i s i t from them. And we 

have asked Rye t o send a c o n t i n g e n t - - t h o u g h no t a k e r s y e t . What 

we'd a l l l i v e on I don't k n o w — b u t I guess we'd manage—and the 

house i s c a p a c i o u s enough, god knows. My beans a r e on the t a b l e , 

my peas were e a t e n l a s t n i g h t , the squashes and tomatos r i p e n , , 

the s p i n a c h heads, the c o r n t a s s e l s , and t h i s l a n d s c a p e i s an 

a s t o n i s h m e n t and d e l i g h t — w e l o v e i t i n s h o r t and a r e o n l y 

unhappy when we l o o k towards E n g l a n d , or l i s t e l n ] t o the 

w i r e l e s s , which of c o u r s e we can T a v o i d . God damn i t . Can you 



280 

get e a s t — c a n you get in??? Gerald's address i s 136 Lyndhurst 

Ave., Toronto. Much love to you both and a few weeks hence I may 

be a b l e to v r i t e you a proper l e t - l e t - - b u t now, no, i t ' s imposs! 

a f f . 

Conrad 



281 

E x p l a n a t o r y Notes 
1 Bob Morss, American f r i e n d of A i k e n and B r i t i s h 

r e p r e s e n t a t i v e of the p u b l i s h i n g f i r m Ginn & Co. ( B o s t o n , 
Athenaeum P r e s s ) . 

2 G e r a l d and B e t t y Noxon; see l e t t e r 8, n. 15, p. 61. 

T e x t u a l Notes 

279.7 by ( i ] t . \ by k t . [ t y p o . ] 

279.11 r e f u g e e s \ r e f ugee{i=s}s 

279.14 b a r g a i n . ) \ b a r g a i n . ! ) } 

279.16 though no t a k e r s \ though no<r> t a k e r s 

279.22 l i s t e [ n ] \ l i s t e h [ t y p o . ] 

280.4 o f f . \ [ h a n d w r i t t e n i n i n k ] 

[Note h a n d w r i t t e n by Lowry a t bottom of page r e a d s : 
" I s Bob Morss Robert E l y Morss who wrote T h i s Swan 
upon the i c y waters of my h e a r t s g l i d e s ever on?"] 



2 8 2 

50: From LOWRY t o AIKEN 
TS H; u n p u b l i s h e d 

D o l l a r t o n P.O. 
D o l l a r t o n , B.C. 

Sept. 6, 1940. 

Dear o l d Conrad: 

Note new a d d r e s s ! We l i v e i n a shack on the s e a . D o l l a r t o n 

i s an o l d s h i p b u i l d i n g town, D o l l a r l i n e r s - now dead: s l i p w a y s 

c o v e r e d w i t h brambles, enormous b l a s t e d oaks i n a f i n e , deep 

f o r e s t . O u t s i d e the window, a v a s t w h i t e calm where sea i s 

c o n f u s e d w i t h s k y , and the R o c k i e s . We have a b o a t : and one day, 

out f o r a row, a whale came up b e s i d e us! I t h i n k i t was Herman 

M e l v i l l e i n d i s g u i s e . Anyhow i t i s a w i e r d and w o n d e r f u l p l a c e 

and we l o v e i t , the more so s i n c e i t i s c o s t i n g us o n l y $10 a 

month r e n t t o l i v e i n i t , and a f t e r O c t o b e r , w i l l c o s t even l e s s , 

i f we a r e s t i l l h e r e . A M a l t e s e c a t w i t h g o l d e n eyes has adopted 

us w h i l e she has her k i t t e n s : we c a l l her P i n g because she does 

not p u r r . We a r e d e l i g h t e d w i t h e v e r y t h i n g and w i t h o u r s e l v e s : 

f o r we have o u t w i t t e d the C a r e y s , and cooked P a r k ' s goose - he 

has t u r n e d the r e m a i n i n g money over t o me - and, i n c i d e n t a l l y , 

made the O.M. and the mater as p l e a s e d as t h e y can be about 

a n y t h i n g a t t h i s p e r i o d . I haven't y e t t o l d him about M a r g i e , 

but i t l o o k s as though I s h a l l be a b s o l u t e l y on my own hook. We 

have enough money t o h o l d out t i l l December: the a u t h o r i t i e s have 

t o l d me, b e i n g a v i s i t o r , I don't have t o , or r a t h e r c a n ' t , 

r e g i s t e r . I don't know, a t t h a t r a t e , whether I s h a l l be c a l l e d 

up a t a l l . Maybe the war w i l l soon be o v e r . I suppose I must 



283 

hope n o t . Anyhow here we a r e and a b l o o d y m i r a c l e I c a l l s i t . 

So t h a t now we have a s p o r t i n g chance. I s t i l l have not heard 

from Whit about the V o l c a n o , but i f he doesn't t a k e i t , i t i s 

g o i n g t o L i n s c o t t , and i t maybe even now on i t s way. Don't know 

how t o send you a copy y e t . M a r g i e ' s d e t e c t i v e n o v e l - 'The L a s t 

T w i s t of the K n i f e ' - i s o f f , t o o . I s the Bob Morse you speak of 

R o b e r t E l y Morse who wrote a poem e n d i n g 'This swan upon the i c y 

w a t e r s of my h e a r t g l i d e s ever on, i n the D i a l , 1926?3- Anyhow, 

poor d e v i l , I am s o r r y f o r him. Thanks f o r G e r a l d ' s a d d r e s s : I 

wrote him, no answer as y e t . I've t o l d J u l i a n G r e e n 2 t o go and 

see you: you a r e both from Savannah. Much of h i s e a r l y work I 

t h o u g h t , was s u p e r b : but h i t s ] g e n i u s seems t o have r u n s l i g h t l y 

aground. Perhaps you w i l l s e t him a f l o a t a g a i n . 

We would come e a s t l i k e a s h o t i f we c o u l d a f f o r d i t : but 

perhaps we s h a l l soon be a b l e t o . We read your a r t i c l e i n the 

A t l a n t i c 3 and c a r a c o l e d : I have a l o t t o s a y about i t which I'm 

r e s e r v i n g f o r a n o t h e r l e t t e r . Margie r e a l l y thought you'd 

e x p r e s s e d e v e r y t h i n g she wanted t o s a y but c o u l d n ' t : yo, tambien. 

I read some new sonnets of y o u r s i n H a r p e r s * which I thought 

c o n t a i n e d two of about the b e s t poems I'd ever r e a d by anyone, 

anywhere. 

Yes: p l e a s e do send the L a s t A d d r e s s , auam c e l e r i m e : 9 I p l a n 

t o r e w r i t e i t , c u t t i n g the d i a l o g u e . Great C i r c l e passage - but 

have no copy, and we want t o s t a r t w o r k i n g f u l l b l a s t a g a i n r i g h t 

away. God b l e s s and much l o v e t o Mary and you from us b o t h . 

Male. 



284 

E x p l a n a t o r y Notes 
1 Lowry i s r e f e r r i n g to. a poem by R i c h a r d E l y Morse e n t i t l e d 

" T h i s Swan" i n The D i a l ( S e p t . 1927): 222; the f i r s t , not the 
l a s t , l i n e of the poem r e a d s : " T h i s swan, upon the i c y waters of 
my h e a r t , / s a i l s n i g h t and day;. . . ." In the same i s s u e i s a 
r e v i e w of B l u e Voyage by C h a r l e s K. T r u e b l o o d (243-45). 

2 See l e t t e r 10, n. 4, p. 69. 
3 "Back t o P o e t r y , " A t l a n t i c M o n t h l y 166.2 (Aug. 1940): 217-

23. 

* " F i v e Sonnets," Harper's Magazine 181.1,083 (Aug. 1940): 
268-69; r e p r i n t e d as "XXVI," " X X V I I , " " X X V I I I , " "XXIX," and "XXX" 
i n And i n the Human Heart (New York: D u e l l , S l o a n and P e a r c e , 
1940). 

s "quam c e l e r r i m e " : L a t i n , "as f a s t as p o s s i b l e . " 



285 

51; From LOWRY t o AIKEN 
TS H; u n p u b l i s h e d 

D o l l a r t o n P.O., 
D o l l a r t o n , B.C., 
Canada. 

November 22, 1940. 

Dear o l d Conrad: 

I t h i n k , dream, p o e t r y a l l the time t h e s e d a y s , s t r u g g l i n g 

w i t h the o n l y form I know, the one you t a u g h t me. With a s o r t of 

a monad, g u l p e d down i n t o my c o n s c i o u s n e s s l i k e a s t o n e i n my 

a d o l e s c e n c e , s t i l l s t u c k i n my t h r o a t I wonder i f I can ever 

a c h i e v e more t h a n a h a l f choked e x p r e s s i o n of m y s e l f and can hang 

m y s e l f one day on some s o r t of h a l l of fame, however o b s c u r e . We 

l i v e T h o r e a u - l i k e h e r e , i n the d e s e r t e d v i l l a g e where g r e y 

Panamanian f r e i g h t e r s sometimes v i s i t us. I keep remembering how 

I used t o go on t o Hayes Common and r e a d the House of D u s t 1 and 

p r a y one day I might meet you, which seemed t o be i m p o s s i b l e , 

because I c o u l d not see how you c o u l d be a l i v e and a t the same 

time r e a c h such beauty, and a l l the time Jane was a t s c h o o l c l o s e 

by w i t h the K e l l e t t c h i l d , 2 who was indeed my g e o g r a p h i c a l excuse 

f o r b e i n g on Hayes Common a t a l l . How I a p p r e c i a t e now the 

c o l l o s s a l advantage of h a v i n g known you and would t h a t I had been 

b e t t e r and h o n e s t e r and more c o n s c i o u s when I d i d ! I sometimes 

t h i n k I am l i k e a man who remembers h a v i n g known B i l l Shakespeare 

i n h i s y o u t h - but what a p i t y , he c o u l d n ' t a p p r e c i a t e a n y t h i n g 

the f e l l o w s a i d , he was b l i n d and dumb a t the t i m e . 

Our c a t has had k i t t e n s - f o u r of them - f o r which we have 



2 8 6 

found homes f o r two, a l a s and a l a s , a t the bottom of the s e a : 

now, from what we can hear of her p e c k e r d i l l o e s she i s w e l l on 

the way t o h a v i n g some more. I have not much of a .way w i t h c a t s , 

but Margie has and I improve. There are k i l l e r - w h a l e s i n the bay 

- we encountered one w h i l e r o w i n g , thought i t was a p o r p o i s e w i t h 

a p o i p o i s e - and we have been v i c i o u s l y a t t a c k e d by a g o a t 3 - a 

symbol? No more t r a g e d i e s . . . Yeah. We s t i l l l o o k f o r w a r d 

w i t h a l l our hopes t o the p r o s p e c t of s e e i n g you a g a i n soon: 

i m m o b i l i s a t i o n i s d i f f i c u l t though. I can never thank you enough 

f o r l o t s of t h i n g s . How c o u l d we have s u r v i v e d w i t h o u t the hope 

you gave us. And I know t h a t , thanks to you, whatever the o l d 

man has t o s u f f e r w i l l be much m i t i g a t e d . . . . I hope Mary i s 

w e l l , g i v e her our v e r y s p e c i a l b e s t and most s p e c i a l l o v e . An 

a r t i c l e of yours I d i s c o v e r e d i n a y e l l o w e d New R e p u b l i c i n the 

Vancouver L i b r a r y , 4 i n s p i r e d t h i s , i n which t h e r e ought not be 

more t h a n n i n e t y f o u r p l a g i a r i s m s . ( M a t t e r of f a c t , I don't t h i n k 

t h e r e a r e any u n l e s s ' d e r r i c k s of the s o u l ' r e c a l l s - w i t h o u t 

however b e n e f i t i n g by the comparison - 'who watches h e r e , oh 

m a r i n e r s and s u r g e o n s ' & c o u l d be counted as s u c h . I t i s not 

n e c e s s a r i l y improved by t h i s d e f i c i e n c y of h a v i n g none & now I 

see a n o t h e r : 'muted.' B . V ? ) S 

T h i s w r e s t l i n g , as of seamen w i t h a s t o r m 
Which f l i e s t o l e e w a r d , w h i l e they 
U n i t e d i n t h a t chaos, t u r n , sea-weary 
Each on h i s bunk, to dream of f i e l d s a t home 
Or shake w i t h v i s i o n s Dante never knew, 
The poet h i m s e l f f e e l s , s t r u g g l i n g w i t h the form 
Of h i s q u i e t work. What d e r r i c k s of the s o u l 
Plunge i n t h a t muted room, a d r i f t , menacing? 
When t r u a n t h e a r t can hear the s a i l o r s s i n g 
He'd break h i s pen t o s a i l an e a s t i n g down. 
And y e t some m a r i n e r ' s ferment i n h i s b l o o d 
S u s t a i n s him t o subdue or be subdued. 



In s l e e p a l l n i g h t he g r a p p l e s v i t h a s a i l ! 
But words beyond the l i f e of s h i p s dream on. 

Meantime n a t u r e poems, mature poems, hate poems, f a t e poems, 

- a l l , but g r e a t poems - pour out. At the moment I am t o y i n g 

w i t h t h i s p l e a s i n g R a b e l a i s i a n vhirasy. P e o p l e down from the 

d i r e c t i o n of the saw m i l l , h e a r i n g s u s p i c i o u s b l o o d c u r d l i n g 

n o i s e s a t n i g h t from t h i s d i r e c t i o n , come t o i n v e s t i g a t e , ( I t 

has happened.) w i t h l a n t e r n s , even a ' l i f e b o a t ' . I t ends -

Never i n a comedian's l i f e have I laughed t i l l t h e n l 
. . . Wherefore the legend grew t h a t t h e r e were g h o s t s 
Somewhere between Dead Tree and M e r r y I s l a n d , 
And from our l o v e r e v i v e d an I n d i a n s l a u g h t e r . 
Oh you who something something something l a n d 
May you t o o be b l e s s e d by such enormous l a u g h t e r 
As even God and whales might not approve. 

But I haven't got the b e g i n n i n g y e t : o r , i t might be s a i d , 

the end e i t h e r . Anyhow, Conrad, thus one's time i s s p e n t or 

m i s p e n t , w a i t i n g f o r a man from P o r l o c k , who may never come. 8 I 

hope n o t . Meantime, the V o l e i s a t L i n s c o t t s . I s h o u l d have 

t a k e n your a d v i c e and s e n t i t him f i r s t . But I was d u t y bound t o 

send i t t o B u r n e t t , who, i t t u r n e d o u t , d i d n ' t even read i t . 

Can you t e l l me some mags where one might send pomes w i t h 

hope of s m a l l payments?. 

P l e a s e w r i t e and t e l l us i f you s t i l l l o v e us as we indeed 

l o v e you 

from both 

Male. 



288 

E x p l a n a t o r y Notes 
1 C f . a l s o l e t t e r 34, p. 222. 
2 Jane A i k e n and Joan K e l l e t t had a p p a r e n t l y been a t t e n d i n g 

s c h o o l c l o s e t o 5 W o o d v i l l e Road, the l o c a t i o n of J e r r y K e l l e t t ' s 
"cramming s c h o o l " vhere Lowry was s t a y i n g i n 1928-29. In an 
u n p u b l i s h e d l e t t e r of 13 August 1929 t o h i s c h i l d r e n , A i k e n 
w r i t e s t h a t Lowry "knows a g i r l named Joan K e l l e t t a t Jane's 
s c h o o l , and has o f t e n been t h e r e on S a t u r d a y s t o t a k e her out t o 
t e a . " 

3 C f . Under the Volcano (99-100). 

* A i k e n wrote many a r t i c l e s f o r the New R e p u b l i c ; the one t o 
which Lowry i s r e f e r r i n g may be A i k e n ' s " G i g a n t i c Dreams," New  
R e p u b l i c 27 June 1928: 146-47. 

s C f . A i k e n ' s Blue Voyage: ". . . muted, l i k e the hush h e a r d 
i n a c o n c h - s h e l l " (16) and l e t t e r 2, n. 7, p. 15. 

« See C o l e r i d g e ' s i n t r o d u c t i o n t o " K u b l a Khan" i n which he 
says t h a t w h i l e w r i t i n g down h i s dream he was " c a l l e d out by a 
p e r s o n on b u s i n e s s from P o r l o c k " and was a f t e r w a r d s unable t o 
complete the poem. 

T e x t u a l Notes 

285.4 monad,\ monad{,} 

285.5 a d o l e s c e n c e , s t i l l s t u c k i n my t h r o a t I wonder\ 
a d o l e s c e n c e { , } s t i l l s t u c k <there> { i n my t h r o a t ) I 
wonder 

286 .1 homes f o r two,\ homes <'f> f o r two, 

286.19 surgeons' & c o u l d \ s u r g e o n s ' {&} c o u l d 

286.20-21 d e f i c i e n c y of h a v i n g none & now I see a n o t h e r : 
'muted.' B.V?)\ d e f i c i e n c y < . > {of h a v i n g none & 
now I see a n o t h e r : 'muted.' B.V?)} 

287.4 - a l l , but g r e a t \ - a l l { , } but g r e a t 

287 .7 come t o i n v e s t i g a t e , \ <s>{c}ome t o i n v e s t i g a t e , 

287.14 b l e s s e d by\ b l e s s e d b{y) 



289 

52: From LOWRY t o AIKEN 
TS H; u n p u b l i s h e d 

D o l l a r t o n P.O., 
D o l l a r t o n , B.C., 
Canada, 

November 30, 1940. 

Dear o l d f e l l o w : 

Down the abyss c r a s h e t h the t a b i d w o r l d . . . Have you news 

- my Godl - of John? E d ? 1 May t h e y be s a f e . I have some news 

from my mater, who sounds p r e t t y mad though her b l o o d t h i r s t y n e s s 

i s d i r e c t e d a t most e v e r y t h i n g . I have t o a d m i t , s c e p t i c a l 

though I sometimes be about r e p o r t s of i n d e s c r i b a b l e m o r a l e , t h a t 

she never sounded i n such good form. God knows how or why, what 

w i t h t h e h e l l i s h s h e l l a c k i n g they've been g i v i n g L i v e r p o o l But 

t h i s l e t t e r was w r i t t e n b e f o r e the w o r s t . . . Our gardener i s 

dead, a good egg and I have w r i t t e n t h i s e p i t a p h t o be put on h i s 

g r a v e . 2 Maybe t h e y won't because t h e y ' d have t o b u i l d a G r a n t ' s 

tomb t o accomodate i t . "Would you l i k e t o see our son's poems? 

Then w e ' l l a l l go o f f t o the g r a v e y a r d a f t e r t e a . . ." 

L i n s c o t t wrote me a v e r y e n c o u r a g i n g l e t t e r about the V o l e . 

He was f o r i t , o t h e r s were a g i n . I'm not d i s t r e s s e d though - he 

t h i n k s somebody w i l l t a k e i t e v e n t u a l l y . I'm not c a r i n g . We 

have enough j u s t t o s c r a p e t h r o u g h f o r a month or two. Who c o u l d 

be l u c k i e r t h a n we? V i r g i n i a S t r o n g * has s e n t i n a c r a c k i n g good 

r e p o r t on M a r g i e ' s d e t e c t i v e n o v e l , so t h a t ' s f i n e news. 

But p r i n c i p a l l y I don't c a r e about the V o l e because I'm 

w r i t i n g p o e t r y a l l the time now. I send you f o u r poems,* and 



290 

wondered/ i f you l i k e d them, or thought t h e y were s u i t a b l e or 

whatever, I c o u l d ask you the f a v o u r of s e n d i n g them t o the 

A t l a n t i c Monthly w i t h a b e n i g n word. I hate t o g i v e you t r o u b l e : 

but as your o l d - and p r e s e n t , more t h a n e v e r , p u p i l I f e e l you 

would be p l e a s e d I was w r i t i n g p o e t r y , i f i t was good, or even i f 

I were t r y i n g . I f e e l t h a t t h e y have something, a c e r t a i n 

s i m p l i c i t y and s t r e n g t h , - a u n i v e r s a l i t y , maybe - t h a t t h e y may 

have an u n u s u a l d r a m a t i c q u a l i t y . You t o l d me once t o send some 

poems I had w r i t t e n a l o n g and you w i l l f o r g i v e me i f I have been 

t a k i n g you a t your word ever s i n c e . 3 I may be f o o l i n g m y s e l f 

about t h e s e p a r t i c u l a r poems and i f I am I know you w i l l t e l l me 

s o , but p l e a s e answer me t h i s : may I keep on f i r i n g them a t you 

u n t i l you t h i n k you see one which might be p u b l i s h e d i n t h a t 

t h e r e A t l a n t i c f o r i t seems t o me a f i n e and t r a d i t i o n a l p l a c e t o 

s t a r t ? I c a n ' t t e l l you what a k i c k t h a t would g i v e the o l d 

c r e a t i v e i n s t i n c t . 

D i v o r c e papers have not a r r i v e d t i l l now and we a r e g o i n g t o 

be m a r r i e d by a f i n e c a r r o t - j u i c e s w i g g i n g U n i t a r i a n m i n i s t e r on 

Monday 6 - shades of your a n c e s t o r s - We know you a r e w i s h i n g us 

l u c k - God b l e s s you, & Mary, - l o v e from both -

Male 

P.S. I have appended b l o o d y l i t t l e t i t l e s t o the poems, a f t e r 

the A t l a n t i c custom. I am no W a l l a c e S t e v e n s , u n f o r t u n a t e l y . 

And, of c o u r s e , Gawd w i t h a c a p i t a l H. And good god, why n o t ? 



291 

E x p l a n a t o r y Notes 
x John Davenport; Ed B u r r a . 
a The "enclosed'' e p i t a p h i s m i s s i n g ; however, see Lowry's 

" E p i t a p h on our Gardener, dead near L i v e r p o o l " i n t h e U.B.C. 
Lowry C o l l e c t i o n (4-74) . 

31 V i r g i n i a Swain Stong (18987-1968), American a u t h o r ; w i f e 
o f the a u t h o r P h i l Stong (1899-1957). In a 16 October 1940 
l e t t e r from H a r o l d Matson t o Lowry, Matson c o r r e c t s Lowry's 
m i s t a k e n s p e l l i n g o f Stong's name and c a l l s V i r g i n i a Stong a 
" w r i t e r and e d i t o r on her own a c c o u n t " (Matson p a p e r s ) . I am not 
s u r e which company Stong was a r e a d e r f o r . 

« These poems a r e m i s s i n g . 
B C f . l e t t e r 3, p. 18, which may have been w r i t t e n a f t e r 

such a r e q u e s t from A i k e n . 

" T h e Lowrys were m a r r i e d on 2 December 1940. 

T e x t u a l Notes 

289.9 t h i s l e t t e r \ t h i s l e t { t ) e r 

289.18 s e n t \ s { ^ } e n t 

290.4 more t h a n e v e r , \ <n>{m}ore than e v e r , 

290.20 you, & Mary,\ you, {&) Mary, 

2 9 0 . 2 3 - 4 - u n f o r t u n a t e l y . And, o f c o u r s e (. . . .J why n o t ? \ 
u n f o r t u n a t e l y . {And, of c o u r s e , Gawd w i t h a 
c a p i t a l H. And good god, why n o t ? ) 



292 

53; FsoiB L.QWRX tQ AIKEN 
TS H; u n p u b l i s h e d 

D o l l a r t o n P.O., 
D o l l a r t o n B.C., 

Dec. 4, 1940. 

H i W i l l i a m ! Herman! Conrad! N a t h a n i e l ! 3 - H e l p ! 

Between the b l a n k v e r s e and the c o r d i t e - Here i s a n o t h e r 

v e r s i o n of pome I s e n t y o u . a L i n e s 8 t o 10 a r e d i f f e r e n t . In 

t h e v e r s i o n I s e n t you i t l o o k s as though L y c i d a s and not the sea 

s t a n k so b a d l y i t would make whoever i t was weep. 

So I have r e w r i t t e n the pome so t h a t i t m e r e l y l o o k s as 

though i t i s the poem t h a t s t i n k s and not L y c i d a s . 

H e r e w i t h . I t may be the f u l f i l l m e n t of a l i f e l o n g a m b i t i o n 

t o haunt a g r a v e y a r d , anyhow. 

We were m a r r i e d w i t h o u t a h i t c h , which i s a paradox, and 

v e r y f i n e t o o . 

God b l e s s you, my dear o l d b i r d , and Mary. 

I much admire the poet j o n e s , v e r y . 3 

Love from both -

Male. 



E x p l a n a t o r y Motes 
1 W i l l i a m Demarest, p r o t a g o n i s t of A i k e n ' s B l u e Voyage; 

Herman M e l v i l l e ; N a t h a n i e l Havthorne. 
2 T h i s poem i s m i s s i n g . 
3 Lowry i s r e f e r r i n g t o the New England t r a n s c e n d e n t a l i s t 

p o e t , Jones Very (1813-1880). 



294 

54: From LOWRY t o AIKEN 
TS H; u n p u b l i s h e d 

D o l l a r t o n P.O., 
D o l l a r t o n , B.C., 

December 11, 1940. 

Dear Conrad: 

I w i l l promise not t o send you a n o t h e r pome - save f o r 

C h r i s t m a s , maybe - but am v e n t u r i n g t o send you t h i s , 3 - wondering 

i f you had not a l r e a d y s e n t any of the o t h e r pomes t o the 

A t l a n t i c , i f you would e n c l o s e i t , i f you were g o i n g t o send any, 

t h a t i s , and p l e a s e do not send any i f you don't t h i n k i t r i g h t , 

because i t won't h u r t me, I c a n ' t s t o p w r i t i n g them anyhow - and 

anyway why don't I send them m y s e l f . The l a s t i s r a t h e r e a s i l y 

answered: nobody seems w i l l i n g t o t a k e them nor agent handle them 

u n l e s s you a r e a 'name' or the pomes a r e s o l i c i t e d , or good, or 

something. ' P o e t r y ' may be an e x c e p t i o n but I don't know the 

a d d r e s s . Maybe you c o u l d g i v e me some s u g g e s t i o n s . . . 

Once i n Rye you wrote me a l e t t e r m e n t i o n i n g the s t r a n g e 

n o i s e s my uke made.2 

With t h e a i d of an i n t r o v e r t e d s e n s i b i l i t y I have now t u r n e d 

t h i s round a b i t . 

I f a uke why not a g u i t a r or a harp or a v i o l made out of a 

woman's b r e a s t b o n e or even the h e r i t a g e poets l e a v e b e h i n d f o r 

l a t e r s i n g e r s ? 

Love from both t o both 

Male 



295 

P.S. My e x p l a n a t i o n of the poem i s j u s t b a l l s , as u s u a l : pay no 

a t t e n t i o n . 



296 

E x p l a n a t o r y Notes 

a. The " e n c l o s e d " poem i s m i s s i n g . 
2 T h i s l e t t e r i s m i s s i n g . 

T e x t u a l Notes 

294.20 Love from both t o b o t h \ Love from both<,> {to both} 

295.1-2 P.S. My e x p l a n a t i o n {. . .] no a t t e n t i o n . \ 
( h a n d w r i t t e n i n ink a t end of l e t t e r } 



2 9 7 

55: From AIKEN to LOWRY 
TS UBC; unpublished 

Brewster Mass. 
Dec 15 40 

Dear old Male-
forgive silences, I[']ve been rendered 

incommunicado by poison ivy in both arms, and apart from that too 
busy to c a l l my soul my own. I like the pomes moderate-like. 
But I cant send them to Atlantic, because I've had one hell of a 
row with Weeks,1 and to have them sent by me would automtically 
rule them out. Nor am I much better off with anyone else. My 
name is Mud. Epitaph2 is the best, I think—largely because 
formally more complete—the others are pretty irregular, lines 
shortening or lengthening w i l l y n i l l y and for no apprent purpose. 
I could send i t to the new l i t t l e mag called Vice Versa, i f you 
l i k e — b u t i t woud mean no cash to speak of. The news of your 
marriage at last is marvellous—had I not been in such a moil I'd 
have wired you at once our loves and things—or sent you a 
singogram! Very fine. What about your getting into the U S ? 
We've been really in a frenzy here—Uncle Alfred 3 died in 
November, and there have been endless complications, including a 
fantastic search for his last ashes, a fruitless journey to New 
Bedfor in an attempt to get him buried, the s p i l l i n g of his 
hapless ashes on a mahogany table in the offices of the cemetery 
board, and his return here for a week in Brewster. But On friday 
we went again and returned him to his whaling ancestors, and 
drank his health in a a bar called the Atlantic, so now he rests. 



298 

I have a r e s i d e n t p u p i l h e r e , John Hay, 4 f o r two months, which 

h e l p s t o pay t h e upkeep on our borrowed house, f u r n t i t u r e , 

s t o v e s , and f u r n a c e — M a r y runs a s m a l l a r t c l a s s - - m y book of 

s o n n e t s 9 i s o u t , but nobody knows i t , nobody r e v i e w s i t , nobody 

buys i t , nobody reads I t — I ' l l send you one f o r Xmas. And when I 

g e t a q u i e t day I ' l l r e a l l y t r y t o w r i t e you a p r o p e r l e t t e r . 

our l o v e s t o you both 

Conrad 

I t h i n k i t ' s good t h a t you're w r i t i n g p o e t r y - - b u t do t r y t o 

keep your numbers and q u a n t i t i e s s t r a i g h t — ! Freedom comes a f t e r 

mastery not b e f o r e — t h e sonnet c o n s i s t s of 14 l i n e s of f i v e - b e a t 

i a m b i c s , rhymed a b a b c d c d e f e f g g or abbaabbacdecde: i t c a n ' t j u s t 

be a n y t h i n g 1 



299 

E x p l a n a t o r y Notes 
1 Edward Augustus Weeks (1898- ) was the a s s o c i a t e e d i t o r 

of the A t l a n t i c M o n t h l y from 1924-28, and e d i t o r from 1938-66. 
2 See l e t t e r 52, n. 2, p. 291. 
3 A l f r e d C l a g h o r n P o t t e r (1867-1940), b r o t h e r of A i k e n ' s 

mother, Anna Kempton P o t t e r ; l i b r a r i a n of Widener L i b r a r y a t 
H a r v a r d ; c f . Ushant (283-87) and l e t t e r 85, p. 454. A i k e n 
s u s p e c t e d h i s u n c l e t o have been the model f o r E l i o t ' s " J . A l f r e d 
P r u f r o c k " ( K i l l o r i n , S e l e c t e d L e t t e r s of Conrad A i k e n 25). 

« Not i d e n t i f i e d . 
B And i n the Human H e a r t (New York: D u e l l , S l o a n and P e a r c e , 

1940). 

T e x t u a l Notes 

297.2 I ( ' ] v e \ I ( v e ( t y p o . ) 

297.15 a b o u t \ a<n>{b}out 

298.10-11 a f t e r m a s t e r y \ < a f t e r t mastery 

298.13 a n y t h l n q f A <a_Qy.>thing! 

(Notes h a n d w r i t t e n i n ink by Lowry i n top l e f t - h a n d 
c o r n e r of l e t t e r : 

s t a r t l i n g , as ( l i k e ) a dog t h a t t a k e s a f a l s e s t e p . 

<Men have s i l e n c e > 

Death h a t h t h i s s i l e n c e i n common w i t h us 

Home r u n s , (perhaps) but who may f i n d the b a l l ? ) 



300 

56: From LOWRY to AIKEN 
TS H; unpublished 

D o l l a r t o n P.O., 
D o l l a r t o n , B.C., 

December 20, 1940. 

- I d i d n ' t send you a pome f o r Christmas, my dear o l d p h a l l a , but 

here's an a p p r o p r i a t e y e a s t s y thought f o r the New Year. 

(Not f o r the A t l a n t i c Monthly.) 

BYZANTIUM: or Where the Great L i f e Begins 
(or G e t t i n g a b i t knocked oop nov.) 

- Don't come any of t h a t Byzantium s t u f f 
On me, me s v e l l young t o f f ! J u s t p l a i n Stamboul 
Is good enough f e r me and Lamps and B i l l . 
C o n s t a n t i b l o o d y n o p l e • s r i g h t enough -
Used to be, eh? Eh? Don't give me t h a t g u f f 
L i k e t h a t wot you s a i d about the i d e a l -
In a b l i n d eye s o c k e t l 1 But a g i r l ' s a g i r l 
And bobhead t i g e r s here v i l l t r e a t you rough 
And g i v e you, ' i d e a l ! ' F a r e w e l l , smoke j s r e a l -
And u k e l e l e s mourn a u l u l u : 
And engine stampedes: more f o o l you f o o l vou: 
And a e r l e l savs: oh whither where away; 
And sea: each one-eared dog w i l l have i t s dav: 
And s t a r s wink: Venus f i r s t , then Mercury. a 

God enormously b l e s s you both and g i v e you Merry Christmas. We 

f i n d l i f e marvellous here, sea and snow - God goes by v i t h white 

f o o t f a l l - no men with black f o o t f a l l from P o r l o c k * - and a w i l d 

duck washed up on the shore. 

Male. 



301 

N.B. H e r e ' s a n o t h e r c a l l e d ' D e s e r t e r ' , a l s o n o t f o r p u b l i c a t i o n . 

. . . 'Dead, i n a r e f r i g e r a t o r v a n a t E m p r e s s . ' 
T h e n , l y i n g on b a r e b o a r d s , i n a s m a l l room 
H i s f a t h e r came f r o m C o q u i t l a m t o s e e . 
' T h e r e w a s n ' t e v e n a s h e e t o v e r h i m . ' 
B r o u g h t h i s b o d y down f r o m M e d i c i n e H a t 
T h a t had b e e n p l a c e d i n C a t e g o r y C. 
M i l i t a r y p a p e r s i n h i s army g r e a t c o a t 
- ' S h o u l d have b e e n i n E n g l a n d ? Came home f o r C h r i s t m a s ? 
- And d i d he have t o bum h i s way b a c k home? 1 -
Thus p a s s , f r o m o l d W e s t m i n s t e r t o Newt 
H e r e i s a t a l e t h a t c l a n g s a n i r o n d o o r s h u t 
A g a i n s t t h e h e a r t , f r e e z i n g s e n s e : f o r p i t y 
C a n n o t f o l l o w t o t h e a c c u s i n g r o o t 
Of t h i s t r a g e d y b e y o n d t r a g e d y . 4 

i. 



3 0 2 

E x p l a n a t o r y N o t e s 

1 C f . l e t t e r 8 6 , p . 4 7 1 . 

2 T h i s p o e m v a s p u b l i s h e d i n s l i g h t l y a l t e r e d f o r m a s 
" B y z a n t i u m " i n S e l e c t e d P o e m s o f M a l c o l m L o v r v . e d . E a r l e B i r n e y 
( S a n F r a n c i s c o : C i t y L i g h t s B o o k s , 1 9 6 2 ) 1 3 ; s e e a l s o t h e U . B . C . 
L o v r y C o l l e c t i o n 1 4 - 3 0 ; 4 - 5 9 ) . 

J S e e l e t t e r 5 1 , n . 5 , p . 2 8 8 . 

4 D r a f t s o f t h i s p o e m a r e c o n t a i n e d i n t h e U . B . C . L o v r y 
C o l l e c t i o n ( 4 - 3 0 ; 4 - 5 9 ) . 

3 0 1 . 1 

T e x t u a l N o t e s 

' D e s e r t e r ' \ 1 D e s e r t < i o n > { e r ) ' 



303 

57: From LOWRY t o AIKEN 
TS H; u n p u b l i s h e d 

D o l l a r t o n P.O., 
D o l l a r t o n , B.C., 

J a n u a r y 3, 1941. 

Dear Conrad -

J u s t r e c e i v e d y e s t e r d a y And i n the Human Heart 3 - f o r which a 

thousand t h a n k s . I t i s d e e p l y a p p r e c i a t e d by b o t h . Have not had 

time t o d i g e s t as y e t but can o n l y say so f a r i t was not so much 

l i k e opening a book on words, but on a l i g h t n i n g , a s u n l i g h t . I t 

was as though a c o i l e d b r i g h t s o u l sprung out a t us. W i l l 

e l a b o r a t e l a t e r : what I have seen i s g r e a t , and my f e e l i n g comes 

j u s t a f t e r an attempt t o do some h e f t y r e a d i n g r i g h t t h r o u g h 

E n g l i s h L i t e r a t u r e , Shakespeare, Jonson, M i l t o n , e t c . I f e e l 

t h e r e a r e i n your book some of the h i g h e s t t o u c h s t o n e s of 

e x c e l l e n c e i n a l l l i t e r a t u r e . W i l l w r i t e a t g r e a t e r l e n g t h 

l a t e r . 

Margie says she's p a r a l y z e d by book - both send thanks t o 

both and l o v e -

Male 

P.S. F e e l a b i t ashamed - as who wouldn't, a f t e r your book? - of 

m y s e l f , s e n d i n g you my. u n p o l i s h e d mumblings: but I am w o r k i n g 

v e r y hard a t t r y i n g t o get the mastery you have i n d i c a t e d and 

which I agree i s so n e c e s s a r y : so f a r am encouraged w i t h r e s u l t s 

so I may bore you w i t h some more. 



304 

E x p l a n a t o r y Notes 
1 And i n the Human Heart (New York: D u e l l , S l o a n and P e a r c e , 

1940). Lowry's copy i n the U.B.C. L i b r a r y bears the f o l l o w i n g 
i n s c r i p t i o n w r i t t e n by A i k e n : 

For Malcolm and M a r g e r i e 
w i t h much l o v e and b e s t 
wishes f o r a Merry C h r i s t m a s — 
and many t o come--
from Conrad & Mary. 
1940. 



305 

58: From AIKEN t o LOWRY 
TS UBC; K i l l o r i n 254 

b r e v s t e r mass 

feb 23 41 

B l e s s you Male, and b l e s s Margie t o o f o r a l l the g l o w i n g 

words and numbers and phine p h l a t t e r i n g phrases about my l i t t l e 

dead sonnets--how good of you b o t h , thanks thanks and thanks 

a g a i n ! 3 - I rushed t o r e - r e a d t h e ones you l i k e d , t o see i f t h e y 

were ones I_ l i k e d — i t ' s always such fun t o read one's own t h i n g s 

t h r o u g h somebody e l s e ' s e y e s , don't you t h i n k ? a k i n d of t w i c e 

r e f l e c t e d n a r c i s s i s m . And agreed i n many c a s e s , a l t h o u g h 

o c c a s i o n a l l y w i t [ h ] a p r e f e r e n c e f o r o t h e r s — w h i c h i s o n l y 

n a t u r a l . Very c o m f o r t i n g a l t o g e t h e r , f o r such r e v i e w s as t h i s 

book has had have been p r i v a t e r e v i e w s , l i k e y o u r s , v i z . , i n 

l e t t e r s — t h e p r e s s r e v i e w s have been few. T h i s c u l m i n a t e d i n an 

a t t a c k by J a r r e l l i n the N R e p u b l i c two weeks ago, and a r e p l y , 

a t t a c k i n g J a r r e l l and p o e t - c r i t i c s [ , J by Cowley, the week a f t e r . 2 

Whether h i s generous remarks can r t e j s u c i t a t e the book, a t t h i s 

l a t e d a t e , I i n c l i n e t o doubt. A l l v e r y s a d . The g a l i l e a n note 

I hadnt n o t i c e d — i n f a c t I'd have s a i d i f a n y t h i n g t h a t t h a t . i f 

a t a l l , might be more prominent i n Time i n the R o c k 3 than h e r e , 

where the w e l t a n s c h a u n g * i s more l u c r e t i a n , more p a g a n — b u t then 

one never knows! And i n t e r e s t i n g anyway. As f o r the p o r t r a i t of 

the husband and f a t h e r , the k i d s , the c a t s , the k i t c h e n — w e l l , I 

dunno, t h a t seems t o me not so a d a p t e l d ] t o my purpose, which was 

a c e l e b r a t i o n of j o y - i n - l o v e , and i n d e f i a n c e of f a t e , z e r o , 

d e a t h , t i m e , space, t e r r o r , god, and e v e r y t h i n g — n a m e l y , i n 



306 

d e f i a n c e of knowledge. T h i s i n t u r n c a l l e d f o r the grand manner, 

s o r t o f — a n d your s u g g e s t e d g e m u t l i c h k e i t 3 would h a r d l y a c c o r d , I 

t h i n k ? Perhaps C o n v e r s a t i o n c o n t a i n s the p o r t r a i t you want. . . 

How n i c e t o have your p i c t u r e s , and how l o v e l y , may I say, Margie 

i s - - a s everyone here d e l i g h t e d l y a g r e e s . Jane was d e l i g h t e d a l s o 

w i t h the c a t ! . . G e r a l d 8 r e p o r t s you have got your p a s s p o r t 

s t r a i g h t e n e d o u t — d o you t h i n k of coming e a s t ? And J D's 7 

address--The M a l t i n g House, M a r s h f i e l d , Chippenham, W i l t s . I 

haven't heard from him f o r over a y e a r . 

l o v e t o you both 

Conrad 



307 

E x p l a n a t o r y Notes 
1 The p r e c e d i n g l e t t e r from the Lowrys t o w h i c h A i k e n i s 

here r e f e r r i n g i s m i s s i n g . 
a See R a n d a l l J a r r e l l ' s "The R h e t o r i c i a n s , " New R e p u b l i c 17 

Feb. 1941: 221-22, and Malcolm Cowley's response i n "Poets as 
R e v i e w e r s , " New R e p u b l i c 24 Feb. 1941: 281-82. J a r r e l l ' s r e v i e w 
vas a t t a c k e d by two o t h e r s i n the New R e p u b l i c 10 March 1941: 
J.V. H e a l y , "Correspondence: The P o e t ' s B l o o d y C o r n e r , " 343, and 
Wadsworth Mulrooney, "Correspondence: The P o e t ' s B l o o d y C o r n e r , " 
343-44. 

3 Time in the Rock? P r e l u d e s tP PefiinitlPn (New York: 
S c r i b n e r ' s , 1936). 

* "Weltanschauung": German, " w o r l d - v i e w " ; A i k e n has 
m i s s p e l l e d the word. 

9 " g e m u t l i c h k e i t " : German, "good-naturedness." 

* G e r a l d Noxon; see l e t t e r 8, n. 15, p. 61. 
7 John Davenport; see l e t t e r 7, n. 12, p. 49. 

T e x t u a l Notes 

305.8 o c c a s i o n a l l y w i t [ h ] \ o c c a s i o n a l l y w i t n [ t y p o . ] 

305.13 p o e t - c r i t i c s ( , ] by CowleyN poet c r i t i c s , by Cowley 
I t y p o . ] 

305.14 r ( e l s u c i t a t e \ r s u c i t a t e [ t y p o . ] 

305.16 t h a t , \ itlhat,/ 

305.21 a d a p t e [ d ] \ adapte [ t y p o . ] 

305.22 c e l e b r a t i o n of j o y - i n - l o v e , \ c e l ( e ) b r a t i o n of j o y 
{ - } i n ( - ) l o v e , 

306.2 

306.3 p o r t r a i t \ < I l l l e g . ] > p o r t r a i t 

306.7 s t r a i g h t e n e d \ s t r a i g h t e n e ( d ) 

306 .10 l o v e t o you b o t h \ ( h a n d w r i t t e n ] 



308 

59: From LOWRY t o AIKEN 
TS H; u n p u b l i s h e d 

D o l l a r t o n P.O. 
D o l l a r t o n , B.C. 
Canada. 

May 9, 19 41. 

Very Q u e r i d o Conrad - Mary -

Thanks f o r the news (a wee b i t c o n t r a d i c t o r y , but a l l t u r n e d 

out f i n e ) and s o r r y t o have g i v e n you a l l the b o t h e r of my b l o o d y 

Mss. anyway. 

But I do v e r y much a p p r e c i a t e what you d i d f o r me and I want 

t o say t o you too - what I have j u s t f i n i s h e d s a y i n g t o Bob 

L i n s c o t t - t h a t so f a r as I was concerned the b o t h e r was not 

wasted. Your i n t e r e s t and k i n d n e s s g o t me over a h e l l of a 

d i f f i c u l t p e r i o d where I might h [ a ] v e l e t down: as t h i n g s s t a n d I 

have been a b l e t o r e o r g a n i z e my l i f e t o a p o i n t where I am now 

r e a l l y a b l e t o cope w i t h t h a t , and o t h e r , work. As your p u p i l 

t h i s makes me f e e l good because I f e e l I am now j u s t i f y i n g your 

f a i t h i n me: you w a i t . My l i f e was always t h e most d i f f i c u l t 

p a r t of my work, l a r g e l y because i t was too easy. 

As f o r the o l d man, God knows what h o r r o r s a r e b r e a k i n g over 

h i s poor head, but whatever t h e y a r e , he and the mater now f e e l 

happy about me which i s t o them one major sorrow the l e s s , f o r 

which I am e t e r n a l l y t h a n k f u l . And the g h a s t l y p s y c h o t i c dance 

we l e d each o t h e r has come t o an end. And you must t a k e c r e d i t 

f o r t h i s t o o . 

As f o r o u r s e l v e s , we d i d not succeed i n coming t o M o n t r e a l , 



309 
and America is as far off as ever, but the hope engendered vork 

constructively. Stroke after stroke of good fortune has come our 

vay and ve have nov bought a supershack on the sea - a l l paid 

for, no rent, no tax, but lovely, surrounded v i t h dogvood and 

cherry and pines, Isolated, and a s v e l l place for vork. It's no 

Forty-one Doors 1 but ve love i t just the same and i t s u i t s us 

f ine. 

Margie has v r i t t e n tvo mystery novels,* one plumb f i r s t rate 

from any point of viev, and the agents hopes of s e l l i n g i t are 

sanguine - and I three long short s t o r i e s (including a pouncing 

horror) vhich have also c a l l e d forth the varmest sangulnities 

from the hard-boiled. I have been vorking hard at the pomes too, 

bearing your vords v e i l in mind, and I f e e l I've done something 

very vorthy here too - about s i x t y nev ones - may I i n f l i c t some 

on you sometime i f you vould say the vord? The A t l a n t i c has held 

on to one for nearly three months, having sent a l l the others 

back, vhich might be a good sign. Hovever, apart from one in 

England, 3 I have met v i t h no material success here yet, not even 

from Poetry. But I don't care because I f e e l I am r e a l l y getting 

somevhere. 

In addition - a l l the Mss. from Linscott arrived on May 

Day! -

A l l of them are p e r f e c t l y unreadable as they stand, vhich 

makes me g r a t e f u l for your patience a l l over again, but as I say 

I am nov able to cope v i t h them, and i t vas a kind of good omen 

t h e i r a r r i v i n g vhen they did, just as ve had moved into our nev 

'house' vhich i s r e a l l y b e a u t i f u l , by the vay. 



310 

So - thank you Mary and Conrad! - and f o r your l e t t e r s . And 

now, a l l the l u c k i n the w o r l d t o 41 Doors and your p r o j e c t . How 

l u c k y , how l u c k y , and a g a i n l u c k y your p u p i l s a r e , and what a 

Godsent o p p o r t u n i t y t h e y have. I suppose i t ' s i n e v i t a b l e such 

o p p o r t u n i t i e s s h o u l d be v e r y r a r e but what hope or h e l p a 

European c r e a t i v e f e l l o w c o u l d get out of Cambridge and i t s 

b l o o d y t r i p o s e s seemed t o me t o depend too much on l u c k and - but 

I won't g e t g o i n g on the 'system' now. 

W e l l a l l the v e r y b e s t of l u c k t o you, and your p u p i l s , 

though t h e y a l r e a d y have i t , b e i n g s u c h . 

B l e s s i n g s . 

Male & M a r g i e . 



311 

E x p l a n a t o r y Notes 
1 F o r t y - o n e Doors: the A i k e n s ' home i n B r e w s t e r , 

M a s s a c h u s e t t s . 
2 The L a s t T v i s t of the K n i f e (Nev York: S c r i b n e r ' s , 1946) 

and The Shapes That Creep (Nev York: S c r i b n e r ' s , 1946). 

* I have not been a b l e t o i d e n t i f y any L o v r y poems p u b l i s h e d 
i n England a t t h i s t i m e . 

T e x t u a l Notes 

308.9 h ( a ) v e \ h ve ( t y p o . ) 

308.10 v h e r e \ v h e ( ^ } r e 

310.3-4 vhat a GodsentX vhat (a) Godsent 



312 

60: From LOWRY t o AIKEN 
TS H; u n p u b l i s h e d 

D o l l a r t o n P.O. 
D o l l a r t o n , B.C, 
Canada, 

August 13, 1941. 

Muy q u e r i d o Mary and Conrad: 

S a l u d y p e s e t a . 1 How goes the summer s c h o o l ? We a r e s t i l l 

s i t t i n g i n our c o t t a g e on the sea - which we own, the c o t t a g e 

t h a t i s , and damn i t , the sea t o o , why not? - u n t i l such time as 

Vancouver Aldermen i n v e s t i g a t e the s q u a t t e r ' s problem, which w i l l 

p r o b a b l y be never s i n c e we're not on c i t y l a n d - t a x f r e e , w i t h 

g e t t i n g on f i v e hundred d o l l a r s i n the bank which w i l l p r o b a b l y 

be broke b e f o r e the y e a r i s o u t , though i t has a p r o v i d e n t sound 

and i t would p r o b a b l y have r o t t e d i f we b u r i e d i t i n the ground, 

s t r i v i n g f o r what you c a l l a B e t t e r T h i n g , and gawd b l i m e y how we 

have s t r u v , and w i t h d i f f i d e n t , remote, or o c c a s i o n a l 

u n i l l u s t r i o u s l y l o c a l s u c c e s s as t o t h i n g s t a k e n and s o l d , but 

two wows of m y s t e r i e s by Margie c a l l e d The L a s t T w i s t of the 

K n i f e and the Shapes t h a t Creep t h a t w i l l come out some time and 

one l o n g s h o r t s t o r y u t t e r l y r e w r i t t e n r e c a s t and d e p l a g i a r i z e d 

and r e b o r n by me, t h a t L a s t Address which I t h i n k might l i v e when 

I am dead and damned or something and a pome i n the September 

A t l a n t i c - about the o n l y one of innumerable t o c l i c k anywhere -

c a l l e d In Memoriam f o r someone, 2 not the gardener t h i s t i m e , 

p r o b a b l y b u r i e d away somewhere i n t h e d e p t h s , not t o o bad, I hope 

you t h i n k , c e r t a i n l y i t i s muy c o r r e c t o , o n l y we wrote some music 



313 

f o r t h a t b e t t e r ( f o r the uke) o n l y i t ' s so d e p r e s s i n g one cannot 

s i n g i t w i t h o u t t h a t s e l f c o n s c i o u s t e a r drop g l i s t e n i n g i n the 

eye, and we had a s l i g h t a l t e r c a t i o n w i t h Weeks 3 t o o , j u s t t o be 

i n the f a m i l y , i n f a c t we h e l d up the A t l a n t i c which was more 

than Joshua c o u l d do or the C h i l d r e n of I s r a e l and a c t u a l l y had 

t o send i t a t e l e g r a m f i n a l l y . 

For the l a s t two months and f o r the next two we have been 

and a r e b u s y i n g o u r s e l f e x c l u s i v e l y w i t h t h a t Under the V o l c a n o 

book and In B a l l a s t t o the White Sea, which have had t o be 

t h o r o u g h l y d e l o u s e d and g i v e n two new h a n d l e s and two new b l a d e s , 

o t h e r w i s e i t s the same o l d c r i c k e t b a t . However we d e c i d e d t h a t 

a l l the c h a r a c t e r s c o u l d not be e q u a l l y dead and have a l l q u i t e 

the same look - t h e y had t o be d i s t r i b u t e d i n d i f f e r e n t p o s t u r e s 

t h r o u g h o u t the morgue anyway - and t h i s has p r e s e n t e d some n i c e 

problems, most of them n e a t l y s o l v e d , we f e e l . I t h i n k t h e y may 

both end up f i r s t r a t e , which would be a m i r a c l e , but not 

i m p o s s i b l e . 

The c u r r e n t problem (damn i t , can I ever get t h r o u g h a 

l e t t e r t o you w i t h o u t a s k i n g you a f a v o u r ) i s re Houghton 

M i f f l i n ' s f e l l o w s h i p , the a p p l i c a t i o n b l a n k f o r which L i n s c o t t 

has s e n t us, t h a t i s , i n t h i s c a s e , me. 

I have among o t h e r t h i n g s t o send i n l e t t e r s from two 

r e s p o n s i b l e persons - t h e y may r e f e r e i t h e r t o a p p l i c a n t s 

c h a r a c t e r or l i t e r a r y q u a l i f i c a t i o n s or b o t h . Do you t h i n k as an 

o l d p u p i l I c o u l d ask you humbly t o send such a b r i e f l e t t e r -

t h a t i s , two b r i e f l e t t e r s , one from you and one from Mary, 

b r i e f l y p a s s i n g over the f a c t t h a t I might have n e i t h e r : a d d r e s s 



314 

them t o Houghton M i f f l i n of c o u r s e but p l e a s e send them t o me t o 

e n c l o s e w i t h the o t h e r t h i n g s because I have not y e t r e c e i v e d 

p e r m i s s i o n t o e n t e r f o r the f e l l o w s h i p from my a g e n t . I can 

guarantee the work i n q u e s t i o n d e p l a g i a r i z e d and t h a t i t w i l l be 

done, even i f i t has t o be f i n i s h e d w i t h a bayonet. And I'd be 

most g r a t e f u l i f you would do t h i s f o r me. 

But I must send o f f the l e t t e r s , mss. e t c . from here t o 

Houghton M i f f l i n by September 1 t o a l l o w f o r d e l a y s , c e n s o r s , 

a c t s of God, e t c . 

I hope a l l i s v e r y w e l l w i t h you both and w e l l w i t h your 

f r i e n d s a b r o a d . John? Ed?* 

I haven't heard a mumblin word from L i v e r p o o l - w e l l , j u s t 

one s l i g h t ambiguous mumble - s i n c e b e f o r e the bad a i r r a i d s 

t h e r e . No word from anyone e l s e . The w o r l d seems t o have r e e l e d 

away from one a l t o g e t h e r i n t o a b l o o d s h o t p a l l of h o r r o r and 

h y p o c r i s y , a chaos w i t h o u t melody.* 

I f you can s p a r e more words of a d v i c e as w e l l f o r one who 

wants h o n e s t l y s t i l l t o d i s c i p l i n e h i m s e l f t o be a poet I'd be 

a w f u l l y g r a t e f u l . I haven't s e n t a n y t h i n g a l o n g y e t because not 

q u i t e s a t i s f i e d w i t h a n y t h i n g . 

We remain d i s g u s t i n g l y w e l l and happy: I u n r e c o g n i z a b l y f i t , 

not a pouch, not an ounce, not a f u n e r a l b l o a t . 

God b l e s s . 

Male. 



315 

E x p l a n a t o r y Notes 
1 " S a l u d y p e s e t a t s ] " : S p a n i s h t o a s t meaning " h e a l t h and 

money." C f . Under the Volcano (Nev York: R e y n a l & H i t c h c o c k / 
1947) : 

" S a l u d y p e s e t a s . " 
"Y tiempo para g a s t a r l a s " (6) 

and 
" S a l u d y p e s e t a s " ( 3 2 8 ) . 

2 " I n Memoriam: I n g v a l d B j o r n d a l , " A t l a n t i c M o n t h l y 168.4 
(Oct. 19 41): 501. 

3 Edvard Weeks; see l e t t e r 55, n. 1, p. 299. 

* John Davenport; Edvard B u r r a . 
s Cf. Houston P e t e r s o n ' s The Melody of Chaos; see l e t t e r 7, 

n. 9, p. 48. 



316 

61; From AIKEN t o LOWRY 
TS UBC; u n p u b l i s h e d 

b r e w s t e r mass, 

aug 16 41 

Dear Male--

b r i e f l y i n d d e d , f o r the s c h o o l keeps us busy. 

Three l i v e l y problems, and i n a d d i t i o n one g r a d u a t e s t u d e n t , 

C h a r l e s H a m i l t o n , 1 who was of our f i r s t v i n t a g e , Rye, 1938 2--we 

have no s p a r e t i m e , l i t t l e s p a r e energy. Saves the bacon, t o o , 

as o t h e r w i s e we'd be p e n n i l e s s , worse than p e n n i l e s s — $ 5 0 0 i n 

d e b t . As i t i s , we may be a b l e t o pay o f f some b i l l s , and s t a r t 

the w i n t e r w i t h an o u t s i d e chance of g e t t i n g t h r o u g h . Your own 

s t a t u s a s t o n i s h e s and m y s t i f i e s me, not t o mention d e 1 i g h t s - - b u t 

how d i d you do i t , I mean, r i s e from u t t e r b a f f l e d i n d i g e n c e t o 

manorhood?- E x p l a i n , e l u c i d a t e , expound. And f i v e hundred i n the 

bank, t o o . Gor b l i m e y ! There must be an e x c l u d e d m i d d l e 

somewhere. Did you hear from S t u a r t L e g g 3 - - t o whom I have g i v e n 

your a d d r e s s , w i t h a view t o h i s a s k i n g you t o do some work f o r 

f i l l u m s ? Sounded s o r t of p r o m i s i n g , I t h o u g h t . Margaret Legg i s 

here i n B r e w s t e r , w i t h k i d s , i n a c o t t a g e — b u t of t h a t I w i l l say 

n o t h i n g i n p r i n t , no. S t u a r t came down f o r a few days and i t was 

good t o see him: a queer broody c r e a t u r e , but n i c e . I a s s u r e d 

him you were one of the w o r l d ' s b e s t informed people i n r e 

movies. Marve l l o u s about t h e a t l a n t i c - - t h a t ' s more than I can 

do, so I f e a r I c a n ' t h e l p you as t o p o t r y - - n o t t h a t I'm not 

d e l i g h t e d t o see what you a r e d o i n g . As f o r me, I have done 

n o t h i n g but the b e g i n n i n g of a p o t e n t i a l long-poem,* or 



317 

s e m i p o t e n t i a l , and a group of c i t y eclogues,, which m i l d l y please 

me.* A novel i n mind, but no more than notes f o r i t . Ed w r i t e s 

o f t e n and [ b ] r i l l i a n t l y . John and N i n a 6 hope to come here when 

a l l i s over. Jane i s married to Angus Smart, a pedant, and l i v e s 

a t Saskatoon, Saskatchewan—address, 8 Wilbur Court, 6th Ave. 

North; Sask. Paul Nash- 7 i s a t Oxford, doing war drawings. I 

haven't p a i d any r e n t on Jeake's House f o r a year and a h a l f , and 

look l i k e l o s i n g i t . I had my twenty t e e t h out i n May and June, 

and now have du Pont f a l s i e s of great beauty and t o l e r a b l e speed. 

And t h a t i s the news to t h i s moment. Your photo i s a f a n t a s y , 

Margie's v e r y p r e t t y . When w i l l you come e a s t , or are you now 

permanent waves, and what do you l i v e on???? Enclosed the 

p l a u d i t s . 6 

as ev 

Conrad 



E x p l a n a t o r y Notes 
x Not i d e n t i f i e d . 
2 See l e t t e r 30, n. 8, p. 202. 
3 S t u a r t Legg (1910- ), B r i t i s h documentary p r o d u c e r -

d i r e c t o r ; educated a t Cambridge U n i v e r s i t y ; became chairman 
B r i t a i n ' s F i l m C e n t r e I n t e r n a t i o n a l i n 1957. 

4 The S o l d i e r : A Poem, The P o e t s of the Year S e r i e s 39 
( N o r f o l k , Conn.: New D i r e c t i o n s , 1944). 

9 Brownstone E c l o g u e s and Other Poems (New York: D u e l l , 
S l o a n and P e a r c e , 1942). 

8 John and Nina A i k e n . 
7 P a u l Nash; see l e t t e r 44, n. 2, p. 265. 
8 These a r e m i s s i n g . 

T e x t u a l Notes 

317.3 [ b ] r i l l i a n t l y . \ n r i l l i a n t l y . [ t y p o . ] 



319 

1942-1954 

. . . s a y t o y o u r s e l f , t h i s guy l o v e s me, or he 
wouldn't be so b l o o d y c a n d i d about me. 

22 J a n u a r y 1952 l e t t e r from A i k e n t o Lowry 



320 

1942-1954 

By 1942, both the A i k e n s and Lowrys had s e t t l e d down i n 

t h e i r r e s p e c t i v e p a r a d i s o s , A i k e n i n h i s " j u n g l e " i n West 

B r e w s t e r and Lowry i n h i s w a t e r f r o n t shack i n D o l l a r t o n . In 

s p i t e of the war, a l l seems t o have been r e l a t i v e l y calm d u r i n g 

t h i s p e r i o d . In the summers the A i k e n s r a n t h e i r summer s c h o o l 

i n w r i t i n g and p a i n t i n g which t h e y ' d o r i g i n a l l y begun i n Rye i n 

1938; Lowry, meanwhile, spent much of h i s time w o r k i n g on Under  

the Volcano and swimming i n B u r r a r d I n l e t . 

However, on 7 June 1944, d i s a s t e r s t r u c k . Lowry awoke t h a t 

morning t o f i n d the r o o f of t h e i r shack on f i r e ; w i t h i n no time 

the e n t i r e b u i l d i n g and most of i t s c o n t e n t s had been d e s t r o y e d . 

While M a r g e r i e had been a b l e t o save the m a n u s c r i p t of Under the  

V o l c a n o . Lowry's o t h e r n o v e l , " I n B a l l a s t t o the White Sea," was 

l o s t . Two weeks l a t e r the Lowrys t r a v e l l e d t o O a k v i l l e , O n t a r i o 

t o s t a y w i t h Lowry and A i k e n ' s mutual f r i e n d from Cambridge, 

G e r a l d Noxon. By December of t h a t y e a r , the Lowrys had f o l l o w e d 

G e r a l d and B e t t y Noxon t o N i a g a r a - o n - t h e - L a k e where t h e y r e n t e d a 

house of t h e i r own. That C h r i s t m a s Eve, Lowry p r e s e n t e d Noxon 

w i t h a completed d r a f t of Under the V o l c a n o . 

In F e b r u a r y 1945 the Lowrys r e t u r n e d t o D o l l a r t o n where t h e y 

began the h e f t y t a s k of r e b u i l d i n g t h e i r shack. That same year 

A i k e n , t o o , was f o r c e d t o r e t u r n t o h i s o l d p l a c e of r e s i d e n c e . 

The damage s u f f e r e d by Jeake's House i n the war was too s e r i o u s 

t o l e t the house go any l o n g e r w i t h o u t r e p a i r s . By e a r l y 

November the A i k e n s had s e t s a i l f o r L i v e r p o o l , d e s t i n e d f o r Rye. 

On 28 November, the h a l f - b u i l t shack p r o v i n g inadequate 



321 

p r o t e c t i o n a g a i n s t the w i n t e r c o l d , the Lowrys l e f t f o r Mexico. 

There t h e y s e t t l e d i n Cuernavaca where t h e y were a b l e t o r e v i s i t 

Lowry's o l d haunts and b e g i n a new n o v e l based on the t r i p , Dark  

as the Grave Wherein Mv F r i e n d i s L a i d . In l a t e December, Lowry 

r e c e i v e d news of Jonathan Cape's p r o v i s i o n a l a c c e p t a n c e of Under  

t h e V o l c a n o . I t was i n response t o t h i s , i n J a n u a r y 1946, t h a t 

he wrote h i s now famous l e t t e r t o Cape w i t h a c h a p t e r by c h a p t e r 

defence and e x p l i c a t i o n of the n o v e l ( B r e i t , S e l e c t e d L e t t e r s 57-

8 8 ) . In March the Lowrys t r a v e l l e d t o A c a p u l c o where t h e y r a n 

i n t o t r o u b l e w i t h the Mexican I m m i g r a t i o n A u t h o r i t i e s . They were 

e v e n t u a l l y d e p o r t e d from the c o u n t r y i n e a r l y May, but not b e f o r e 

t h e y had r e c e i v e d the news t h a t Under the V o l c a n o had been 

a c c e p t e d both i n the U n i t e d S t a t e s and E n g l a n d . 

A i k e n meanwhile was e x p e r i e n c i n g f i n a n c i a l d i f f i c u l t i e s i n 

Rye. D e s p i t e the moderate s u c c e s s i n London of h i s p l a y "Fear No 

More" (based upon h i s s h o r t s t o r y "Mr. A r c u l a r i s " ) , and the 

p u b l i c a t i o n of h i s l o n g poem, The K i d , which he d e d i c a t e d t o 

Lowry, he d e c i d e d t o s e l l Jeake's House and r e t u r n t o Forty-One 

Doors. Yet by the f o l l o w i n g year he was s t i l l w i t h o u t a buyer, 

and i n June 1947 he l e f t a l o n e f o r West B r e w s t e r , l e a v i n g Mary 

b e h i n d t o s e l l J e a k e ' s . 

D u r i n g t h i s time the Lowrys had been p r e p a r i n g f o r the 

p u b l i c a t i o n of Under the V o l c a n o . A l t h o u g h t h e y d i d n ' t have t o 

be i n New York u n t i l F e b r u a r y 1947, t h e y d e c i d e d t o once a g a i n 

f l e e the Vancouver w i n t e r , l e a v i n g i n November by bus f o r New 

O r l e a n s , and from t h e r e on 26 December aboard a f r e i g h t e r bound 

f o r H a i t i . I t was not u n t i l p u b l i c a t i o n day i t s e l f , 19 F e b r u a r y 



322 

1947, t h a t the Lowrys f i n a l l y a r r i v e d i n New York. 

By March the Lowrys had r e t u r n e d t o D o l l a r t o n , s t o p p i n g on 

the way t o v i s i t the Noxons i n N i a g a r a . In November, however, 

t h e y were a g a i n on the move, bound t h i s time f o r France v i a the 

Panama C a n a l . In Vernon i n e a r l y 1948 t h e y were i n t r o d u c e d t o 

Joan B l a c k , w i t h whom t h e y s t a y e d f o r a few months and from whose 

home Lowry was a b l e t o meet C l a r i s s e F r a n c i l l o n and h e l p w i t h the 

F r e n c h t r a n s l a t i o n of Under the V o l c a n o . A year l a t e r , i n 

J a n u a r y 1949, a f t e r t r a v e l l i n g t h r o u g h I t a l y and E n g l a n d , t h e y 

r e t u r n e d once more t o D o l l a r t o n where Lowry worked on Dark as the  

Grave and a c o l l e c t i o n of s h o r t s t o r i e s Hear Us 0 L o r d From  

Heaven Thy D w e l l i n g P l a c e . 

In l a t e 1950 the A i k e n s moved t o Washington, D.C. where 

A i k e n was employed as P o e t r y C o n s u l t a n t t o the L i b r a r y of 

Congress. A l t h o u g h t h e y s t a y e d f o r i n t e r m i t t e n t p e r i o d s i n t h e i r 

f l a t i n New York C i t y , most of t h e i r time u n t i l l a t e 1952 was 

spent i n Washington. These y e a r s were p r o f i t a b l e ones f o r A i k e n . 

In f a c t , t h i s was the f i r s t time he had h e l d a f u l l time p o s i t i o n 

s i n c e a c t i n g as w r i t e r i n r e s i d e n c e a t H a r v a r d i n 1929. In 1952 

the l i t e r a r y j o u r n a l Wake d e v o t e d an e n t i r e i s s u e t o A i k e n t o 

which Lowry c o n t r i b u t e d a l o n g l e t t e r t o the e d i t o r (80-89). I n 

October of the same y e a r , A i k e n ' s " h a u g h t y b i o g r a p h y , " Ushant, was 

p u b l i s h e d and f a v o u r a b l y r e c e i v e d . By the f o l l o w i n g O c t o b e r , 

O x f o r d U n i v e r s i t y P r e s s had p u b l i s h e d a one-volume e d i t i o n of h i s 

C o l l e c t e d Poems, the s e l e c t i o n f o r which Lowry had a d v i s e d A i k e n 

i n 1945 ( l e t t e r 70, p. 366-68), and i n 1954 t h i s c o l l e c t i o n 

r e c e i v e d the N a t i o n a l Book Award. 



323 

In A p r i l 1952, L o v r y , t e m p o r a r i l y a t l e a s t , vas a l s o b l e s s e d 

w i t h good l u c k . Random House had a t t h i s time o f f e r e d him a two-

a n d - a - h a l f -year c o n t r a c t , c a l l i n g f o r the c o m p l e t i o n of two 

n o v e l s and a s h o r t s t o r y i n t h a t time p e r i o d . At f i r s t Lowry 

worked f a s t and d i l i g e n t l y ; however, by J a n u a r y 1954 he had 

r e a l l y o n l y completed Hear Us 0 L o r d , and Random House d e c i d e d t o 

break the c o n t r a c t . T h i s , combined w i t h the t h r e a t s of e v i c t i o n 

t h a t had been s t e a d i l y mounting i n i n t e n s i t y f o r the p a s t few 

y e a r s , c o n v i n c e d t h e L o v r y s t o a g a i n l e a v e D o l l a r t o n . A l t h o u g h 

t h e y v a g u e l y i n t e n d e d t o r e t u r n , t h i s was t o be t h e i r f i n a l 

l e a v e - t a k i n g . In August'1954 t h e y . l e f t f o r New York where t h e y 

s t a y e d w i t h David Markson, a graduate s t u d e n t who had w r i t t e n a 

d i s s e r t a t i o n on Under the V o l c a n o and who had v i s i t e d the Lowrys 

i n the summer of 1952. When n o t i f i e d by Lowry of h i s a r r i v a l i n 

New York and of the upcoming p a r t y t h a t was t o be h e l d i n Lowry's 

honour ( l e t t e r 8 7 ) , A i k e n made the t r i p from West B r e w s t e r . 

U n f o r t u n a t e l y , t h e i r r e u n i o n was not q u i t e the event i t s h o u l d 

have been. Lowry, a l t h o u g h he had v i s i t e d A i k e n some hours 

e a r l i e r i n h i s " c o l d water f l a t , " was nervous about the upcoming 

g a t h e r i n g and a r r i v e d a t the p a r t y drunk; he and A i k e n were 

b a r e l y a b l e t o speak t o one a n o t h e r . Some days l a t e r , perhaps i n 

l i e u of an a p o l o g y , Lowry s e n t A i k e n a t e l e g r a m ( l e t t e r 8 9 ) ; a 

few weeks l a t e r he boarded a s h i p f o r M i l a n . I t i s h e r e , s a d l y , 

t h a t t h e i r c o r r e s p o n d e n c e ends. 



324 

62: From AIKEN t o LOWRY 
TS UBC; K i l l o r i n 259 

B r e w s t e r Mass. 

Feb 12 42 

Our b e s t b e l o v e d Male--

f o r g i v e my l o n g s i l e n c e , which 

has not been i n d i f f e r e n c e , or i n g r a t i t u d e f o r a m a r v e l l o u s 

l e t t e r , but sheer i m p o s s i b i l i t y s i t t i n g round me l i k e a w a l l : an 

i m p o s s i n i l i t y b u i l t of many t h i n g s . F a t i g u e , worry, work, 

a c e d i a , v i s i t o r s , i l l n e s s , ( n o t h i n g s e r i o u s - - b a d c o l d p l u s 

v e r t i g o ) have j u s t somehow combined t o render l e t t e r - w r i t i n g 

(even t o my own c h i l d r e n ) , a non pos. I have been t r y i n g t o 

f i n i s h a new book of pomes,3- and t r y i n g t o s e l l them, f o r we have 

been b r o k e , and i n Dec and Jan a l o n g a r t i c l e f o r the A t l a n t i c 2 

had t o be done, and read f o r , and s a t over me l i k e the b e l l y of a 

c l o u d , p r e v e n t i n g me from t h i n k i n g f r e e l y or h a p p i l y of a n y t h i n g 

e l s e . ( J e s u s how I hate w r i t i n g c r i t i c i s m . ) Now t h a t t h a t i s 

done, and the p r o o f s d i s p a t c h e d t o d a y , I can l o o k round me a t the 

s i n i s t e r w o r l d a g a i n , and b e g i n to imagine or t r y to imagine 

f u r t h e r d e v i c e s f o r k e e p i n g us out of i n s t a n t b a n k r u p t c y . And 

a l l happens a t once--the t r u s t e e s f o r J House 3 have clamped down 

on me f o r not p a y i n g any r e n t t h e s e two y e a r s , and so we must 

s e l l i t ; words f a i l me as t o t h i s ; d i d you ever put up your h e a r t 

and s o u l f o r a u c t i o n ? But I r a t i o n a l i z e v e r y n i m b l y about i t ; i t 

has s e r v e d i t s time and purpose; the b e s t y e a r s i n i t a r e gone; 

i t w i l l never i t s e l f , or Rye, be the same a g a i n . Tout de meme, 

when I t h i n k of i t I f e e l as i f the P i c c a d i l l y t u b e , m i l e s of i t , 



3 2 5 

were being e x t r a c t e d from my i n s i d e s , a whole world swooping 

through a t u n n e l . And a l l the contents, or most of them, s o l d , 

too — though we do hope to salvage a few o b j e c t s and get them sent 

out. Sad, sad, sad. And sad. . . Rye, they do say, i s s p o i l e d . 

Gone tough, f u l l of rape and v i o l e n c e , even murder; Canadian 

s o l d i e r s k i c k e d to death by midlanders; c h i e f l y because they get 

a l l the g i r l s . The son of the Bryan who runs the Ship Inn was 

stabbed to death by h i s swiss wife the other day, and so on and 

so on. Blimey. E d 4 w r i t e s more and more g l o o m i l y , so do the 

Mackechnies. B Ed not too w e l l , the spleen a g a i n e m b i t t e r i n g 

i t s e l f , but h o l d i n g out b r a v e l y j u s t the same and working w e l l . 

John and h i s w i f e 6 plan to come here post war: J a n e 7 and her 

husband a t Saskatoon, but t r y i n g to get to Washington. Our 

summer s c h o o l 6 looks l i k e being torpedoed once again, worse l u c k , 

and what we s h a l l t u r n our hands t o , god knows: I may a p p l y f o r a 

South American good neighbour job, a poet e r r a n t i n B r a z i l , e t c . 

Or rampant i n Ecuador. Houston P e t e r s o n 9 has bought a house 

three miles from here, which i s g o o d — s o we hope to hang on, i n 

the hope that he may b r i n g us p e c u n i a r i l y u s e f u l c o n t a c t s with 

Columbia Univ and Rutgers d i t t o . You and Margie were damned n i c e 

about C o n v e r s a t i o n , 1 0 and very f l a t t e r i n g l y p e r c e p t i v e . Yes, i t 

a l l comes down to a heavy d e f e a t f o r the poor o l d male animal, a 

great v i c t o r y f o r the e l a n v i t a l and the more deadly female; a l s o 

of s o c i e t y over the a r t i s t . Is he, you say, r e a l l y i n love with 

h i s wife? Blimey i f I know—-I d guess not, what with t h a t there 

other g a l from whom he t h i n k s he i s p a r t i n g . Wasn't he f o o l i n g 

h i m s e l f ? I dunno. But I think so. I wish the p u b l i s h e r s had 



326 

l e f t ray own t i t i e - - T H E c o n v e r s a t i o n 1 3 - - - i t p o i n t s a l i t t l e more t o 

the form, as of one c o n t i n u o u s argument on a g i v e n theme, 

r e a c h i n g i t s i n e v i t a b l e c o n c l u s i o n , but embracing o t h e r oddments 

en r o u t e . That c o n v e r s a t i o n i s the theme. The d e a d l y female 

t h i n g w o r k i n g i t s e l f i n t o the s u p e r i o r p o s i t i o n , and d r a g g i n g the 

male t o bed, even p e r s u a d i n g him t h a t he was the one who thought 

of i t by gosh. H o l y c a t s . As f o r the Chorus c h a r a c t e r s , I would 

have l e f t them out e n t i r e l y , i f I c o u l d - - b u t f e a r e d I must s u p p l y 

j u s t a scumble of background f o l k , f o r v i s u a l s u p p o r t ; hence the 

s l i g h t n e s s . They e x i s t o n l y f o r the sake of p l a u s i b i l i t y , 

f u r n i t u r e , scene. I'm d e l i g h t e d you l i k e d i t , h o w e v e r - - t h a t ' s 

good. How goes the p o e t r y ? and what e l s e ? and how the merry 

h e l l do you get money out of e n g l a n d , or i s i t t h a t you f i n a l l y 

c o l l a r e d the funds i n Los Ang? I'm d e l i g h t e d t h a t you p r o s p e r , 

however, whatever the s o u r c e . As f o r me, I've f i n i s h e d the new 

book of perms, Brownstone E c o l o g u e s , 1 2 an urban s e r i e s , - - t o o 

soone f o r me t o judge them. They a r e more o b j e c t i v e / r e p o r t o r i a l , 

t h a n a n y t h i n g p r e v i o u s , I t h i n k , s t r i c t i n form ( p r e t t y - - m o s t l y 

h e r o i c c o u p l e t or q u a t r a i n , and f o r m a l i n f l a v o u r ) and w i t h j a z z 

and q u o t i d i a n i n g r e d i e n t s , not t o say humour. What i t a l l adds 

up t o i s beyond ray own a d d i n g machine, but I k i n d of l i k e 'em. 

Now I'm a t t e m p t i n g a p s e u d o - a u t o b i o g r a p h y , 1 3 or a t t e m p t i n g i t 

a g a i n , w i t h a new t i t l e : The L i v e s and Adventures of Merrymount 

Nipmuk. But no g r e a t p r o g r e s s y e t . . . . Mary has been i n 

Boston t h r e e days, d o i n g a p o r t r a i t f o r her s p r i n g show ( A p r i l , 

i n " ) so I've been camping out i n the w i l d e r n e s s en g a r c o n . 

C o l d as h e l l , n o r t h wind o f f the Bay, but l o v e l y . S h e r r y a t 



327 

noon, orange blossoms i n the e v e n i n g , c h a b l i s a t d i n n e r , by way 

of k e e p i n g up the morale! And now I f e e l s u r e i t ' s time f o r the 

g l a s s of C a l i f o r n i a s h e r y , i n f a c t ; so pop goes the w e a s e l . 

l o v e t o you both 

Conrad 

Do you ever hear 

from John Dav.? 1 * 

J e r r y , 1 * t i s s a i d , i s t r y i n g t o p u b l i s h a n o v e l about 

m e — d e s c r i b e d as hot s t u f f ! Ten Years w i t h the Face on 

the Bar room F l o o r ! 1 * 



328 

E x p l a n a t o r y Notes 
I Brownstone E c l o g u e s and O t h e r Poems (New York: D u e l l , 

S l o a n and P e a r c e , 1942). 
a "American W r i t e r s Come of Age," A t l a n t i c M o n t h l y 169.4 

( A p r . 1942): 476-81. 
3 J e a k e ' s House: A i k e n ' s house i n Rye; see l e t t e r 1, n. 9, 

p. 8. 

* Edward John B u r r a ; see l e t t e r 7, n. 10, p. 48. 
B M a r g a r e t and Robert (1894-1975) Mackechnie, a r t i s t f r i e n d s 

o f A i k e n i n Rye. 

* John and N i n a A i k e n , A i k e n ' s e l d e s t son and h i s w i f e ; c f . 
l e t t e r 44, p. 263, and l e t t e r 61, p. 317. 

7 Jane A i k e n , A i k e n ' s e l d e s t d a u g h t e r . 
a See l e t t e r 30, n. 8, p. 202. 

* See l e t t e r 7, n. 9, p. 48. 
x o C o n v e r s a t i o n or P i l g r i m s ' P r o g r e s s (New York: D u e l l , 

S l o a n and P e a r c e , 1940). 
I I The 1948 E n g l i s h e d i t i o n does have A i k e n ' s p r e f e r r e d 

t i t l e : The C o n v e r s a t i o n o r P i l g r i m s ' P r o g r e s s ; A D o m e s t i c 
Symphony (London: Rodney P h i l l i p s & Green, 1948). 

i a See n. 1 above. 
1 3 u s h a n t ; An E s s a y . 
x * John Davenport; see l e t t e r 7, n. 12, p. 49. 

=•» " J e r r y " : A i k e n ' s second w i f e , C l a r i s s a L o r e n z . A i k e n may 
be r e f e r r i n g t o her book, L o r e l e i Two: Mv L i f e With Conrad A i k e n 
( A t h e n s : U of G e o r g i a P, 1983). 

x « C f . Under the V o l c a n o : ". . . t h e u n c o n t r o l l a b l e f a c e on 
t h e bar-room f l o o r . . ." ( 3 7 0 ) . T h i s i s p o s s i b l y a r e f e r e n c e t o 
T a y l o r Holmes' (1878-1959) song, "The Face on the Barroom F l o o r , " 
r e c o r d e d i n 1923 ( A c k e r l e y 441). 

324.7 

324.12 

T e x t u a l Notes 

combined\ combine<e>{d) 

a n y t h i n g \ a n y { t ) h i n g 



329 

324.17-18 clamped down on me\ clampe{d} down on < [ i l l e g . ] > me 

324.20 n i m b l y \ nimbl<e>{y} 

325.7 s o n \ son<e> 

325.10 s p l e e n \ <sp>{sp}<ele>{lee}n 

325.13 husband a t S a s k a t o o n , \ husband a t <at> S a s k a t o o n , 

325.23 e'lanX ^ l a n 

325.24 s o c i e t y \ s o c i { e } t y 

325.25 what w i t h t h a t t h e r e \ what with<at> { t h a t } 

t h e < i r > { r e } 

326.7 c h a r a c t e r s , \ c h a r a c < j > { t } e r s , 

326.18 m o s t l y \ most<o>{l}y 

326.22 a t t e m p t i n g \ attemp{t}in<t>{g} 

326.23 new t i t l e : \ new t i t l e { : } 

327.3 s h e r y , i n f a c t ; \ she<e>ry, i n fact<,>{;} 
327.6-10 Do you ever hear [. . . .] F l o o r ! \ [ h a n d w r i t t e n a t 

end of l e t t e r ] 



330 

63; FKom, A I K E N t o LOWRY 
TS UBC; u n p u b l i s h e d 

{FORTY-ONE DOORS 
STONY BROOK ROAD 
BREWSTER, MASS.) 

[21 Oct 1942) 

f o r g i v e me o l d Male and one of t h e s e days maybe the w h i r l 

w i l l s p i n t o a pause and g i v e me a chance t o w r i t e a l e t t e r , i f 

o n l y a b r i e f one. S c h o o l has run on from summer t o autumn, and 

goes on t i l l 1 9 4 3 x — g o o d f o r us f i n a n c i a l l y , but w e a r y i n g t o a 

d e g r e e — j u s t keeps us a l i v e , but l e a v e s us unable t o do much work 

of our own. So g l a d about M's book, 2 and your own h e a l t h n e w s — 

what a r e l i e f t o have the p a r a l y s i s m y s t e r y s o l v e d and s a l v e d ! 

J e a k e ' s House* has had t h e b l a s t of a bomb, i t s windows gone, and 

t i l e s , and p l a s t e r down, damage so f a r t o p o s s e s s i o n s e t c 

unknown. Wish I c o u l d g e t t h e r e somehow—dream about Rye and 

H a s t i n g s and London. Oh me. 

our l o v e s and more l a t e r 

Conrad 



E x p l a n a t o r y Notes 
1 The A i k e n s ' summer s c h o o l ; see l e t t e r 30, n. 8, p. 202 
2 M a r g e r i e Bonner, The L a s t T w i s t of the K n i f e (New York 

S c r i b n e r ' s , 1946 ) . 
3 See l e t t e r 1, n. 9, p. 8. 

T e x t u a l Notes 

Address ( A i k e n has used a l e t t e r h e a d p o s t c a r d w i t h the 
a d d r e s s as quoted] 

Date [the p o s t c a r d i s postmarked Oct 21 1942] 

330.3 b r i e f \ b r < e i > ( i e } f 

330.5 l e a v e s us\ l e a v e { s } us 

330.7 r e l i e f \ r e l i ( e } f 

330.8 has had\ ha<d>{s} had 

330.9 p l a s t e r \ p l a < t s > { s t e } r 



332 

64: From AIKEN t o LOWRY 
TS H; u n p u b l i s h e d 

B r e w s t e r Mass 

Aug 9 43 

Dear o l d Male: 

Are you s t i l l t h e r e ? 

Y e s 7 I know, as a c o r r e s p o n d e n t I am below 

z e r o . Don't know how i t i s , I j u s t c a n ' t w r i t e l e t t e r s anymore, 

even when I have the time and the o p p o r t u n i t y and the m o t i v e . 

When G e r a l d and B e t t y 1 and L [ a ] u r e n c e 2 were here i n F e b r u a r y I 

swore I'd send you a t l e a s t a f e s t i v e p o s t c a r d t o l e t you know of 

the f i n e f r e n z i e s h e r e , but d i d I ? No I d i d n ' t . Yes, i t was a 

gay week, w i t h the temperature 12 below, but p l e n t y of g i n i n the 

house, and much music. And n i c e t o see Laurence a g a i n . ( I f we 

had o n l y known, the BBC was d o i n g a b r o a d c a s t of S e n l i n i n 

England w h i l e t h e y were h e r e : a r r a n g e d by Edward S a c k v i l l e - W e s t : 3 

but I d i d n ' t know about i t m y s e l f t i l l two months a f t e r . ) 

We have no summer s c h o o l t h i s y e a r - - d i d n ' t 

even t r y , t h i n g s b e i n g what t h e y a r e . But L i b b y Brown, 4 one of 

l a s t y e a r ' s p a r t y , s t i l l s t a y s on, and w i l l t i l l September or 

O c t o b e r : a n i c e and g i f t e d g a l e x c e p t when she goes s c h i z o i d 

p e r i o d i c a l l y , and b u s t s t h i n g s up i n f i n e s t y l e , as she d i d l a s t 

week on the o c c a s i o n of the f i f t y - f o u r t h b i r t h d a y p a r t y . 3 As a 

r e s u l t , we've s e n t her t o v i s i t a c o u s i n i n New York f o r a few 

d a y s , h o p i n g i t w i l l calm her down a g a i n . She r e a l l y s u p p o r t s 

us--$185 a month--so we view her impending d e p a r t u r e w i t h mixed 

f e e l i n g s : w e ' l l be out i n the c o l d a g a i n . P r o s p e c t s not improved 



333 

e i t h e r by the f a c t t h a t Mary has j u s t had a s h o w — B o s t o n , M a y — 

and so c a n t have a n o t h e r f o r a c o u p l e of y e a r s : and t h i s one a 

f l o p , c o s t i n g us $150 i n expenses. D i s c o u r a g i n g f o r the poor 

g a l , t o o , she had worked hard and w e l l , and i t was much her b e s t 

c o l l e c t i o n t o d a t e . There a i n t no j u s t i c e . 

We l i v e an a l m o s t w h o l l y b u c o l i c e x i s t e n c e , 

e x c e p t f o r a weekly j a u n t i n the f o r d t o Hyannis f o r l u n c h and a 

movie and the m a r k e t i n g . Our hens number f i f t y odd, and t h e r e 

are a l s o two ducks, known r e s p e c t i v e l y as the dumb c l u c k and the 

clumb duck. V e g e t a b l e s grow here and t h e r e , and f r u i t : p o t a t o s , 

c o r n , squash, tomatos, peppers, a s p a r a g u s ; beans t o o , but t h r e e 

woodchucks i n s u c c e s s i o n have c l e a n e d them out b e f o r e t h e y ever 

got t o the p o t . L a s t n i g h t f o r the f i r s t time we a t e one of our 

own b r o i l e r s — o baby. In f a c t , , t h i s i s a f i n e p l a c e , and we 

sometimes wonder i f w e ' l l ever want t o l i v e anywhere e l s e a g a i n , 

or f o r l o n g . Jeake's House 6 s t i l l s t a n d s , somewhat b a t t e r e d , and 

the f u r n i t u r e p a r t l y s o l d t o pay the r e n t and p a r t l y s t o r e d — 

windows and p a r t s of r o o f gone, p a r t i t i o n s blown down, but no 

g r e a t s t r u c t u r a l i n j u r y so f a r as I know. We may go back and t r y 

a summer s c h o o l t h e r e , d . v . , 7 — b u t what w i l l Rye be p o s t war?? 

Ed wants t o come h e r e : 8 so does John: so does J o a n . 3 We a r e 

t o r n . And much of c o u r s e w i l l depend on the pocket-book. We're 

s t i l l p a y i n g o f f the mortgage on t h i s house, $ 1 5 0 0 . w o r t h — t h e 

f i r s t t w e l v e y e a r s a r e the h a r d e s t . 

How about the pomes, and o t h e r w o i k s . Do you see any 

p e o p l e ? any J a p s ? Our own l i f e i s on the whole t o o s o c i a l , - - o r 

a t any r a t e too s o c i a l i n s p r i n g and summer; tends t o be too shut 



334 

i n i n w i n t e r . Can't l e a v e the c h i c k e n s . And we had a c a t , 

Oedipuss S i m p l e x , 1 0 one of the b e s t : but he d i e d y e s t e r d a y of 

a r s e n i c p o i s o n i n g , poor l a d : and we a r e d e s o l a t e d . A p e r s o n of 

i n t e g r i t y , and a f i n e h u n t e r . 

My E c l o g u e s 1 1 l a s t year were a f l o p — p o o r e s t s a l e , and 

r e v i e w s , I've had i n f i f t e e n y e a r s . Guess we're r u n n i n g a l i t t l e 

t h i n . I've j u s t f i n i s h e d a l o n g i s h poem--500 l i n e s — a f t e r f i v e 

months i n t e r m i t t e n t m e d i t a t i o n and work, The S o l d i e r 1 2 — a p r o s y 

a f f a i r , but I hope t i m e l y . No r e p o r t from the agents as y e t . 

And I m u l l over a new n o v e l , but g o r d , what a l a b o r a n o v e l i s — 

i t r e a l l y daunts me. 

W e l l , f o r g i v e the p r o t r a c t e d s i l e n c e , and t o the e x t e n t of 

summarizing f o r us a year of your news. And our l o v e s , as 

always — 

Conrad 

I hope the p r o s t a t e t h i n g has l o n g s i n c e y i e l d e d t o 

t r e a t m e n t , and t h a t you're a T a r z a n a g a i n ? ? 



335 

E x p l a n a t o r y Notes 
1 G e r a l d and B e t t y Noxon; see l e t t e r 8, n. 15, p. 61. 
2 Laurence G i l l i a m , f r i e n d of the Noxons who worked f o r the 

BBC; Noxon mentions t h e i r v i s i t i n a 14 March 1943 l e t t e r t o 
Lowry ( T i e s s e n 51). 

3 " S e n l i n , " an a d a p t a t i o n of A i k e n ' s poem " S e n l i n : A 
B i o g r a p h y , " was b r o a d c a s t by the BBC on 2 F e b r u a r y 1943. The 
program was adapted by Edward C h a r l e s S a c k v i l i e - W e s t (1901-65), 
n o v e l i s t and s h o r t s t o r y w r i t e r , who worked d u r i n g W.W.II i n the 
F e a t u r e s and Drama s e c t i o n of the BBC and was e n t r u s t e d w i t h most 
of the p o e t r y b r o a d c a s t s . 

4 Not i d e n t i f i e d . 
s A i k e n had j u s t t u r n e d 54 on August 5 t h . 
8 See l e t t e r 1, n. 9, p. 8. 
7 "deo v o l e n t e " : L a t i n , "God w i l l i n g . " 
B Ed B u r r a ; see l e t t e r 7, n. 10, p. 48. 

* John and Joan A i k e n , A i k e n ' s son and youngest d a u g h t e r . 
1 0 "Oedipuss" i s a l s o the name of the C o n s u l ' s c a t i n Under  

the Volcano ( 8 9 ) . 
1 1 Brownstone E c l o g u e s and Other Poems (New York: D u e l l , 

S l o a n and P e a r c e , 1942). Lowry's copy i n the U.B.C. L i b r a r y 
bears the f o l l o w i n g i n s c r i p t i o n by A i k e n : 

For the o l d Male 
from the Old Hulk: 
C.M.L. from C P . A . : 
Xmas Day: 

1943 

"C.M.L." a r e Lowry's i n i t i a l s : C l a r e n c e Malcolm Lowry. 
1 2 The S o l d i e r : A Poem. The P o e t s of the Year S e r i e s 39 

( N o r f o l k , Conn.: New D i r e c t i o n s , 1944). 

T e x t u a l Notes 

332.6 L [ a ] u r e n c e \ L s u r e n c e [ t y p o . ] 

332.13 I d i d n ' t know about i t \ I d i d n ' t {know} about i t 

333.17 p a r t l y s o l d \ p a r t l y { s o l d } 



p r o s t a t e \ p r o s { t } a t e 



337 

65: From LOWRY t o AIKEN 
TS H; u n p u b l i s h e d 

D o l l a r t o n , B.C., 
Canada, 

March 4, 1944. 

Dear o l d b i r d : 

Thanks v e r y much f o r your l e t t e r , am v e r y proud and 

f l a t t e r e d t o h e l p i f I can - hope not t o o t a r d y , your l e t t e r of 

F e b r u a r y 20 took t e n days a r r i v i n g 1 - don't know i f such i d e a s as 

I have any good but t r o t them out f o r what t h e y ' r e w o r t h , my 

r e a d e r of most a n t h o l o g i e s i s a q u e s t i n g chap; poor, not knowing 

much, s t u d e n t and haunter of l i b r a r i e s , who though he may have 

r e a d t h r o u g h many a n t h o l o g i e s always f e e l s l i k e S t o u t C o r t e z on 

opening a n o t h e r one, but s t a r e s a t K i l l a r n e y i n s t e a d of P a c i f i c , 

i s d e l i g h t e d he u n d e r s t a n d s but i n v a r i a b l y d i s a p p o i n t e d , o f t e n 

f o r the wrong r e a s o n s , but a t bottom f u l l of l o v e p e r s i s t s , by 

the age of f o r t y when he has read M a r v e l l ' s Coy M i s t r e s s 2 and 

Munro's Cat f o r the f i v e t h o u s a n d t h time may get a g l i m m e r i n g , 

and by the time he i s so o l d and shaky he c a n ' t t u r n the pages, 

may even be l o o k i n g f o r some poem of h i s own i n one, which has 

been put i n , however, o n l y i n the b e l i e f t h a t he i s dead. Which, 

you may say, he was a l l the t i m e . I am t r y i n g t o be funny and I 

don't mean your a n t h o l o g i e s . One of my most t r e a s u r e d 

p o s s e s s i o n s was your r e d companion book f o r the S q u i r e one put 

out by S e e k e r 3 and I have owned and l o s t and owned a g a i n your 

o t h e r 4 many t i m e s . However I seem t o see t h i s r e a d e r somewhere, 



338 

and f e e l the n i c e o l d chap s h o u l d be t r e a t e d s t e r n l y ; though 

s l i g h t l y humored perhaps i n t h i s one p a r t i c u l a r ; f o r some r e a s o n 

he i s n ' t over fond of t o o many l o n g poems i n h i s a n t h o l o g i e s . 

L e t ' s f a c e i t , he reads i n the j a k e s , w h i c h , s i n c e t h e y a r e 

o u t d o o r s i n a f o r e s t perhaps, seems t o him p o e t i c j u s t i c e ; 

n o t h i n g w i l l c u r e him of c o n s t i p a t i o n , i t i s t r u e , but he r e a d s 

s l o w l y and l i k e s t o f i n i s h a Poem a t a s i t t i n g . However, down t o 

t a c k s : - 25-30 pages of A i k e n . I t h i n k your second i d e a the 

b e s t , a s c a t t e r i n g from a l l the poems, but w i t h more form i n the 

s c a t t e r i n g t h a n t h e r e seems a t p r e s e n t and more poems; a 

p r o g r e s s i o n , or p a r a b o l a , of them which t a k e n t o g e t h e r would g i v e 

more e f f e c t of your development as an a r t i s t , even i f 

i m p e r f e c t l y , or s o m e t h i n g of the e f f e c t d e s i g n e d by the s c r a p p e d 

" D i v i n e P i l g r i m " i d e a , 8 o n l y w i t h many s h o r t poems i n s t e a d a t t h e 

b e g i n n i n g and end, of not much more t h a n a page e a c h , a g r a d u a l 

a s c e n t , t h e n l e a v i n g a s i z e a b l e s t r e t c h o f a r c a t t h e summit f o r 

you t o Landscape or Jones i t or even s l i c e - o f - J o h n D e t h i t i n - or 

o t h e r w i s e go t o town; t h e d e c l i n e of the p a r a b o l a would n't be a 

Wordsworthian d e c l i n e , on the c o n t r a r y , you would end i n a b l a z e 

of g l o r y , a t t h e same t i m e f i n a l l y a d y i n g f a l l , not n e c e s s a r i l y 

c h r o n o l o g i c a l , s h a d i n g o f f v i a the T e m p t a t i o n a t the end of the 

m i d d l e , i n t o , s a y , the f i r s t and l a s t s o n n e t s of And I n The Human 

H e a r t t o a c o n t r a s t of s h o r t e r e c l o g u e s l i k e Who Shapes a 

B a l u s t r a d e ? and A n a e s t h e s i a , e n d i n g on a s i m p l e n o t e , l i k e The 

S o u n d i n g . 7 For t h e v e r y b e g i n n i n g I would s u g g e s t a l l s h o r t and 

something l i k e (1) From House of Dust - t h e e x q u i s i t e passage: 

" S u n l i g h t r o a r e d above them l i k e a dark i n v i s i b l e s e a " "dark b l u e 



339 

p o o l s of m a g i c " 8 (2) the Three P a l e B e a u t i f u l P i l g r i m s 9 (3) Rye 

Sunset "Here by the w a l l of the a n c i e n t town I l e a n " 1 0 (4) The 

Room. (5) Sound of B r e a k i n g . 1 1 Thenceforward the sound of 

b r e a k i n g would go on g e t t i n g c o n s i d e r a b l y l o u d e r , ( r i s i n g t o a 

c l i m a x , I was g o i n g t o s u g g e s t , a t Goya, sandwiched i n between 

two l o n g e r t h i n g s , i n i t s o r i g i n a l prose form; I never l i k e d i t - -

e r — a s w e l l i n v e r s e , 1 2 but perhaps t h i s would not do) and u s i n g 

p r e l u d e s (though you might c u l m i n a t e a t a l o n g e r one, c o l d but 

s h a t t e r i n g , l i k e " a t the d a r k ' s edge how g r e a t the d a r k n e s s 

i s " 1 3 ) from both groups as s o r t of b u f f e r s t a t e s between 

a t t i t u d e s , dark or b i t t e r p r e l u d e s on the upgrade, b r i g h t e n i n g on 

the down. My p a r a b o l a s h o u l d perhaps have been the o t h e r way up, 

but never mind[.] I have s a i d n o t h i n g of T e t e l e s t a i or And In 

the Hanging Gardens or K i n g B o r b o r i g m i , 1 4 or one of my f a v o r i t e 

p a r t s , which i s the v e r y end of P u n c h 1 5 - as became of r e c e n t 

y e a r s the whole of Jon Deth - perhaps the motion too j a u n t y 

a l t o g e t h e r however, i f c u t i n t o ? ? ? ? ) - - o n e would l i k e t o see The 

Four A p p e a r a n c e s , 1 8 many p r e l u d e s t h a t w i l l not be i n , and a h e l l 

of a l o t b e s i d e ; (Margie puts i n a s t r o n g l a s t p l e a f o r the 

Morning Song from S e n l i n , 1 7 f e e l i n g something a l s o p o w e r f u l and 

s c i e n t i f i c beneath t h a t song, and perhaps i t might go w e l l as 

number 3 i n s t e a d of Rye Sunset, though the e q u i v a l e n c e seems 

u n f a i r ) ; but you c a n ' t have e v e r y t h i n g , as the E l e p h a n t s a i d to 

the woodpecker, and I f e e l you ought t o g i v e p r e v i o u s l y 

u n a n t h o l o g i s e d poems a chance where p o s s i b l e : the ones you c u t 

out w i l l go on r i n g i n g a l l r i g h t . 

I w i s h I had time t o be more d e t a i l e d but i t seems i f I 



don't get t h i s o f f r i g h t away 

I hope t h e r e maybe a good i d e a 

and anyhow i t ' s the b e s t I can 

I t h i n k some of the E c l o g u e s 1 8 

wr i t t e n . 

Margie sends l o v e as I do 

340 

i t won't be any good to you anyhow, 

a t the bottom of t h i s somewhere 

manage and me w i t h a stomach ache, 

among the g r e a t e s t t h i n g s you've 

t o you both -

Male 



341 

E x p l a n a t o r y Notes 
1 T h i s l e t t e r from A i k e n i s m i s s i n g . Presumably A i k e n had 

asked Lowry t o suggest some poems he might i n c l u d e i n T w e n t l e t h -
C e n t u r v American P o e t r v . ed. and p r e f . Conrad A i k e n (New York: 
Modern L i b r a r y , 1945). 

2 " M a r v e l l ' s Coy M i s t r e s s " : c f . l e t t e r 43, n. 1, p. 261; 
"Munro's C a t " : p r o b a b l y Hector Hugh Munro's (1870-1916) s h o r t 
s t o r y , "Tobermory." 

3 Modern American P o e t s r s e i . Conrad A i k e n (London: M a r t i n 
S e e k e r , 1922); A i k e n d i d not i n c l u d e any of h i s own poems i n t h i s 
a n t h o l o g y . 

* I t i s not c l e a r t o which " o t h e r " p o e t r y a n t h o l o g y of 
A i k e n ' s Lowry i s r e f e r r i n g . 

3 The D i v i n e P i l g r i m was i n f a c t p u b l i s h e d by the U n i v e r s i t y 
of G e o r g i a P r e s s i n 1949; i t i s a c o l l e c t i o n o f A i k e n ' s major 
poems up t o t h a t d a t e , some c o n s i d e r a b l y r e v i s e d , i n c l u d i n g "The 
C h a r n e l Rose," "The J i g of F o r s l i n , " "The House of Dust," 
" S e n l i n : A B i o g r a p h y , " "The P i l g r i m a g e of F e s t u s , " and "Changing 
Mind." 

a R e f e r e n c e s t o A i k e n ' s Landscape West of Eden. The Coming 
F o r t h Bv Dav of O s i r i s J o n e s , and John Deth. 

7 A l l t h e poems mentioned here by t i t l e a r e from A i k e n ' s 
^rQwnstffne E c l o g u e s . 

" Lowry quotes t h e s e passages i n l e t t e r 1, p . 6 and 7. 

* P r i n t e d as P a r t IV of P r i a o u s and the P o o l (1925). 
1 0 From A i k e n ' s "Seven T w i l i g h t s " i n P r J a p u s a n d t h e P o o l ; 

Lowry q u o t e s t h i s l i n e i n l e t t e r 2, p . 12. 
x x B o t h "The Room" and "Sound of B r e a k i n g " a r e poems from 

A i k e n ' s P r i a o u s and the P o o l . 
1 2 "Goya" was p u b l i s h e d i n p r o s e form i n B l u e Voyage (142-

4 3 ) , and i n v e r s e form i n S e l e c t e d Poems (360-61). C f . l e t t e r 18 
n. 10, p . 111. 

1 3 T h i s i s the l a s t l i n e from p r e l u d e " X X X I I I " i n A i k e n ' s 
P r e l u d e s f o r Memnon; Lowry r e f e r s t o t h i s poem i n l e t t e r 6, p . 38 

x * A l l t h r e e poems a r e from Pr&apyig a n d t h e P o o l ; And I n t h e 
Hanging Gardens was a l s o p u b l i s h e d s e p a r a t e l y and i n a l i m i t e d 
e d i t i o n by Garamond P r e s s i n B a l t i m o r e i n 1933. 

1 9 Punch: The Immortal L i a r . Documents i n H i s H i s t o r y (New 
York: A l f r e d A. Knopf, 1921). 



342 
X G From Brownsbone E c l o g u e s . 
1 - 7 P a r t of " S e n l i n : A B i o g r a p h y . " 
1 8 Brovnstone E c l o g u e s . 

T e x t u a l Notes 

337.16 put i n , however,\ put i n { , } however{,} 

337.19-20 the S q u i r e one put o u t \ the S q u i r e <and> one put out 

[ h a n d w r i t t e n i n margin of f i r s t page: "1+ 
1 
2 + 
2 + 
1 + 
2 
1" ] 

338.7 f i n i s h a Poem\ f i n i s h a < [ i l l e g . ] > { P o e } m 

338.11 p r o g r e s s i o n , or p a r a b o l a , \ p r o g r e s s i o n ! , } or 
p a r a b o l a { , } 

338.13 i m p e r f e c t l y , or something\ i m p e r f e c t l y , {or} 
something 

338.15 and end,\ and end{,} 

338.18 would n ' t \ would n<o>{'}t 

338.24 s i m p l e n o t e , l i k e \ s i m p l e note{,} l i k e 
339.3-4 sound of b r e a k i n g \ < [ i l l e g . ] > { s } o u n d of 

<B>{b}reaking 

339.6-7 never l i k e d i t - - e r - - a s w e l l \ never l i k e d i t { - - e r 
— } a s w e l l 

339.11-13 on the down. My p a r a b o l a [. . .] mindt.] I have\ 
on the down. {My p a r a b o l a s h o u l d perhaps have been 
the o t h e r way up, but never m i n d l . ] } < [ i l l e g . ]> I 
have [the i n s e r t i o n i s w r i t t e n i n the l e f t - h a n d 
margin] 

339.14 B o r b o r i g m i , \ B o r b o r i < [ i l l e g . ] > { g r a } i , 

339.17 --one would\ { — o } n e would 

339.23 u n f a i r ) ; \ u n f a i r ) { ; } 



343 

66: From AIKEN t o LOWRY 
TS H; K i l l o r i n 260 

b r e w s t e r mass 

aug 22 44 

Dear Male: 

i t was f i n e t a l k i n g t o you i n the m i d d l e of a 

dream w a l k i n g , sandwiched between fragments of a Nyorker s h o r t 

s t o r y — b u t so b r i e f , so b r i e f , and I c o u l d n ' t make out more t h a n 

50% of t h i n g s s a i d , e s p e c i a l l y by y o u — y o u r t e l e p h o n e v o i c e my 

l a d l e a v e s something t o be d e s i r e d . But i t ' s w o n d e r f u l t h a t 

you're r e l a t i v e l y i n the e a s t , even i f a l a s d r i v e n h i t h e r , b y 

f i r e . 1 How d i d i t happen. T e l l a l l . Did you f a l l a s l e e p 

smoking, or what. Or was i t spontaneous combustion of a hot 

m a n u s c r i p t ? or d i r t y work by the j a p s ? My c o n s c i e n c e has been 

bad t h e s e many months, ever s i n c e you so k i n d l y and c a r e f u l l y and 

s k i l f u l l y a d v i s e d me about the a i k e n poems f o r the a n t h o l o g y : 2 I 

combined your s u g g e s t i o n s w i t h some of Bob L i n s c o t t ' s 3 and a whim 

or two of my own f o r what I t h i n k i s a p r e t t y good, i f somewhat 

too l o n g , parade. Thanks be t o god the two books are done, 4 

p r o o f r e a d and a l l , and come out I hope t h i s autumn. They a r e 

both g r e a t l y improved I t h i n k — e s p e c i a l l y the t w e n t i e t h c e n t u r y 

one, which i s r e a l l y changed i n t o t o and a l m o s t t w i c e the 

o r i g i n a l s i z e . I have hopes t h a t the two t o g e t h e r w i l l end by 

s u p p l y i n g us w i t h a c o n s i s t e n t and modest l i v i n g : both have begun 

t o s e l l i n the l a s t t h r e e y e a r s , each r o y a l t y statement d o u b l i n g 

the l a s t , u n t i l now t h e y b r i n g us p r e t t y n i g h a thousand a y e a r , 

and r i s i n g . So I was g l a d when I f i n a l l y persuaded the Boys t o 



344 

l e t me modernize them, as t h e y were both summat d a t e d , 

p a r t i c u l a r l y the Mod Am one. We can now s e t t l e down t o look 

c a r e f u l l y the o t h e r way, w h i l e we w a i t and see. . . What o t h e r 

news? That Jane i s h e r e , w h i t e , t h i n , not t o o w e l l , and 

p r e p a r i n g a s e p a r a t i o n from Angus pro tem, s i n New York, w h i l e 

she and he m e d i t a t e on d i v o r c e : he remains i n Washington. Sad t o 

see the s u c c e s s o r s coming a f t e r us w i t h the same sad m i s s t e p s 

i n t o t r a p s and p i t f a l l s , and s u f f e r i n g , and h a v i n g t o f i n d out 

f o r themselves the hard way, and o n e s e l f unable t o h e l p i n a durn 

t h i n g . And J o a n , 8 i n London, w i t h an i n t e r e s t i n g j o b i n the 

U n i t e d N a t i o n s I n f o r m a t i o n O f f i c e , i s engaged, k i n d o f , t o one 

Ronald Brown, t h i r t y i s h , m a r r i e d , and i n the p r o c e s s of g e t t i n g 

h i m s e l f d i v o r c e d . And J o h n 7 s t i l l a t E Molesey, and s t i l l 

p l a n n i n g t o come here postwar, presumably t o s t a y . Meanwhile Ed 

w r i t e s s a r d o n i c s p l e n e t i c h i l a r i o u s l y m i s s p e l l e d and d i v e r t i n g 

l e t t e r s from Rye, w i t h the buzzbombs s p l i t t i n g houses and people 

round him, and Bobby Mackechnie i s back i n Rye l o o k i n g haggard 

and o l d , and L a u r a K n i g h t as u s u a l dominates the Academy w i t h 

b i g g e r and b l o u s i e r and b r i g h t e r c o l o u r e d g y p s i e s . 8 Jeake's 

House s t i l l s t a n d s , somewhat b a t t e r e d , and s e r v i n g now as a r e s t 

home f o r weary f i r e m e n , but i t may cop one any moment of c o u r s e - -

s h a l l we ever a g a i n g a t h e r by the r i v e r ? where o l d c l u b f o o t e d 

B i l l , the c a r - p a r k demon, f e l l i n , i n the b l a c k o u t , and went t o 

sea? The Mermaid i s gone, 9 and the soda b o t t l i n g works, and the 

M e t h o d i s t Church b e h i n d Ypres Tower, and the g r a v e y a r d behind our 

s c h o o l next door was u n e a r t h e d by a bomb and d i s t r i b u t e d s e r i a t i m 

f a r and wide, and the cinema f l a t t e n e d o u t , and the Bodega i n 



345 

H a s t i n g s t o g e t h e r w i t h the P l a z a cinema, my f a v o r i t e bob's w o r t h , 

dammit--I f e a r many a n o t h e r gap as w e l l . Maybe we'd b e t t e r s e l l 

o u t , maybe i t ' s a l l o v e r , and i f the house does s u r v i v e I suppose 

we'd get q u i t e a penny f o r i t , dear d e a r . Or s h a l l we t r y 

a n o t h e r p a r t of england e n t i r e l y ? ? a c o t t a g e i n Westmoreland, a 

f l a t i n London? a s o o t y house i n mortuary Glasgow? or j u s t s t a y 

here amongst the mussels and p o i s o n i v o r y ? . . . and what about 

you?? . . . Our manic d e p r e s s i v e a r r i v e s on F r i d a y , and we a w a i t 

t h a t w i t h some a p p r e h e n s i o n : her husband says she used to throw 

eggs a t p e o p l e . But i t ' s o n l y f o r t h r e e weeks, a t $85 p e r , so we 

f i g u r e we can s t a n d i t . Our s o c i a l l i f e seems t o be odd. 

A l l e v i a t e d a l i t t l e l a t e l y by two f i n e p a r t i e s w i t h Konrad Heiden 

and h i s plump l i t t l e blonde h a u s f r a u m i s t r e s s and George Grosz 

mit f r a u . 1 0 Heiden and Grosz a r e enormous fun--Heiden v e r y s l y 

and s u b t l e , Grosz a b r i l l i a n t t a l k e r and h u m o u r i s t , and w o n d e r f u l 

a t k i d d i n g h i m s e l f , and a f i n e d r i n k e r : a l l v e r y gay and good, 

i n a c o t t a g e o v e r l o o k i n g m i l e s of i n l a n d s a l t w a t e r : we a l l got 

drunk, and t a l k e d about o y s t e r s and food and german beer and the 

i d e a of g i v i n g germany to the jews and e x p o r t i n g the germans, and 

Goethe's e l e c t i v e a f f i n i t i e s . And what e l s e ? Mary i s d o i n g a 

n a s t y j o b of h a n d c o l o u r i n g 100 o l d e huntynge p r i n t e s , w h i l e I 

a w a i t p r o o f s of a new l o n g poem, the s o l d i e r , which new 

d i r e c t i o n s b r i n g s out t h i s f a l l , and which w i l l p r o b a b l y get me 

i n t o a g r e a t d e a l of t r o u b l e . 1 1 And I ponder t h a t t h r e e l e v e l s 

of r e a l i t y n o v e l which I dreamt of on the voyage back from s p a i n 

e l e v e n b r i g h t y e a r s a g o . 1 2 And t h a t my f i n e f e l l o w i s a l l , and 

i t ' s time f o r a l i t t l e noonday b e e r , the sun b e i n g over the y a r d -



arm. Our b e s t t o a l l of you, and Mary w i l l w r i t e to B e t t y 1 3 as 

soon as the end-of-summer r u s h i s over--she has a p o r t r a i t t o do, 

as w e l l as t h i s T h i n g to f i n i s h , and the egg-thrower to keep a t 

bay. But t h e n - - . And g i v e us a l i n e y o u r s e l f . 

Conrad 



347 

E x p l a n a t o r y Notes 
x The Lowrys' D o l l a r t o n shack burned down on 7 June 1944; 

Lowry's u n f i n i s h e d n o v e l , " I n B a l l a s t t o the White Sea," was 
d e s t r o y e d i n the f i r e . In e a r l y J u l y , Malcolm and M a r g e r i e 
t r a v e l l e d t o O a k v i l l e , O n t a r i o , and l a t e r t o N i a g a r a - o n - t h e - L a k e , 
t o s t a y w i t h B e t t y and G e r a l d Noxon. 

2 T w e n t i e t h - C e n t u r y American P o e t r y ; see l e t t e r 65, n. 1, 
p. 341. 

3 See l e t t e r 17, n. 7, p. 94. 

* T w e n t i e t h - C e n t u r y America P o e t r y , ed. and p r e f . Conrad 
A i k e n (New York: Modern L i b r a r y , 1945) and A Comprehensive  
A n t h o l o g y of American P o e t r y , ed. Conrad A i k e n (New York: Modern 
L i b r a r y , 1945); A i k e n d i d not i n c l u d e any poems of h i s own i n the 
l a t t e r . 

s Jane A i k e n had been m a r r i e d t o Angus Smart; see l e t t e r 61, 
p. 317. 

8 Joan A i k e n , A i k e n ' s youngest d a u g h t e r . 
n John A i k e n . 
8 Bobby Mackechnie: see l e t t e r 62, n. 5, p. 328; L a u r a 

K n i g h t : see l e t t e r 42, n. 2, p. 257. 
s The Mermaid Inn, Rye. 
1 0 George Grosz (1893-1959), German a r t i s t , known f o r h i s 

s a t i r i c a l c a r i c a t u r e s and l i t h o g r a p h s , who l e f t Germany f o r the 
U n i t e d S t a t e s w i t h the r i s e of H i t l e r ; Konrad Heiden I have not 
been a b l e t o i d e n t i f y . 

3-a- The S o l d i e r : A Poem, The P o e t s of the Year S e r i e s 39 
( N o r f o l k , Conn.: New D i r e c t i o n s , 1944). 

1 2 Ushant; A i k e n r e f e r s t o t h i s dream i n Ushant ( 2 1 ) . 
X 3 B e t t y Noxon; see l e t t e r 8, n. 15, p. 61. 

T e x t u a l Notes 

343.9 spontaneous\ s p o n { t i a n e o u s 

344 .3 see. .\ see. { .} 
344.21 f i r e m e n , \ f i r { e } m e n , 

346.2 end-of-summer\ end{-}of{-}summer 



348 
346.2 p o r t r a i t \ p o r t r C ^ a i t 



349 

67: From LOWRY t o AIKEN3-
MS H; u n p u b l i s h e d 

W r i t e D o l l a r t o n P.O 
D o l l a r t o n B.C. Canada 

[Dec 1944] 

As from N i a g a r a . 2 

— D e a r o l d Conrad: Thanks immensely f o r The S o l d i e r , which I 

have read 5 or 6 t i m e s s t r a i g h t t h r o u g h and am about t o read a 

7 t h . I was e x t r a o r d i n a r i l y s e n s i t i v e t o the honour of r e c e i v i n g 

i t a t the time t o the e x t e n t t h a t I a l m o s t f e l t I had been 

rewarded w i t h some c r o s s , of a n o t h e r n a t u r e , of c o u r s e , t o the 

one one b e a r s . I t h i n k i t c o n t a i n s some of your a b s o l u t e l y 

f i n e s t & p u r e s t & most r i c h l y p o e t i c & g r e a t e s t work, which i s t o 

say, the f i n e s t b e i n g done t o - d a y . I t i s of c o u r s e enormously 

w e l l thought o u t . Some of i t s h o u l d be engraved on s t o n e & I 

doubt not w i l l be, when you w i l l perhaps be t h e r e , or w i l l no 

l o n g e r c a r e . For the r e s t I do not know: your daemon has l e d you 

i n t o a s t r a n g e path i n d e e d , & a f t e r a l l , what can you do but 

obey? M y s e l f my n o n - c o n f o r m i s t sympathy i s somewhat f o r the 

o u t l a w or d i s s e n t e r but i t would be more than s u p e r f i c i a l & 

i r r e l e v a n t t o deduce from such music of more t h a n f a c t s a c c e p t e d 

t h a t yours was not t o o , or was. Be t h a t as i t may, i t i s w i t h 

renewed courage t h a t we s h a l l t r a v e l 4000 m i l e s toward our burned 

house t o r e b u i l d i t 3 (& how I u n d e r s t a n d now your f e e l i n g s now 

f o r some l o v e d houses--& may God s p a r e J e a k e s ! ) * remembering 

t h a t , b e f o r e we l e f t , we r a n up Tashtego-wise on a l l t h a t 

remained, the f l a g . . . Which reminds me t h a t the Canadian 

B r o a d c a s t i n g Company has i n v i t e d me t o do Moby Dick f o r them, i n 



350 

13 i n s t a l l m e n t s . 3 

God b l e s s & a happy Xmas & s i n c e r e l y thank you, a g a i n 

C o n r a d - - l o v e from us both t o you & Mary Male. 

- - A f r a i d t h a t my w r i t i n g (see over) i s not much b e t t e r than my 

t e l e p h o n e v o i c e . (What I s a i d over the phone was the p r a y e r 

Tagore l i k e d , 8 meaning: With Thy G r a c i o u s n e s s , Oh Thou T e r r i b l e , 

f o r e v e r save us!--so no wonder you s a i d W h a t ? ) - - J u s t f i n i s h e d t o -

day a f t e r 3 y r s & 3 months r e v i s i o n 8 hours a day approx, s o b e r l y 

Under the V o l c a n o . . . The o l d man d y i n g , 7 N o r d a h l d e a d . 8 In 

B a l l a s t i s no more. 9 B r o t h e r W i l f r i d i n the R o y a l A r t i l l e r y , 

R u s s e l l i n the p o l i c e . 1 0 Saved B r o w n s t o n e - - B r i m s t o n e ! - - E l e g i e s 1 1 

from the f i r e , s l i g h t l y s c o r c h e d . - - B u t keep w o r k i n g & keep your 

pecker up--the b i r d s , as you say, endure. . . 

Love Male. 

from Male & Margie 



351 

E x p l a n a t o r y Notes 
1 See Appendix I , p. 488, f o r p h o t o g r a p h i c r e p r o d u c t i o n of 

t h i s l e t t e r . 
2 N i a g a r a - o n - t h e - L a k e ; the L o v r y s had by t h i s time moved t o 

a r e n t e d house i n N i a g a r a , c l o s e t o the Noxons. 
3 The L o v r y s r e t u r n e d t o D o l l a r t o n i n F e b r u a r y 1945. 
4 J e a k e ' s House: see l e t t e r 1, n. 9, p. 8. 
8 L o v r y d i d b e g i n a r a d i o v e r s i o n of Mobv-Dlck but i t vas 

never b r o a d c a s t ; see the U.B.C. L o v r y C o l l e c t i o n ( 1 6 - ( 1 - 5 ) 1 f o r 
L o v r y ' s d r a f t s of t h e r a d i o s c r i p t . Tashtego i s a c h a r a c t e r i n 
Mobv-Dlck. 

4 R a b i n d r a n a t h Tagore (1861-1941), I n d i a n p o e t , d r a m a t i s t , 
n a r r a t i v e v r l t e r , e s s a y i s t , and p h i l o s o p h e r . A i k e n ' s copy of 
Tagore's G i t A n l a l l (song o f f e r i n g s ) , ed. Edmund R. B r o v n , i n t r o . 
w.B. Yeats ( B o s t o n : Four Seas, n.d.) i s c o n t a i n e d i n the 
H u n t i n g t o n A i k e n C o l l e c t i o n . 

L o v r y ' s f a t h e r d i e d on 11 F e b r u a r y 1945. 

° N o r d a h l G r i e g (1902-1943) vas k i l l e d on 2 December 1943 
vhen the bomber i n v h i c h he vas f l y i n g d i d not r e t u r n f r o m an 
a t t a c k on B e r l i n . C f . a l s o l e t t e r 32, n. 7, p. 218. 

* L o v r y ' s n o v e l , " I n B a l l a s t t o the White Sea," based upon 
h i s 1931 v i s i t t o N o r d a h l G r i e g i n Norvay, vas d e s t r o y e d vhen t h e 
L o v r y s ' shack burned dovn i n June 1944. 

1 0 L o v r y ' s b r o t h e r s : W i l f r i d Malbon (1900-?) and A r t h u r 
R u s s e l l (1905- ) L o v r y . 

1 1 In p l a y i n g v i t h the t i t l e of A i k e n ' s book, L o v r y has 
a c t u a l l y g o t t e n the t i t l e v r o n g , f o r i t i s B r o v n s t o n e E c l o g u e s , 
not " E l e g i e s ' ' ; c f . l e t t e r 70, p. 369, vhere L o v r y r e f e r s t o h i s 
m i s t a k e . 

T e x t u a l Notes 

( C h r i s t m a s c a r d ; see Appendix I , p. 488, f o r 
p h o t o g r a p h i c r e p r o d u c t i o n ) 

349.15 o u t l a v or d l s s e n t e r \ o u t l a v ( o r d i s s e n t e r ) 

350.2-3 thank you, a g a i n , C o n r a d — \ thank you, ( a g a i n , ) 
Conrad--



352 

350.4-14 - - A f r a i d t h a t (. . . .) Love M a l c . \ { w r i t t e n on 
i n s i d e l e f t - h a n d page of c a r d ] 

350.15 from Male & M a r o l e A { w r i t t e n on i n s i d e r i g h t - h a n d 
page of c a r d ] 



353 

68: From AIKEN t o LOWRY 
TS H; K i l l o r i n 263 

B r e w s t e r Mass 

s e p t 14 45 

Dear o l d Male--

Months and more months I've been t h i n k i n g of 

w r i t i n g you a n i c e l o n g d u l l l e i s u r e l y l e t t e r , w i t h a l l the 

g o s s p i and j u i c e s i n i t , and now i t seems t o be t h a t I must 

i n s t e a d f l i n g a few h a s t y s e n t e n c e s a t you over my eastward 

t u r n i n g s h o u l d e r — f o r away we go t o Rye, Nov 1 s t or so, 3- t o spend 

a d a r k , c o l d , hungry w i n t e r i n Jeake's House. Seems i f we don't 

the dear P i l e w i l l be s e i z e d , and t h u s any chance of s e l l i n g or 

r e n t i n g i t p r e v e n t e d , so the move i s a f o r c e d one, and we most 

c e r t a i n l y don't proceed w i t h u n r e l u c t a n t t r e a d , and h a r d l y r o s e -

crowned. Grim, I c a l l s i t . Yet i t w i l l have i t s c o m p e n s a t i o n s -

Mary w i l l have a chance t o p a i n t , and I (d v ) 2 t o w r i t e , w i t h so 

much l e s s manual, nay c o r p o r e a l , l a b o u r to p e r f o r m e v e r y day and 

a l l day l o n g ; and t h a t Mary i s r i p e f o r a new dvelopment i s 

v i t a l l y p l a i n from a r e a l l y a s t o n i s h i n g p o r t r a i t she a c h i e v e d 

t h i s summer, of our cromagnon g a l p a t i e n t ; and as f o r o l d a i k e n , 

a p l a y , based on A r c u l a r i s , and w r i t by an e n g l i s h l a s s named 

H a m i l t o n , has been c o n t r a c t e d f o r and w i l l go on t o u r i n the 

p r o v i n c e s t h i s w i n t e r . 3 I'd l i k e t o be t h e r e t o see i t b e f o r e 

i t s p r o b a b l y b r i e f c a r e e r comes t o an unapplauded end. A l s o , the 

S o l d i e r i s coming out i n London,* and the s o n n e t s , 3 so we s h a l l 

a t l e a s t f e e l t h a t we a r e l i v i n g , even i f numb w i t h the c o l d , 

hungry as w o l v e s . L i k e t o come?? Ed w i l l be t h e r e of c o u r s e , 3 



354 

and the M a c k e c k n i e s , 7 and Tony M o r e t o n a i s back, and s t i l l 

managing somehow t o keep t i g h t , and Joan i s m a r r i e d and l i v i n g i n 

Ormonde Mansions, Southampton Row, and John s e e k i n g a d i v o r c e 

even as my f i r s t g r a n d c h i l d i s g e s t a t i n g . 9 L i f e , l i f e , l i f e . 

G e r a l d wrote me a t g r e a t l e n g t h i n p r a i s e of your book i 0 --why not 

l e t i t come o u t , my dear f e l l o w ? c u t the u m b i l i c a l c o r d ? I'd 

l o v e t o see i t . Send i t t o B e r n i c e Baumgarten, Brandt & B r a n d t , 

101 Park Ave., N Y C ? ? ? 1 1 And have you s t a r t e d a new one? I was 

g r a t e f u l f o r your l e t t e r about my t i n s o l d i e r . 3 - 2 He had a poor 

p r e s s , on the whole, and a s t u p i d one, I t h o u g h t - - s o few saw t h a t 

the r e a l theme was the e v o l u t i o n of c o n s c i o u s n e s s , w i t h the 

s o l d i e r as i n c i d e n t a l t o i t , and the s o c r a t i c g n o t h i s e a u t o n 3 - 3 as 

i t s c o r e . Does one have t o p r i n t an e x p l a n a t o r y note w i t h e v e r y 

book? I hope a t any r a t e t h a t my l i t t l e book f o r the k i d d i e s , A 

L i t t l e Who's Zoo of M i l d A n i m a l s , which has j u s t been t a k e n by 

the C r e a t i v e Age P r e s s , won't need such--a c o l l e c t i o n of nonsense 

v e r s e s , f o r which Mary i s d o i n g the d r a w i n g s , n i n e t e e n i m a g i n a r y 

a n i m i l e s , and v e r y s i l l y i n d e e d , but fun t o do. 3 - 4 As f o r l i f e 

h e r e , i t has been the u s u a l s t r u g g l e a g a i n s t the ever e n c r o a c h i n g 

w i l d e r n e s s , mowing and then s c y t h i n g and then s i c k l i n g and then 

mowing a g a i n , and f e e d i n g the hens and capons, and b u r y i n g the 

o f f a l of f o w l s and s h o o t i n g woodchucks and so f o r t h . U s e f u l as 

i t t a k e s o f f the t e n pounds I i n v a r i a b l y a t t a c h t o m y s e l f i n the 

w i n t e r months, and b e s i d e s I damned w e l l e n j o y a r e a l l y f i r s t 

r a t e sweat. And you--how does the new house go and grow? has 

the phoenix c l a p p e d i t s wings? a r e the s a d d l e b o a r d s on and 

t i g h t ? t e l l a l l . And do you know J Davenport's a d d r e s s by any 



355 

remote chance?? With which, w e l l , b l e s s you Male, and our l o v e s 

as always t o Margie and your s e l f — 

Conrad 



356 

E x p l a n a t o r y Notes 
x The A i k e n s d i d s a i l from H a l i f a x t o L i v e r p o o l sometime i n 

November 19 45. 

a « d V " : "deo v o l e n t e , " L a t i n , "God w i l l i n g . " 
3 A i k e n ' s s h o r t s t o r y , "Mr. A r c u l a r i s , " f i r s t appeared i n 

Among the L o s t P e o p l e (New York: S c r i b n e r ' s , 1934). Diana 
H a m i l t o n (1898-1951), a c t r e s s and p l a y w r i g h t , adapted the s t o r y 
i n t o a p l a y w i t h t h e t i t l e Fear No More. I t was produced i n 
England i n 1946, a f t e r some r e w r i t i n g i n which A i k e n took p a r t . 
A f t e r w a r d s , i t t o u r e d the p r o v i n c e s and r a n f o r f o u r weeks i n 
London a t the L y r i c T h e a t r e , Hammersmith. A i k e n l a t e r r e w r o t e 
t h e p l a y and r e s t o r e d i t s o r i g i n a l t i t l e ; i t was p u b l i s h e d as Mr. 
A r c u l a r i s : A P l a y (Cambridge: H a r v a r d UP, 1957) ( B o n n e l l , Conrad  
A i k e n : A B i b l i o g r a p h y 54-55). C f . l e t t e r 72, p. 389-90. 

* The S o l d i e r : A Poem (London: E d i t i o n s P o e t r y , 1946) was 
p u b l i s h e d on 18 October 1946. 

B The f i r s t E n g l i s h e d i t i o n of And i n the Human H e a r t vas 
p u b l i s h e d i n London by S t a p l e s P r e s s i n 1949. 

8 Edvard B u r r a ; see l e t t e r 7, n. 10, p. 48. 
7 See l e t t e r 62, n. 5, p. 328. 
8 Not i d e n t i f i e d . 

* Joan and John A i k e n . 
1 0 L o v r y had f o r some time been d i s c u s s i n g t h e p r o g r e s s of 

Under the V o l c a n o v i t h G e r a l d Noxon, and i n December 1944, v h i l e 
i n N i a g a r a , had p r e s e n t e d Noxon v i t h a m a n u s c r i p t of t h e n o v e l ; 
t h i s m a n u s c r i p t i s c o n t a i n e d i n the U n i v e r s i t y of Texas L i b r a r y ; 
a m i c r o f i l m of i t i s i n the U.B.C. L o v r y C o l l e c t i o n [ 4 5 - 1 4 ] . 

" See l e t t e r 18, n. 16, p. 112. 
1 2 The S o l d i e r : A Poem. 
1 3 " g n o t h i s e a u t o n " : a n c i e n t Greek maxim: "Knov t h y s e l f . " 

C f . Ushant (220) and the e p i g r a p h t o B l u e Voyage from J u v e n a l . 
1 * A i k e n ' s A L i t t l e Who's Zoo of M i l d A n i m a l s vas i n f a c t 

o n l y p u b l i s h e d posthumously by J o n a t h a n Cape i n 1977; the 
i l l u s t r a t i o n s a r e by John Vernon L o r d . 

353.13 

T e x t u a l Notes 

p e r f o r m \ p e [ r } f o r m 



357 

354.17 v e r s e s , \ verse<e>{s}, 

354.27 And do you\ A<b>{n}d do you 



358 

69: From AIKEN t o LOWRY 
TS H; u n p u b l i s h e d 

B r e w s t e r Mass 

Oct 16 45 

Dear Old Male--

a p s t o my o t h e r t o beg a boon: v i z . , D u e l l S l o a n 

& Pearce seem t o be g o i n g t o do me the honour of a two volume 

C o l l e c t e d Poems next year, 3 - and I'd be ever so immensely g r a t e f u l 

t o you f o r a few H e l p f u l H i n t s and S u g g e s t i o n s , and e s p e c i a l l y 

about the whole q u e s t i o n of what i f any of the e a r l i e r t h i n g s t o 

i n c l u d e . I s h a l l put the f i v e symphonies t o g e t h e r under the 

a l w a y s - i n t e n d e d s i n g l e t i t l e , The D i v i n e P i l g r i m , 2 but each w i t h 

i t s own t i t l e t o o , and w i t h the p r e f a c e s r e s t o r e d t o The C h a r n e l 

Rose, F o r s l i n , and F e s t u s ; and w i t h a few r e v i s i o n s of the Rose 

and F o r s l i n and perhaps a l i t t l e c u t t i n g of the House of Dust. 

But the problem i s , what of the o t h e r e a r l i e r t h i n g s — i f indeed 

any? I t h i n k of r e v e r s i n g the c h r o n o l o g i c a l o r d e r , 3 b e g i n n i n g 

w i t h two r e c e n t poems, Crepe M y r t l e (an e l e g y f o r F D R ) and 

M a y f l o w e r , 4 then the S o l d i e r , and so backwards, p r o b a b l y as f a r 

as John Deth i n V o l 1, and then the symphonies e t c i n V o l 2. 

What do you t h i n k of t h i s ? ? ? I v a l u e your judgement more h i g h l y 

than any o t h e r , and w i l l l i s t e n i n t e n t l y t o whatever you say. 

much l o v e t o you both 

Conrad 

no s a i l i n g date as y e t - - b u t I imagine Nov 1 s t t o 7 t h . 3 



359 

E x p l a n a t o r y Notes 
1 T h i s two-volume e d i t i o n of A i k e n ' s c o l l e c t e d poems was 

never p u b l i s h e d ; however, i n 1953 O x f o r d U n i v e r s i t y P r e s s d i d 
p u b l i s h a one-volume C o l l e c t e d Poems. 

2 The D i v i n e P i l g r i m was a c t u a l l y p u b l i s h e d s e p a r a t e l y by 
the U n i v e r s i t y of G e o r g i a P r e s s i n 1949. The 1953 C o l l e c t e d  
Poems a l s o c o n t a i n s a s e c t i o n , w i t h some d i f f e r e n c e s , e n t i t l e d 
"The D i v i n e P i l g r i m " ; the " f i v e symphonies" i n c l u d e d i n t h i s 
s e c t i o n a r e : "The C h a r n e l Rose," "The J i g of F o r s l i n , " "The House 
of Dust," " S e n l i n : A B i o g r a p h y , " and "The P i l g r i m a g e of F e s t u s . " 

3 The poems i n C o l l e c t e d Poems a r e a r r a n g e d i n what i s 
e s s e n t i a l l y c h r o n o l o g i c a l o r d e r a c c o r d i n g t o when t h e y were 
wr i t t e n . 

4 Both "Mayflower" and "Crepe M y r t l e : F.D.R.: A p r i l 12, 
1945" appeared i n S k y l i g h t One: F i f t e e n Poems (New York: O x f o r d 
UP, 1949). 

s See l e t t e r 68, n. 1, p. 356. 

T e x t u a l Notes 

358.2 t o my o t h e r \ t<b>{o} my o t h e r 

358 .5 f o r a few\ <g>{f}or a few 

358 . 7 under\ und<w>{e}r 

358.18 any o t h e r , and\ any o t h e r <about t h i s > , and 



360 

70: From LOWRY t o AIKEN3-
MS UBC; TS H; B r e i t 47 
["P.S.": MS H; MSPC UBC; u n p u b l i s h e d ] 

[ D o l l a r t o n ] 

[ l a t e October 1945) 

Dear o l d Conrad: 

Thanks a w f u l l y f o r y o u r s & have been meaning t o w r i t e a 

r e a l l y f a t i n f o r m a t i v e & d i v e r t i n g l e t t e r - - i n f a c t , made a l l the 

notes f o r same, but I want t o get t h i s l e t t e r o f f now so i t w i l l 

be i n time to w i s h you bon voyage, t h e r e f o r e I must make a 

s a c r i f i c e of the o t h e r f o r the time b e i n g . Yes, the phoenix 

c l a p p e d i t s wings a l l r i g h t a l l r i g h t , i n f a c t gave such a b l o o d y 

g r e a t r e s o u n d i n g c l a p t h a t the poor b i r d n e a r l y broke i t s neck 

and had t o be immolated a l l over a g a i n . As you know we went E a s t 

a f t e r the f i r e . The grave preceded us however. The i n t e r m i n a b l e 

g o l d e n b i t t e r s w e e t a w f u l b e a u t i f u l E a s t e r n autumn (which I'd 

never e x p e r i e n c e d ) r e s t o r e d M a r g i e , [(Iwhose c h i l d h o o d was i n 

M i c h i g a n ) t o some e x t e n t , but me i t a l m o s t s l e w . I t had a worse 

e f f e c t upon me, i n f a c t , t h a n on Henry Adams,2 though the 

Noxon's 3 N i a g a r a - o n - t h e - L a k e i s something t o see: r e a l l y 

b e a u t i f u l . I was i n s h o c k i n g bad form, & worse company so a l l i n 

a l l , though I was v e r y d i s s a p p o i n t e d not to see y o u , - - a l b e i t I 

heard y o u - - i t was perhaps j u s t as w e l l I d i d n ' t . How the Noxon's 

put w i t h me--if t h e y r e a l l y d i d - - I don't know. A c t u a l l y the 

b u s i n e s s of the f i r e seemed t o d r i v e us both s l i g h t l y cuckoo. 

I t s t r a u m a t i c r e s u l t a l o n e was s h a t t e r i n g . We had to l i v e 

t h r o u g h the b l o o d y f i r e a l l over a g a i n e v e r y n i g h t . I would wake 



361 

to f i n d Margie screaming or she would wake to f i n d me y e l l i n g and 

gnashing my t e e t h , that i s to say, what t e e t h I have l e f t to 

gnash. Apart from these d i v e r s i o n s ( f o r t u n a t e l y the Noxon's were 

sound s l e e p e r s , but when we moved to a house of our own, i t grew 

much worse) f i r e i t s e l f seemed to f o l l o w us around i n a f a s h i o n 

nothing s h o r t of d i a b o l i c a l . B e t t y had p a i n t e d a p i c t u r e of a 

neighbouring house i n O a k v i l l e that Margie & I had thought of 

r e n t i n g f o r the winter because i t vaguely resembled our o l d one 

and one day when everyone I was out I s a t i n the a t t i c s t u d y i n g 

t h i s p i c t u r e which I l i k e d very much. My c o n c e n t r a t i o n on the 

p i c t u r e was somewhat marred by the f a c t that i n my imagination 

the house kept b u r s t i n g i n t o flame and sure enough, about a week 

l a t e r , t h a t ' s p r e c i s e l y what the house d i d ; they c o u l d n ' t get the 

f i r e e n g i n e s through the woods, nothing of the kind had happened 

for f i f t y years i n that r u r a l route, and there was I t e r r i f i c t o -

do, through a l l of which Margie & I , f o r once, c a l m l y s l e p t . 

Then when we went down to Niagara the house next door to ours, 

one n i g h t while we over a t the Noxons, went up i n a b l a z e : we 

heard the shouts & b e l l s & saw the awful sun, (E.d. again) — I 

don't know why so much E m i l y D i c k i n s o n to-day*--& of course 

thought i t was our house and ran over i n a panic, so much so that 

Margie was not even convinced i t was not our house by the time we 

had got there & took a l l our manuscripts out i n t o the s t r e e t . 

And to cap e v e r y t h i n g , when we r e t u r n e d here, i t turned out t h a t 

the house where someone had been good enough to l e t us s t o r e our 

bedding & some few t h i n g s we had l e f t a f t e r our f i r e , had i n our 

absence i t s e l f been burned down, t o t a l l y demolished, and our 



3 6 2 

bedding & s t u f f w i t h i t , the house m y s t e r i o u s l y b u r s t i n g i n t o 

flame f o r no r e a s o n a t a l l a p p a r e n t l y , one calm m i l d e v e n i n g when 

the owners weren't even t h e r e . Margie & I had i n v e n t e d , i n a 

h o r r o r s t o r y , a murderer, a b l a c k m a g i c i a n one of whose 

s p e c i a l t i e s was the s t a r t i n g of f i r e s by means of 

i n c o m p r e h e n s i b l e t a l i s m a n s . 3 T h i s f i c t i t i o u s gent's name was 

P e l l & the m.ss c o n c e r n i n g him I had happened t o r e s c u e from our 

f i r e . Swelp me bob 6 i f the owners of t h i s house don't t o be 

c a l l e d P e l l t o o , though t h e r e had been no c o n n e c t i o n a t a l l 

o r i g i n a l l y . And so f o r t h ; a l t o g e t h e r about f i f t y o t h e r odd 

s e n s e l e s s sad t e r r i f y i n g & c u r i o u s l y r e l a t e d t h i n g s t h a t make me 

sometimes t h i n k ( t a k i n g i t a l l i n a l l ! ) t h a t maybe I am the chap 

chosen of God or the d e v i l t o e l u c i d a t e the Law of S e r i e s . 

U n f o r t u n a t e l y i t would seem t o i n v o l v e one i n such r o t t e n bad 

a r t : or need i t not? At a l l e v e n t s , I have been r e a d i n g Kant's 

C r i t i q u e of Pure Reason t o see i f t h a t would h e l p . Or perhaps 

Bergson's Osbert S i t w e l l 7 —& some of James J o y c e ' s e x p e r i e n c e s 

seem t o t i e up. 

When we a r r i v e d back here too i t was t o f i n d t h a t someone, 

s t r a n g e r s & v u l t u r e s , had d i s r e g a r d e d our burned s t a k e s & n o t i c e s 

and b u i l t smack on h a l f our o l d s i t e , b l o c k i n g our s o u t h e r l y 

view, a g r e a t t a l l u g l y E r e c t i o n to be f u l l i n the summer of 

r a c k e t y r i c k e t y c h i l d r e n & h y s t e r i c a l f a t women, who meantime had 

p u l l e d down the f l a g s we had l e f t - - p e r h a p s too d r a m a t i c a l l y — 

f l y i n g on our poor o l d r u i n thrown dead mice down our w e l l and 

s h a t - - e v e n on the w a l l s — a l l over our t o i l e t . T h i s of c o u r s e i s 

a c r i m e , a c c o r d i n g t o the l o c a l f o l k w a y s , the mores, or whatever, 



363 

though we had no legal toehold in the matters-one i n c i d e n t a l l y 

of the prime causes of jungle warfare--pioneer's and squatters 

rights having been abolished: our few fishermen friends--with 

ourselves the only permanent i n h a b i t a n t s — a r r i v e d back too late 

from Alaska to prevent i t & our l o c a l Manx boat builder only got 

insulted and nearly beaten up when he t r i e d to put a stop to i t . 

They had no excuse, knew we were coming back. We could have 

knocked their house down ourselves & had the support of even most 

of the summer community but l i k e a fool or not I decided to be 

C h r i s t l i k e about i t with the r e s u l t that we had them in our hair 

a l l summer while we were building on what space was l e f t for us, 

our new neighbours even c a l l i n g us greedy because we made the 

most of that, u n t i l one day the owner came over and asked why we 

wouldn't speak to them more often and accused me of putting a 

curse on them and on their house, that they'd couldn't be happy 

there, that the youngest c h i l d , for instance, had almost drowned 

the day before, & so on, and that they'd had one misfortune after 

another, ever since they'd b u i l t there, to which I replied that 

while we forgave them a l l r i g h t , they had never had the charity 

to perceive that there was anything to forgive, moreover i f you 

b u i l t on top of a guy's soul, you couldn't be sure what would 

happen, and i f something you didn't l i k e did happen, i t was no 

use coming round complaining to us and looking as i f they'd 

swallowed Paddy Murphy's Goat and the horns were s t i c k i n g out of 

their a r s e . 8 A l l round, quite an e t h i c a l problem. 

To be frank, i t is ourselves who have had a share of the 

misfortunes. Margie ran a n a i l through her foot the f i r s t day we 



364 

got the lumber i n - - c e 1 l u l i t i s set i n - - t h e n blood p o i s o n i n g , 

shortage of d o c t o r s , and f i n a l l y h o s p i t a l and probings, and a 

h o r r i b l e anxious awful time that was. Meanwhile she r e c e i v e d the 

f i r s t p a r t of her proofs f o r her n o v e l 9 but we are s t i l l w a i t i n g 

f o r the promised p r o o f r e a d e r s copy of the second p a r t , S c r i b n e r s 

having h e l d her f i r s t novel now f o r over four years ( i t i s 

g e t t i n g i n t o the f i f t h - y e a r ) without p u b l i s h i n g i t and although 

they signed a c o n t r a c t f o r a second n o v e l 1 0 with a time l i m i t s e t 

for p u b l i c a t i o n date at t h i s f a l l i t i s a l r e a d y t h i s f a l l and 

s t i l l Margie hasn't had so much as a s m e l l of the p r o o f s of t h i s 

second n o v e l , which was supposed to be a t the p r i n t e r s l a s t Xmas, 

so i t looks as though a breach of c o n t r a c t looms with what s m a l l 

comfort that i s f o r the poor author. S c r i b n e r s have proved the 

worlds most undependable and unscrupulous people to d e a l with and 

you are c e r t a i n l y w e l l r i d of t h e i r new o u t f i t . Granted they 

dared not behave l i k e t h a t with someone l i k e you, but what the 

h e l l . I then proceeded to cut o f f the end of my thumb while 

doing some r i p s a w i n g with an o r d i n a r y saw, which s e t us back with 

the b u i l d i n g and f o r the l a s t two months I have been i n bed 

p r a c t i c a l l y unable to move with a toxalmia caused by an 

o s t e o m y e l i t i s due to an abcessed tooth that became abcessed and 

had to be removed owing to m a l p r a c t i c e . There i s a shortage of 

d e n t i s t s - - t h e y w i l l not take new p a t i e n t s , even [ i f ] you are 

hopping with agony as I was, and on V.J. day too, with the 

d r u g s t o r e s a l l shut. But on the other hand there i s a p p a r e n t l y 

a l s o a s u r p l u s of d e n t i s t s : they are t h r e a t e n i n g to open o f f i c e s 

on the s t r e e t , because of the housing shortage. But I myself 



have not been a b l e t o f i n d a t r a c e of these d e n t i s t s . Meantime 

t h e r e has been an average of two murders a week h e r e , most of 

them by or of c h i l d r e n : a pet s l a y e r l i k e w i s e i s a t l a r g e who has 

d i s e m b o w e l l e d t h i r t e e n g o a t s , s e v e r a l s a i l o r s ' monkeys, t w e l v e 

pet r a b b i t s , and i s d o u b t l e s s a l s o somewise r e s p o n s i b l e f o r the 

a p p a r i t i o n of h a l f a c o c k e r s p a n i e l i n a l a n e near West 

Vancouver. On the o t h e r hand a murderer--no r e l a t i v e but 

e m b a r r a s i n g l y a l s o of the name Trumbaugh3- 3-—has s h o t a p o l i c e m a n 

t h a t was s e v e r a l months ago, but was reminded of i t f o r a t time 

of w r i t i n g he has j u s t r e c e i v e d a r e p r i e v e & wondered i f t h a t 

were a good omen. J u s t the same we have b u i l t our house and 

p a r a d i s e has been r e g a i n e d . I f o r g o t t o s a y t h a t no sooner had 

p a r a d i s e been r e g a i n e d t h a t we r e c e i v e d the n o t i c e t h a t a new law 

had gone t h r o u g h and t h a t a l l our l o v e l y f o r e s t was t o be t o r n 

down and o u r s e l v e s w i t h i t w i t h i n a year and t u r n e d i n t o 

'autocamps of the b e t t e r c l a s s . ' T h i s p l a c e d our new h o u s e — 

which, by the way has the d i s t i n c t i o n of b e i n g the l a s t example 

of such p i o n e e r a c t i v i t y on Vancouver w a t e r f r o n t p r o p e r t y — u n d e r 

a sentence of d e a t h t h a t was f i n a l l y too much f o r our sense of 

humour and my temperature went up w i t h i n a q u a r t e r of an hour t o 

103. A sad s t o r y , you say, a l m o s t as p o i g n a n t as The Triumph of 

Egg?? 3 - 2 Not a b i t of i t . R e p r i e v e f o r the Trumbaugh a l s o has 

come. There w i l l be no autocamps of the b e t t e r c l a s s , and no 

n e i g h b o u r s e i t h e r , of the worse c l a s s . We may l i v e here f o r 

t h r e e y e a r s a t l e a s t as we a r e d o i n g w i t h o u t m o l e s t a t i o n or 

p a y i n g any r e n t a t a l l and then buy the l a n d t o o , t h a t i s the 

p a r t we want & we are b e i n g g i v e n f i r s t c h o i c e — f o r a r e a s o n a b l e 



366 

p r i c e . Thus does your o l d Male, i f s t i l l a c o n s e r v a t i v e -

C h r i s t i a n - a n a r c h i s t at heart, at l a s t j o i n the ranks of the p e t t y 

b o u r g e o i s i e . I f e e l somewhat l i k e a Prometheus who became 

i n t e r e s t e d i n r e a l e s t a t e & decided to buy up h i s Caucasian 

r a v i n e . At the moment we are l i v i n g i n the house, without i n s i d e 

w a l l s . I t s ' pouring with r a i n , & i t doesn't l e a k . What triumph. 

Herewith our handiwork--also the p i e r we b u i l t o u r s e l v e s , a l l 

t h a t was l e f t of our o l d h o u s e - - i t used to come out of our f r o n t 

door--the v u l t u r e s wedged themselves i n j u s t beyond, hoping to 

use our p i e r too, not to say our w e l l . ! 

My novel--the Volcano—,seems to have gone smack i n t o the 

void--no i n t e l l i g e n t comments so f a r , or encouragement. I t h i n k 

i t i s r e a l l y good, though The Lost Week E n d 1 3 may have d e p r i v e d 

i t of some of i t s i m p a c t — a l a c k - - p r o s a i c j u s t i c e ? - - i f not to be 

confused with The Last Week End, by J . Sommerfield, 1 " 4 i n which i t 

a c t u a l l y i s o l d Male who goes a l l too r e c o g n i z a b l y down the 

d r a i n , and p r e t t y f e e b l e too. I was p l a n n i n g to send you the 

Volcano i n some t r e p i d a t i o n but with some p r i d e too but I don't 

l i k e to saddle you with the o n l y copy i n my p o s s e s s i o n a t present 

and I don't see how I can get back the o n l y a v a i l a b l e other one 

before you s a i l . So please take the w i l l f o r the deed f o r the 

time being. I ' l l l e a r n 'em e v e n t u a l l y , as Mr Wolfe once s a i d , I 

f e e l . 

The o n l y d i f f e r e n c e i n my present s t a t u s s i n c e I wrote the 

above i s that while we are s t i l l l i v i n g i n the house without 

i n s i d e w a l l s the roof i s l e a k i n g i n s i x d i f f e r e n t p l a c e s . 1 3 But 

now your l e t t e r about the C o l l e c t e d Poems has a r r i v e d 1 6 and I 



367 

hasten to make some reply in time, though please forgive me i f 

what I say seems h a s t i l y digested. In b r i e f , these are the ideas 

vhich immediately occur to me and I hope they are not merely 

confusing. I think the idea of reversing the chronological order 

is a very good one, in fact as good as can be,--though I think 

perhaps The Soldier might p r o f i t by being dislocated out of the 

nev order and being placed, i f not a c t u a l l y among the symphonies 

somevhere near them in the second volume. What I mean i s , i f the 

poem does not belong to the symphonies, The Soldier does to the 

notion of The Divine Pilgrim. Houston P e t e r s o n 1 7 or somebody 

once put the possibly erroneous idea in my head that you had once 

thought of including T e t e l e s t a i also under The Divine Pilgrim 

heading and even i f this is erroneous and T e t e l e s t a i not a 

symphony t h i s i s worth thinking of i f you haven't already 

rejected i t . i a As for the early poems I vould c e r t a i n l y put in 

every thing that can possibly be of use to the fellow-poet and 

student of your work, Discordants with Youth that's now so 

bravely spending 1 9 and as many of the actual Cats & Rats Turns & 

Movies 2 0 as you have space for. The l a t t e r l y c e r t a i n l y stay v i t h 

me as unique & powerful work, whatever you may think of them. I 

vould also take the opportunity of exhuming from undeserved limbo 

such pieces as 'Red petals in the dust under a t r e e " , 2 1 Asphalt 

"tossing our tortured hands to no escape" (though not very early, 

1925 model?), 2 2 but very f i n e , and even the "succubus you kissed" 

lampoon you wrote agin the Imagists, 2 3 which has a h i s t o r i c a l 

interest, & giving the dates of a l l these. I don't know about a 

selection from Earth Triumphant, but I would be inclined to make 



368 

a s h o r t o n e : 2 4 - - p o s s i b l y you a r e r i g h t to disown i t , but I m y s e l f 

cannot f o r g e t the 'unaccustomed wetness i n my t r o u s e r s ' w i t h 

which I read i t a t Your Uncle P o t t e r s . 2 3 The o n l y o t h e r 

d e p a r t u r e t h a t comes t o me would be t o s t a r t the whole c o l l e c t e d 

poems w i t h the Morning Song of S e n l i n and End them w i t h The 

Coming F o r t h by Day of O s i r i s J o n e s . 2 6 I must say I l i k e t h i s 

n o t i o n per se e x c e e d i n g l y , i f i t would not p l a y too much hob w i t h 

your r e v e r s e d c h r o n o l o g y . Whatever you do, I am v e r y g l a d a 

C o l l e c t e d Poems i s coming out and the v e r y b e s t l u c k w i t h them. 

I f by the way you have any o l d Harpers B a z z a a r s , V i c e 

V e r s a s , S o u t h e r n Reviews or what not you are t h i n k i n g of t h r o w i n g 

away--no o l d D i a l s , alack?--we would be immensely beholden i f you 

would wrap a paper around them and shoot them i n t h i s d i r e c t i o n 

C.O.D or something f o r we a r e a b s o l u t e l y s t u c k here f o r such 

r e a d i n g m a t t e r , a l l i n t e l l i g e n t American magazines h a v i n g been 

u n p r o c u r a b l e f o r donkeys y e a r s : on the o t h e r hand i t o c c u r s t o me 

i t i s p r o b a b l y a poor time t o ask what w i t h you p a c k i n g & a l l : so 

i f i t ' s too much t r o u b l e , j u s t f o r g e t i t . 

W e l l , bon voyage, o l d f e l l o w and our v e r y b e s t l o v e t o you 

both and b e s t wishes f o r Mary's s u c c e s s & our v e r y b e s t a g a i n t o 

her and you and a l s o t o Jeakes 

Male. 

J.L.D's a d d r e s s 2 e - - l a s t I h e a r d — w a s I t h i n k The M a l t i n g House.  

Chippenham, W i l t s . 



3 6 9 

P.S. When I suggested s t a r t i n g with the Morning Song of Senlin I 

wasn't of course forgetting that the Morning Song was only part 

of Senlin: a biography. My idea, possibly rather na'ive, was that 

the Poems should s t a r t with Senlin r i s i n g in the morning & close 

with the comment of the grass in The Coming forth, which I f e l t 

would rather b e a u t i f u l l y enclose the Pilgrim theme running 

throughout your work. Possibly the idea would be better i f there 

were just one volume. However, perhaps i t was a good one. I just 

send t h i s p.s because such things can be i r r i t a t i n g ; almost as 

irritating--perhaps you s a y — a s when I once referred to 

Brownstone Eclogues as Brownstone Elegies, a stupid mistake that 

I saw too late & was doubtless due to a state of mind: I was 

thinking of them as Br imstone Eclogues, & the correction got off 

on the wrong f o o t . 2 9 I am now almost better of the toxalmia & 

the roof-leaks are mysteriously healing of themselves. At high 

tide you can dive out of our casement windows into perilous seas 

f o r l o r n — v e r y useful. Jesus, t h i s is a beautiful place. We are 

thinking of t r a v e l l i n g for six months, however, into the s u n — 

H a i t i , or a freighter to Samoa.3 0 Do you know any new magazines 

f r i e n d l y to more or less o r i g i n a l or experimental short s t o r i e s 

that do not have to s t a r t : 'I was just leaving Oliphant & 

Company's o f f i c e s when I saw Mike.'? Please give my love to the 

drugstore where the (? mouthesills] were bought, the pirates 

pushing trucks, Mr Smith, Malvolio, S i l b e r s t e i n , the engineer 

with long-beaked o i l c a n , the shipboys, & of course the Kraken & 

any pyntors & g i l d e r s who have been to Vancouver, likewise the 

tarred seams, the S i l u r i a n ( i f seen) & don't forget the s e a . 3 1 



370 

Best l o v e & s u c c e s s t o Mary & y o u r s e l f from us both & a g a i n 

Bon Voyage—& t o J e a k e s , John & Jane, The S h i p , Mermaid S t . & the 

B u r r a 3 2 

Male. 



371 

E x p l a n a t o r y Notes 
1 See Appendix I, p. 490, f o r Aiken's v a r i a n t t y p e s c r i p t 

t r a n s c r i p t i o n of t h i s l e t t e r . 
2 Henry Adams (1838-1918), American h i s t o r i a n , p h i l o s o p h e r 

and author best known f o r h i s The Education of Henrv Adams 
(1918). 

3 B e t t y and Gerald Noxon, whom Lovry had v i s i t e d i n O n t a r i o 
i n 1944; see l e t t e r 8, n. 15, p. 61, and l e t t e r 66, n. 1, p. 347. 

* I have been unable to i d e n t i f y the E m i l y D i c k i n s o n poem/s 
to v h i c h Lowry i s r e f e r r i n g . 

B Lowry l a t e r i n c o r p o r a t e d these uncanny encounters with 
f i r e i n t o October F e r r v to G a b r i o l a , ed. Margerie Lovry (Nev 
York: World, 1970). 

• C f . Aiken's Blue Vovaae (265). 
7 I have not been a b l e to i d e n t i f y t h i s r e f e r e n c e . 

* Cf. Lovry's "Through the Panama" i n Hear Us O Lord ( 9 4 ) f 
and Markson's "Malcolm Lovry: A Reminiscence: D o l l a r t o n " (228). 

• The Shapes That Creep (Nev York: S c r i b n e r ' s , 1946). 
Although i n p r e v i o u s l e t t e r s L o v r y suggests t h a t The L a s t T v l s t 
of the K n i f e vas the f i r j a t d e t e c t i v e novel v r i t t e n by Margerie, 
The Shapes That Creep vas a c t u a l l y the f i r s t t o be p u b l i s h e d . 

" The L a s t T v i s t of the K n i f e (Nev York: S c r i b n e r ' s , 1946). 
l x M a r t i n Trumbaugh i s the p r o t a g o n i s t i n Lovry's e a r l y 

d r a f t s of Dark as the Grave. "La Mordida," and "Through the 
Panama," and vas named a f t e r the j a z z musician F r a n k i e Trumbauer 
(see "Through the Panama" ( 3 4 ) ) ; the p r o t a g o n i s t ' s name vas l a t e r 
changed to S i g b j ^ r n W i l d e r n e s s . 

" Reference to Shervood Anderson's The TslmftPh of the Egg; 
A Book of Impressions from American L i f e i n T a l e s and Poems (Nev 
York: B.W. Huebsch, 1921). 

i a The appearance of C h a r l e s R. Jackson's The L o s t Weekend 
i n 1944, three years before the p u b l i c a t i o n of Under the Volcano, 
came as a g r e a t b l o v to L o v r y vho f e l t Jackson's novel to be too 
s i m i l a r to h i s ovn and f e a r e d t h a t he vould be accused of 
i m i t a t i n g i t ; c f . l e t t e r 74, n. 5, p. 400. 

1 4 John Sommerfield's n o v e l , The L a s t Weekend, vas never 
p u b l i s h e d ; the p r o t a g o n i s t of the book, David N o r d a l l , i s 
supposed to have been modelled upon Lovry (Day 153-55). 

X B T h i s s e c t i o n of the l e t t e r vas a p p a r e n t l y v r i t t e n some 



372 

days a f t e r the f i r s t . 
1 6 See l e t t e r 69, p. 358, from A i k e n . 
X 7 See l e t t e r 7, n. 9, p. 48. 
x e " T e t e l e s t a i " i s a poem from A i k e n ' s P r i a p u s and the P o o l 

and i s . i n c l u d e d i n "The D i v i n e P i l g r i m " s e c t i o n of C o l l e c t e d  
Poems. 

X 9 " D i s c o r d a n t s " was p u b l i s h e d i n Turns and Movies and Other  
T a l e s i n Verse ( B o s t o n : Houghton M i f f l i n , 1916); "Youth" appears 
i n E a r t h Triumphant and Other T a l e s i n Verse (New York: 
M a c m i l l a n , 1914). Only " D i s c o r d a n t s " i s p r i n t e d i n C o l l e c t e d  
Poems. 

2 0 " B a i n ' s Cats and R a t s , " which i s p r i n t e d i n C o l l e c t e d  
Poems, i s the n i n t h poem i n the "Turns and Movies" s e r i e s from 
A i k e n ' s Turns and Movies and Other T a l e s i n V e r s e . 

2 X See "Red P e t a l s , " C a r t o o n s Magazine 16.6 (Dec. 1919): 
919. 

2 2 See " A s p h a l t , " D i a l 68.6 (June 1920): 733; the f i n a l l i n e 
of t h i s poem r e a d s : "We t o s s our t o r t u r e d hands, t o no escape." 

2 3 I have not been a b l e t o i d e n t i f y t h i s poem. 
2 4 There a r e no s e l e c t i o n s from E a r t h Triumphant i n 

C o l l e c t e d Poems. 
2 5 A l f r e d C l a g h o r n P o t t e r : see l e t t e r 55, n. 3, p. 299; 

Lowry p r o b a b l y met "Uncle A l f r e d " when v i s i t i n g A i k e n i n 
M a s s a c h u s e t t s i n the summer of 1929. 

2 S T h i s arrangement was not used; i n s t e a d , the poems were 
a r r a n g e d i n c h r o n o l o g i c a l o r d e r a c c o r d i n g t o when t h e y were 
w r i t t e n . 

Greek, "the whole s e a , the 
s e a . " See A i k e n ' s Blue Voyage (289, 303). C f . a l s o Xenophon's 
A n a b a s i s I V . v i i . 2 4 : " (9+\*^<l[ () dfc&A,' ("The S e a l T n e Sea,">-

2 0 John Davenport; see l e t t e r 7, n. 12, p. 49. 
2 9 See l e t t e r 67, p. 350. 
3 0 On 28 November 1945, the Lowrys f l e w t o Mexico v i a Los 

Angeles and s t a y e d i n Cuernavaca; both Dark as the Grave and the 
u n p u b l i s h e d "La M o r d i d a " a r e based on t h i s t r i p . T h e i r t r i p by 
f r e i g h t e r t o H a i t i d i d not t a k e p l a c e u n t i l December 1947. 

3 X Most of these a r e a l l u s i o n s t o A i k e n ' s Blue Voyage: 
" t r u c k s were everywhere, each pushed by a p i r a t e " ( 3 ) ; " e n g i n e e r 

http://IV.vii.24


373 

c a r r i e s a long-beaked o i l - c a n " ( 3 0 6 ) ; " ' p y n t e r and g i l d e r ' " ( 4 ) ; 
"'A p y n t e r an' g i l d e r , I am, an' I've been t o Vancouver'" ( 3 6 ) ; 
Smith, M a l v o l i o , and S i l b e r s t e i n a r e c h a r a c t e r s i n Blue Voyage; 
the S i l u r i a n i s the s h i p on which Demarest f i r s t met C y n t h i a . 
"The Kraken": c f . Lowry's 1951 l e t t e r to Seymour Lawrence 
p u b l i s h e d i n Wake 11: 87-8, and l e t t e r 87, p. 477. 

3 2 The S h i p Inn, Rye; Mermaid S t . , the s t r e e t on which 
Jeake's House s t a n d s ; Ed B u r r a . 

T e x t u a l Notes 

[ I t i s u n l i k e l y t h a t the ms. v e r s i o n of t h i s l e t t e r 
i n the U.B.C. L i b r a r y i s a c t u a l l y the one r e c e i v e d 
by A i k e n ; see Appendix I , p. 490, f o r A i k e n ' s 
i n c o m p l e t e and v a r i a n t t r a n s c r i p t i o n of t h i s 
l e t t e r ] 

[someone has w r i t t e n " [ F a l l ] 1945" a t top of l e t t e r ] 

Dear o l d Conrad:\ < [ i l l e g . ] > how do you do.> 
<Dear C> 

Dear o l d Conrad: 

f a t i n f o r m a t i v e & d i v e r t i n g l e t t e r - - \ f a t <and good> 
{ i n f o r m a t i v e & d i v e r t i n g } l e t t e r -

but I want t o get t h i s l e t t e r o f f now so i t w i l l be 
i n t i m e \ but <where a r e t h e y now, I know where t h e y 
a r e but> I want t o get t h i s l e t t e r o f f <in a hurry> 
{now} so i t w i l l <wish you bon voyage> be i n time 

s a c r i f i c e of the o t h e r f o r \ s a c r i f i c e of <my l e t t e r > 
{the o t h e r } f o r 

the phoenix c l a p p e d i t s wings a l l r i g h t a l l r i g h t , 
[ . . . ] broke i t s neck\ the phoenix <has> c l a p p e d 
i t s wings<, i n f a c t gave such a r e s o u n d i n g clap> 
a l l r i g h t { a l l r i g h t } , i n f a c t gave such a 
<resounding> < { [ i l l e g . ] } > {bloody} g r e a t 
{resounding} c l a p t h a t the <bloody> {poor} b i r d 
<nearly> { n e a r l y } broke i t s neck 

360.10- 11 The i n t e r m i n a b l e g o l d e n \ The <long> { i n t e r m i n a b l e } 
g o l d e n 

360.11 b i t t e r s w e e t a w f u l b e a u t i f u l E a s t e r n autumn\ 
b i t t e r s w e e t { a w f u l b e a u t i f u l E a s t e r n } autumn 

360.11- 12 I'd never e x p e r i e n c e d ) \ I'd never <seen> 
{exper i e n c e d } ) 

d a t e 

360.1 

360.3 

360.4-5 

360.6 

360 . 6-8 



374 

360.12 Margie, [(Iwhose c h i l d h o o d \ Margie,<to some extent> 

[(]whose c h i l d h o o d 

360.13 me i t almost slew.\ me i t {almost} slew. 

360.14 upon me, i n f a c t , than\ upon me, {in fact,} than 

360.14- 15 though the Noxon's\ though <Nox> the Noxon's 
360.15- 16 r e a l l y b e a u t i f u l . I was i n shocking bad form,\' 

r e a l l y b e a u t i f u l <, & r e a l l y {quite} unique>. I 
was i n 

<Sadness i s so much p a r t of me t h a t I 
May not, encumbered <<without>> as [ i l l e g . ] 
dare hope 

Sadness i s so the [ i l l e g . ] p a r t of me 
That I am may dare add a l i t t l e hope 

My g r i e f i s l i k e a<<n o l d i r o n cookstove 
which-->> {battered o l d cookstove} 
<<As I remembered that>> > 

shocking bad form, [the above u n f i n i s h e d poem 
appears to have been w r i t t e n on the page before 
Lowry began the l e t t e r ] 

360.17 though I was very d i s a p p o i n t e d \ though I was {very} 
d i s a p p o i n t e d 

360.17-18 see y o u , - - a l b e i t I heard y o u - - i t was perhaps j u s t \ 
see y o u , { - - a l b e i t I heard you--} i t was {perhaps} 
j u s t 

360.20 seemed to d r i v e \ seemed <to have> to d r i v e 

360.21 traumatic r e s u l t alone was s h a t t e r i n g . \ traumatic 
{result} <effect> <{consequences}> <alone 
w<<as>>{ere}> {alone was} s h a t t e r i n g <{enough--if 
very i n t e r e s t i n g } > . 

360.22 the bloody f i r e \ the {bloody} f i r e 

361.1 f i n d Margie screaming\ f i n d <her> {Margie} screaming 

361.1-2 wake to f i n d me y e l l i n g and gnashing my t e e t h , \ f i n d 
<her> {me} y e l l i n g <or [ i l l e g . ] > and gnashing <my> 
my t e e t h , 

361.2 t e e t h I have l e f t \ t e e t h I <have> {have} l e f t 

361.3 these d i v e r s i o n s \ these < l i t t l e domestic> d i v e r s i o n s 

361.4 our own,\ our < [ i l l e g . ] > own, 



375 

361.5- 6 i n a f a s h i o n n o t h i n g s h o r t of d i a b o l i c a l . \ i n a 
< d i a b o l i c a l f a s h i o n > { f a s h i o n n o t h i n g s h o r t of 
d i a b o l i c a l } . 

361.6- 7 a n e i g h b o u r i n g house\ a { n e i g h b o u r i n g } house 

361.8-9 f o r the w i n t e r [. . .] o l d one and\ f o r the w i n t e r 
{because i t <rather> {{vaguely}} resembled our o l d 
one} and 

361.12 s u r e enough, about a week\ s u r e enough, {about} a 
week 

361.13 house d i d ; \ house d i d <do>; 

361.17 when we went down t o N i a g a r a \ when we <got back> 

{went <ov> down} t o N i a g a r a 

361.17-18 t o o u r s , one n i g h t w h i l e \ t o o u r s , {one n i g h t } w h i l e 

361.18 went up i n a b l a z e : \ went up i n <smoke> {a b l a z e } : 
361.19-20 saw the a w f u l sun, {. . .] t o - d a y - - \ saw the 

<">awful sun<">, {(E.d. a g a i n ) - - I don't know why so 
much E m i l y Dickenson to-day--} 

361.23 & took a l l our m a n u s c r i p t s \ took a l l <the> {our} 
m a n u s c r i p t s 

361.24 And t o cap\ <But t o cap> And t o cap 

361.24 r e t u r n e d h e r e , i t t u r n e d out t h a t \ r e t u r n e d h e r e , 
<the house where we'd> { i t t u r n e d out t h a t } 

361.25- 6 where someone [. . .] few t h i n g s \ where <we'd> 
{someone had been good enough t o l e t us} store<d> 
our bedding < [ i l l e g . ] > & < [ i l l e g . ] > some few t h i n g s 

361.26- 7 had i n our absence i t s e l f been burned down,\ had { i n 
our absence i t s e l f } been < i t s e l f [ i l l e g . ] > 
<consumed by f i r e > {burned down}, 

362.1 bedding & s t u f f w i t h i t , \ bedding {& s t u f f } w i t h i t , 

362.1-2 i n t o flame [. . .] e v e n i n g \ i n t o flame <one> f o r no 
<valid> r e a s o n a t a l l { a p p a r e n t l y , } one calm {mild} 
e v e n i n g 

362.3 weren't even t h e r e . \ weren't even <inside> t h e r e . 

362.3 Margie & I \ Margie <had invented> & I 

362.7 the m.ss [. . .] r e s c u e \ the m.ss<,> { c o n c e r n i n g 
him} I had <rescued> {happened to} <from our f i r e > 



376 

r e s c u e 
362.10- 11 f i f t y o t h e r odd s e n s e l e s s sad t e r r i f y i n g & c u r i o u s l y 

r e l a t e d \ f i f t y o t h e r odd <things> { s e n s e l e s s sad} 
<things> { t e r r i f y i n g &} c u r i o u s l y r e l a t e d 
[ h a n d w r i t t e n by Lowry a t top of page: "Mem--who 
gave me my f i r s t d r i n k e t c " ] 

362.11- 13 make me sometimes t h i n k [. . .] chosen of God\ make 
me {sometimes} t h i n k { ( t a k i n g i t a l l i n a l l ! ) } t h a t 
maybe I am the <person> <{chosen}> {chap} chosen of 
God 

362.16-18 would h e l p . Or perhaps [. . .] t i e up.\ would h e l p . 
{Or perhaps Bergson's Osbert S i t w e l l - - & some of 
James J o y c e s e x p e r i e n c e s seem t o t i e up.} 

362.19- 20 someone, s t r a n g e r s & v u l t u r e s , had\ someone, {<city> 
s t r a n g e r s & v u l t u r e s , } had 

362.20- 21 our burned s t a k e s & n o t i c e s and\ our {burned} s t a k e s 
& { n o t i c e s <a>} and 

362.21- 2 smack on h a l f [. . .] f u l l \ smack on { h a l f } our 
{old} s i t e , { b l o c k i n g our s o u t h e r l y view,} a g r e a t 
t a l l u g l y <thi> E r e c t i o n {to be} f u l l 

362.23 c h i l d r e n & h y s t e r i c a l f a t women, who\ c h i l d r e n {& 
h y s t e r i c a l f a t women}, who 

362.24-5 p u l l e d down the f l a g s [. . .] f l y i n g \ p u l l e d down 
the <{American & Canadian & E n g l i s h } > f l a g s we had 
l e f t - - { p e r h a p s too d r a m a t i c a l l y - - } f l y i n g 

362.27 the l o c a l f o l k w a y s , \ the { l o c a l } f o l k w a y s , 

363.1 l e g a l t o e h o l d \ l e g a l <standing> { t o e h o l d } 

363.1-2 --one i n c i d e n t a l l y of the prime causes of j u n g l e 
w a r f a r e — \ [ t h i s sentence i s w r i t t e n a t the top of 
the page] 

363.3 b e i n g a b o l i s h e d : our few f i s h e r m e n f r i e n d s - - w i t h \ 
b e i n g <{almost}> a b o l i s h e d : < [ i l l e g . ] > {our few} 
f i s h e r m e n f r i e n d s <hadn 1 t>--with 

363.5 p r e v e n t i t & o u r \ p r e v e n t i t <happening> & our 

363.6-8 t r i e d t o put [. . . .] t h e i r house down\ t r i e d t o 
<prevent i t . > {put a s t o p t o i t . They had no 
excuse, <&> knew we were coming back.} We <had> 
c o u l d have knocked <it> { t h e i r house} down 



377 

363.9 but l i k e a f o o l or not I \ but <for some r e a s o n ) 
{ l i k e a f o o l or not} I 

363.11 on what s p a c e \ on what <was l e f t > space 

363.12-13 new n e i g h b o u r s even [. . .] t h a t , \ new n e i g h b o u r s 
<having the nerve t o c a l l > {even c a l l i n g } us greedy 
because {we made} the most <even> of t h a t , 

363.13 one day the owner came over and a s k e d \ one day the 
<fat female> owner came over <in hyst> <nearly> 
<{almost}> <in h y s t e r i c s ) and asked 

363.14 accused me o f \ accused {me} of 

363.15-17 t h e y ' d c o u l d n ' t [. . . ], and\ t h e y ' d <never> 
{ c o u l d n ' t } be<en> happy { t h e r e } , t h a t <her> {the} 
youngest c h i l d , { f o r i n s t a n c e , } had a l m o s t drowned 
the day b e f o r e , {& so on,} and 

363.18 a n o t h e r , [. . .] t o w h i c h \ a n o t h e r , <and so on,> 
{ever s i n c e t h e y ' d <been> { { b u i l t } } t h e r e , } t o 
which 

363.21 a guy's s o u l , \ a <person's> guy's s o u l , <you had or 
worse { s t i l l } the s o u l of two p e o p l e , ) 

363.21 c o u l d n ' t be s u r e \ c o u l d n ' t be < p r e c i s e l y > s u r e 

363.22 i f something\ i f <you> something 

363.22- 3 no use coming\ no use <compla> < { [ i l l e g . ] } > coming 

363.23- 4 as i f t h e y ' d swallowed Paddy Murphy's Goat\ as i f 
<they'd> { < [ i l l e g . ] > they'd} swallowed <a l i v e > 
{Paddy Murphy's} Goat <hole> 

363.24- 5 out of t h e i r \ out of <his> t h e i r 

363.26 To be f r a n k , \ <However,> To be f r a n k , 

363.26 have had a share o f \ have had <most> {a share} of 

364.1 s e t i n - - \ s e t < [ i l l e g . ] > i n - -

364.2 h o s p i t a l and p r o b i n g s , and\ h o s p i t a l {and p r o b i n g s } , 
and 

364.5- 6 second p a r t , S c r i b n e r s h a v i n g h e l d \ second p a r t , 
<they> { S c r i b n e r s } h a v i n g h<ad>{eld} 

364.6- 7 f o r over f o u r y e a r s ( i t i s g e t t i n g i n t o the f i f t h 
y e a r ) \ f o r <nearly f> over f o u r y e a r s ( { i t i s } 
g e t t i n g i n t o the f i f t h < ) > y e a r ) 



378 

364.8 t h e y s i g n e d \ t h e y <were not f o r c e d into> <in the n> 
s i g n e d 

364.8-9 w i t h a time l i m i t s e t f o r p u b l i c a t i o n date a t \ w i t h 
<the> a time l i m i t < a t i o n > {set} f o r p u b l i c a t i o n 
d a t e <they have a l > < i t i s a l r e a d y p a s t t h a t date> 
a t 

364.10 s t i l l M a r g i e \ s t i l l <they have> Margie 

364.12 looms w i t h v h a t \ looms w i t h <vhat t i l l e g . ] > what 

364.14 undependable and u n s c r u p u l o u s p e o p l e t o d e a l w i t h \ 
undependable<,> and u n s c r u p u l o u s < p e o p l e - - t h e i r 
behavior> <to d e a l with> people t o < [ i l l e g . ] > d e a l 
w i t h 

364.16 w i t h someone l i k e y o u 7 \ w i t h {someone l i k e } you, 

364.17-18 w h i l e d o i n g some r i p s a w i n g \ w h i l e d o i n g some 
<hacksawing wi> r i p s a w i n g 

364.1.8 which s e t us back\ which s e t <me> {us} back 

364.20-21 caused by an o s t e o m y e l i t i s \ caused by an <abcessed 
t> o s t e o m y e l i t i s 

364.22 owing t o m a l p r a c t i c e . \ owing t o <a s h o r t a g e of 
d e n t i s t s and f i n a l l y > m a l p r a c t i c e . 

364.23 not t a k e new p a t i e n t s , \ not take {new} p a t i e n t s , 

364.24 hopping w i t h agony\ hopping <in> {with} agony 

364.25 d r u g s t o r e s a l l s h u t . \ d r u g s t o r e s { a l l } s h u t . 
364.27 s t r e e t , because\ s t r e e t , <They The> <being u s u a l l > 

<other accomodat> because 
365.4-7 t h i r t e e n goats [. . .] West Vancouver.\ t h i r t e e n 

g o a t s , <twelve> s e v e r a l { s a i l o r s ' monkeys, twelve} 
pet r a b b i t s , and i s d o u b t l e s s a l s o {somewise} 
r e s p o n s i b l e f o r the a p p a r i t i o n of h a l f a c o c k e r 
s p a n i e l i n a l a n e <by> <in> {near} West Vancouver. 

365.7-11 On the o t h e r hand [. . .] omen.\ {<And> {{On the 
o t h e r hand}} a m u r d e r e r — n o r e l a t i v e but 
e m b a r r a s i n g l y a l s o of the name Trumbaugh--{{has 
s h o t a policeman}} t h a t was s e v e r a l months ago, but 
was reminded of i t f o r a t time of w r i t i n g he has 
j u s t r e c e i v e d a r e p r i e v e & wondered i f t h a t were a 
good omen.} [ t h i s sentence i s w r i t t e n i n the l e f t -
hand margin] 



379 

365.13 r e c e i v e d the n o t i c e \ r e c e i v e d <a r e p o r t > the n o t i c e 

365.16 'autocamps\ 1<b>autocamps 

365.16-18 T h i s p l a c e d [. . .] w a t e r f r o n t \ T h i s <this> p l a c e d 
our new house <under a>--which / < b u i l t w i t h our own 
hands> {by the way} <it> has the <merit of> 
d i s t i n c t i o n of b e i n g the l a s t <bit> {example} of 
such p i o n e e r a c t i v i t y on <waterfront> Vancouver 
w a t e r f r o n t 

365.19 t h a t was f i n a l l y too much\ t h a t was <at l a s t > 
{ f i n a l l y } too much 

365.21 a l m o s t as p o i g n a n t a s \ a l m o s t as <sad> {poignant} as 

365.22-3 R e p r i e v e f o r Mr Trumbaugh a l s o has come.\ R e p r i e v e 
{ f o r Mr Trumbaugh a l s o } has come. 

365.24 n e i g h b o u r s e i t h e r , of t h e \ n e i g h b o u r s e i t h e r , <at 
l e a s t of the p r e s e n t c a l i b r e > of the 

365.25-6 m o l e s t a t i o n or p a y i n g \ m o l e s t a t i o n <and then> or 
p a y i n g 

365.26 l a n d t o o , t h a t i s t h e \ l a n d t o o , <what pa> { t h a t i s } 
the 

366.1 p r i c e . Thus does\ p r i c e . <At the moment) Thus does 

[ h a n d w r i t t e n by Lowry on the v e r s o of e l e v e n t h page: 

Nocturne of Remembered S p r i n g 
<Punch> House of Dust 
C h a r n e l Rose 
F o r s l i n 
F e s t u s Punch] 

366.3-5 I f e e l [. . .] r a v i n e . \ I f e e l <some> (sometimes) 
somewhat l i k e [. . .] C a u c a s i a n r a v i n e . [ t h i s 
sentence i s h a n d w r i t t e n a t top of page] 

366.5 At the moment we a r e \ {At the moment} we are 

366.9 beyond, h o p i n g \ beyond, <the p i e r > hoping 

366.11 My n o v e l - - t h e V o l c a n o - - , seems\ My n o v e l { - - t h e 
V o l c a n o - - } , seems 

366.13 good, though\ good <in i t s b i z a r r e way>, though 

366.14 - - a l a c k - - p r o s a i c j u s t i c e ? - - i f n o t \ - - a l a c k - - < p o e t i c > 
{ p r o s a i c } j u s t i c e ? - - < t h o u g h > i f not 



380 

366.15-16 i n which i t a c t u a l l y i s o l d Male who goes\ i n which 
<old> <po o l d Malc> <{old}> <plays a r a t h e r more 
r e c o g n i z a b l e > <goes r a t h e r more r e c o g n i z a b l y down 
the d r a i n > i t a c t u a l l y i s o l d Male {who} goes 

366.17-18 t o o . I was p l a n n i n g t o send you the Volcano i n \ 
t o o . <In s p i t e of> I was p l a n n i n g t o send you the 
<book> {Volcano} i n 

366.19- 20 w i t h the o n l y copy i n my p o s s e s s i o n a t p r e s e n t and I 
don't s e e \ w i t h < [ i l l e g . ] > {the} o n l y copy <& I 
can't> i n my p o s s e s s i o n {at p r e s e n t } and I don't 
<the o n l y a v a i l a b l e other> see 

366.20- 22 o t h e r one b e f o r e you s a i l . So p l e a s e [. . .] 
b e i n g . \ o t h e r one <in time> { b e f o r e you s a i l } . 
<But> {So} p l e a s e t a k e the w i l l f o r the deed { f o r 
the t ime be i n g } . 

366.26-7 But now your l e t t e r \ But <meantime> {now} your 
l e t t e r 

367.1 make some r e p l y \ make {some} r e p l y 

367.1 though p l e a s e f o r g i v e me\ though < f o r g i v e me i f > 
<you must> {please} f o r g i v e me 

367.4-5 o r d e r i s a v e r y good one,\ o r d e r i s a <good> v e r y 
good one, 

367.5 as good as can be,--\ as good as < [ i l l e g . ' ] > can 
b e , — 

367.6 The S o l d i e r might\ The S o l d i e r <would p r o f i > might 

367.8-10 volume. What I mean [. . .] P i l g r i m . \ volume. 
{What I mean i s , i f <it> {{the poem}} does not 
b e l o n g t o the symphonies, The S o l d i e r does t o the 
n o t i o n of The D i v i n e P i l g r i m . } 

367.13-14 T e t e l e s t a i not a symphony t h i s i s \ T e t e l e s t a i <not> 
not a symphony < i t i s n o n e t h e l e s s ) t h i s i s 

367.16 e v e r y t h i n g \ e v e r y <bloody> t h i n g 

367.16 p o s s i b l y be of use t o the f e l l o w - p o e t \ p o s s i b l y <of> 
be {of} use t o the <student> f e l l o w - p o e t 

367.17 D i s c o r d a n t s w i t h Youth\ D i s c o r d a n t s <and> w i t h 
<'Youth> <Disenchantment and> Youth 

367.18 the a c t u a l Cats & Rats T u r n s \ the a c t u a l {Cats & 
Rats} Turns 



381 

367.19 The l a t t e r l y \ Th<ey>{e} l a t t e r l y 

367.20 you may t h i n k \ you may <have come to> t h i n k 

367.24 even the "succubus\ even the <lampoon> "succubus 

367.25-6 h i s t o r i c a l i n t e r e s t [. . .] t h e s e . \ h i s t o r i c a l 
i n t e r e s t ( . > { , & g i v i n g the d a t e s of a l l these.} 

367.27 Triumphant, but I \ Triumphant, <read a t your Uncle 
P o t t e r s ( i l l e g . ] > but I 

368.4 d e p a r t u r e t h a t comes\ d e p a r t u r e <I can s u g g e s t ) t h a t 
comes 

368.4 s t a r t the whole\ s t a r t the <whole> whole 

368.8 your r e v e r s e d c h r o n o l o g y . \ your ( r e v e r s e d and> 
r e v e r s e d c h r o n o l o g y . 

368.10 I f by the way\ I f <as you prepare t o d e p a r t ) <you> 
by <should> by the way 

368.12 a l a c k ? - - w e \ a l a c k ? - - < I > {we} 

368.13-14 and shoot them i n t h i s d i r e c t i o n C.O.D or something 
f o r \ and <send> {shoot} them i n t h i s d i r e c t i o n 
{C.O.D or something} f o r 

368.15-16 magazines h a v i n g been u n p r o c u r a b l e f o r \ magazines 
<are under a ban h e r e ) { h a v i n g been u n p r o c u r a b l e } 
f o r 

368.17 i t i s p r o b a b l y a poor time t o ask what w i t h \ i t i s 
{probably} ( p r o b a b l y ) a poor time t o ask <so i f 

. i t ' s ) {what} <too much t r o u b l e ) w i t h 

[ h a n d w r i t t e n by A i k e n a t top of s i x t e e n t h page: "No 
d a t e : but mention of Brownstone E c l o g u e s makes i t 
1942 or l a t e r . C.A." T h i s and the next page make 
up the p o s t s c r i p t of t h i s l e t t e r ; MS H; MSPC UBC] 

369.1 When I s u g g e s t e d s t a r t i n g \ When I ( s a i d ) suggest{ed} 
s t a r t i n g 

369.6-7 r u n n i n g t h r o u g h o u t your work.\ r u n n i n g through{out} 
( a l l ) your work. 

369.9-10 as i r r i t a t i n g - - p e r h a p s you s a y — a s when \ as 
i r r i t a t i n g { - - p e r h a p s you s a y - - } a s when 

369.23 [? m o u t h e s i l l s ] \ [ d o u b t f u l r e a d i n g ] 



382 

369.24-5 S i l b e r s t e i n , the e n g i n e e r [. . .] of c o u r s e \ 
S i l b e r s t e i n , {the e n g i n e e r w i t h long-beaked 
o i l c a n , the s h i p b o y s , } & of c o u r s e 

369 .27 & don't f o r g e t the s e a . \ & {don't f o r g e t } the s e a . 



383 

71: From LOWRY t o AIKEN 
TS H; u n p u b l i s h e d 

D o l l a r t o n , B.C., 
Canada, 

August 5, 1946. 

Dear o l d Conrad: 

I hope you and Mary a r e by now ensconced i n Jeakes House, 

Rye, and t h a t the s e a - p o p p i e s and Camber C a s t l e , not t o say tram, 

and the s h i p s b l i t h e l y s a i l i n g down the meadows a r e s t i l l t h e r e , 

and t h a t t h a t which was once the p r o v i n c e of the sea i s not now 

t o o much a p r o v i n c e of the same a g a i n by v i r t u e of b e i n g a n a v e l 

base. 

As f o r m y s e l f we a r e s t i l l l i v i n g i n the same p l a c e w i t h 

r a t h e r more s i d e - w a l l s , and s u f f e r i n g from s u c c e s s s l i g h t l y , the 

V o l c a n o h a v i n g b e i n g a c c e p t e d i n England and America upon the 

same day, o u r s e l v e s c u r i o u s l y h a v i n g been i n Mexico i t s e l f , i n 

your wedding p l a c e , a t t h a t t i m e , w h i t h e r we went because of 

c l i m a t e . 1 But I was not c o n v i n c e d and s a i d so t o o , t h e r e among 

m a r i g o l d s , w i t h E a s t e r coming: however i t i s a p p a r e n t l y §_o, and 

i n America a t l e a s t (Reynal and H i t c h c o c k ) has even gone t o the 

p r i n t e r s . I d e l a y e d t e l l i n g you t h i s f o r H i t c h c o c k had no sooner 

s i g n e d the c o n t r a c t than he dropped dead e t c . 2 and t h e r e were 

o t h e r d e l a y s . I hope t o God you w i l l l i k e t h i s work by your o l d 

p u p i l a l i t t l e though, which Cape b r i n g s out i n E n g l a n d , and I 

s h a l l send you as soon as I get any c o p i e s . M a r g i e ' s f i r s t 

d e t e c t i v e s t o r y 3 came out f i n a l l y a f t e r S c r i b n e r ' s kept i t n e a r l y 

5 y e a r s ; i t has s o l d f i v e thousand c o p i e s , and i s s t i l l s e l l i n g . 



384 

They brought out her second the other day, The Last Twist of the 

K n i f e , but without having sent her any p r o o f s and a c c o r d i n g to a 

l e t t e r r e c e i v e d from a reader (the f i r s t she'd even heard of i t s 

p u b l i c a t i o n ) minus i t s l a s t chapter: so t h a t there are no 

e x p l a n a t i o n s of the murder etc.'* S c r i b n e r ' s are r e a l l y the 

l i m i t . Our correspondence i s e q u a l l e d o n l y by Joyce's with Grant 

R i c h a r d s . 3 Margie has w r i t t e n a damn good s e r i o u s novel e n t i t l e d 

Horse i n the Sky which i s with Cape: 8 while f l a p p i n g 

incompetently about and j u s t about d r i v i n g poor Margie cockoo 

with d e l a y s and l i e s and non-answered l e t t e r s S c r i b n e r ' s had 

meantime t r i e d even to prevent her p u b l i s h i n g t h i s book, s i n c e i t 

would " i n t e r f e r e " with the 'career' which they had anyway at 

every p o i n t done t h e i r l e v e l best to b i t c h . She t h r i v e s however, 

as do I. 

Well, a l l my v e r y best love to you and Mary from us both -

remember me to the Burra and the Nashes and a l l " 7 - and J o h n 8 - I 

see Jane's name on the e d i t o r i a l board of Time? 9 - and Jane -

should the grandfather c l o c k s t i l l be there please give him a 

f r i e n d l y tug of the b o l l o c k s from me - and the S h i p . 1 0 

- from love f i f t e e n to vantage out to back again to love -

Male. 

- I have been r e r e r e a d i n g the E c l o g u e s : 1 1 wonderful. 



385 

E x p l a n a t o r y Notes 
1 The Lowrys had f l o w n t o Mexico on 28 November 1945 and 

s t a y e d i n Cuernavaca, Conrad and Mary A i k e n ' s "wedding p l a c e , " 
where t h e y were a b l e t o r e n t the house which had been the model 
f o r Jacques L a r u e l l e ' s house i n Under the V o l c a n o . I t was from 
t h i s house t h a t Lowry wrote h i s famous defence of the n o v e l t o 
Jonathan Cape. 

2 C u r t i c e H i t c h c o c k (1892-1946), p r e s i d e n t and d i r e c t o r of 
the American p u b l i s h i n g f i r m R e y n a l & H i t c h c o c k from 1934 u n t i l 
h i s d e a t h on 3 May 1946. 

3 The Shapes That Creep (New York: S c r i b n e r ' s , 1946). 

* The L a s t T w i s t of the K n i f e was r e i s s u e d by S c r i b n e r ' s i n 
the same year w i t h the l a s t c h a p t e r i n t a c t . Lowry quotes from 
t h i s f a n l e t t e r i n a 15 September 1946 l e t t e r t o Maxwell P e r k i n s 
i n the U.B.C. Lowry c o l l e c t i o n [ 2 - 8 ] . 

9 Grant R i c h a r d s was the p u b l i s h e r t o whom Joyce f i r s t s e n t 
D u b l i n e r s i n 1905. R i c h a r d s a c c e p t e d the book i n F e b r u a r y 1906, 
r e f u s e d i t i n September 1907, and f i n a l l y p u b l i s h e d i t i n 1914 
(Ellmann 219, 353). 

e Horse i n the Sky was e v e n t u a l l y p u b l i s h e d by S c r i b n e r ' s i n 
1947 . 

7 P a u l and Margaret Nash; see l e t t e r 44, n. 2, p. 265. 
e John A i k e n . 
9 Jane A i k e n ' s name appears on the masthead of Time as an 

E d i t o r i a l R e s e a r c h e r from 4 F e b r u a r y 1946 (XLVII.5) t o 25 
November 1946 ( X L V I I I . 2 2 ) . 

1 0 The S h i p Inn, Rye. 

Brownstone E c l o g u e s . 

T e x t u a l Notes 

383. 4 b l i t h e l y \ b l i t h { e } l y 

383.6 n a v e l \ nav<a>{e}l 

383.9 more s i d e - w a l l s , \ more <in> s i d e { - } w a l I s , 

383.14 a p p a r e n t l y so.,\ a p p a r e n t l y <so t , 

384.12 c a r e e r ' \ {'}career{'} 



the S h i p . \ the <s>{S}hip. 

r e r e r e a d i n g \ { r e } r e r e a d i n g 



387 

72: From AIKEN t o LOWRY 
TS H; K i l l o r i n 273 

Jeake's House 
Rye Sussex 

Sept 4 46 

My b e l o v e d o l d Male: 

What w o n d e r f u l j o y f u l news t h a t you've a t l a s t twanged 

the u m b i l i c a l chord and c a s t your I n f e r n o o f f i n t o the b l u e f o r 

weal or w o e — a n d t h a t i t i s f o r weal I have never had the t i n i e s t 

s u r d of a doubt. Good, good, good and then good a g a i n , my dear 

f e l l o w , and o n l y of c o u r s e what you d e s e r v e , t h a t the book s h o u l d 

be s i m u l t a n e o u s l y t a k e n i n both c o u n t r i e s . 1 I hope you a r e g o i n g 

t o snd me one? As a matter of f a c t , and as J D 2 has a l r e a d y no 

doubt t o l d you, we knew of i t s a r r i v a l h e r e , t h r o u g h the o l d 

g r a p e v i n e , and were a l r e a d y t h e r e f o r w h e t t i n g our g l e e b e f o r e 

your l e t t e r gave us the news more p e r s o n a l l y and s p e c i f i c a l l y . 

And now, I c a n ' t w a i t t o see i t , and t o bathe i n your b e a u t i f u l 

s i n u o u s c h a n g e a b l e - s h o t - s i l k p r o s e . 3 But how good too a l l your 

news i s - - d o you mean you r e a l l y went t o see o l d miasmal Cow'shorn 

cuernavaca a g a i n ? * Your r e f e r n c e i s so o b l i q u e and as i t were 

p a r e n t h e t i c a l l y e l i d e d t h a t I c a n ' t q u i t e be s u r e i t wasn't 

m e r e l y an i n t e n t i o n or a dream, or an e l i o t i n e v e l l e i t y . I f 

t r u e , i f f a c t , how I envy you: both Mary and m y s e l f have so o f t e n 

p i n e d t o see i t a l l a g a i n , but w i t h o u t the p h y s i o l o g i c a l and 

p s y c h o l o g i c a l m i s e r i e s t h a t t h e n b e s e t us so p e r s i s t e n t l y . Ed 

t o o : 3 I wish you c o u l d see what he. has kept of i t : on our 

d i n i n g r o o m w a l l , over the r e f r a c t o r y t a b l e , scene of those 



388 

prodigious a l c o h o l i c pingpong matches,5 hangs the world's largest 

pen-and-ink drawing: eight feet by five of purest b e a u t i f u l l e s t 

dreadfullest Mexico: a hooded leering figure in the desert 

foreground, seated by a f i r e of s t i c k s , on which is a cauldron of 

dry bones, is about to throw a s t i c k for an emaciated cadaverous 

bitch, with enormous swollen dugs; the bitch regards the s t i c k -

thrower sidelong with an i r o n i c nerts-to-you expression which is 

quite appalling: at their feet l i e other fragments and shards of 

bones, and a few (they look, l i k e the crumbled skeleton of an 

infant) have been gathered into a wooden bowl. But, back turned 

to this s i n i s t e r pair, who are about to perform their s c e p t i c a l 

and e v i l communion, a c l a s s i c a l l y serene figure, hooded too, 

glides away towards the eternal magical hill-town that r i s e s from 

the eternal barranca and jungle, and the twin-towered cathedral, 

and the b i t t e r black mountains above i t , and the a f r i t - b l a c k 

b i t t e r clouds that brew above them. The whole landscape is 

magically s i n i s t e r and b e a u t i f u l , and altogether i t ' s probably 

the f i n e s t thing Ed has done—we're buying i t on the nickel-a-

y e a r - f o r - 1 i f e p r i n c i p l e , as you might imagine. . . . As for 

these chicks, you see us in the throes of t r y i n g to decide 

whether to s e l l the house, or rent i t , before going back to 

Brewster, 7 with the contingent question of where, more or less 

permanently, to l i v e : too d i f f i c u l t and c o s t l y to l i v e 

t r a n s a t l a n t i c a l l y , in our present earnings-bracket, so what to 

do? We'd get a good price, but donT know yet whether we can take 

out th[e] cash. Mary's been restoring i t s former beauty, slaving 

over every inch of scarred and battered paint and woodwork: eight 



months of l a b o u r : s t a g g e r i n g expenses: a l l the f u r n i t u r e t o be 

r e p l a c e d p i e c e m e a l , and a t a PRICE! But now a l m o s t done, and 

l o o k s b y o o t i f u l . B r e w s t e r draws us, howsumever, and I f e e l t h i s 

time t h a t I somehow don't get my r o o t s down i n t o the e n g l i s h 

t h i n g , and I f e a r I won't a g a i n . ? ? . . too o l d . I l i k e i t , but 

don't q u i t e b e l o n g . I've worked--did a queer pome, THE K I D , S 

which i s a s o r t of s p i r i t u a l h i s t o r y of the U S ( o l d B l a c k s t o n e , 

and Anne B r a d s t r e e t , and Boone and Crevecoeur and Thoreau and 

Appleseed and the Quaker m a r t y r s and K i t Carson and B i l l y the K i d 

and then M e l v i l l e and W i l l a r d Gibbs and the Adams b r o t h e r s i n 

s t a r l i g h t (Brooks and Henry)) a l l e n d i n g of c o u r s e w i t h E m i l y 

D i c k i n s o n ? ) ? ? 9 the " K i d " i d e a as the american eponymous h e r o , 

whther as p i o n e e r of the inward or outward w i l d e r n e s s , and done 

i n a l o o s e o c t o s y l l a b i c c o u p l e t b a l l a d - l i k e form, g i d d y and 

s l a n g y i n p a r t s , d o g g e r e l i n o t h e r s . I l i k e i t , and so do John 

Davenport, A l a n Hodge, 1 0 Norman Cameron, 1 1 Ed, and o t h e r s , but i t 

was p r o m p t l y t u r n e d down by D u e l l S l o a n & Pearce (mjust as the 

S o l d i e r was) as " r a t i n g below my b e s t work": and not o n l y t h a t , 

but t h e y i n t i m a t e t h e y don't want me t o p r i n t i t a t a l l b e f o r e 

t h e y get out my C o l l e c t e d Poems next y e a r ! To which I'm r e p l y i n g 

i n the immortal words of mr e l i o t , t h e y can b u t t e r t h e i r a s s e s 

and bugger t h e m s e l v e s , and I'm l o o k i n g e l s e w h e r e f o r a p u b l i s h e r , 

and hope t o f i n d one. . . . A l s o , b e h o l d me a p l a y w r i g h t . No 

doubt J D 1 2 t o l d you of i t . One Diana H a m i l t o n made a queer bad 

l i t t l e p l a y out of A r c u l a r i s , which, r e v i s e d by the Co. of Four 

a t the L y r i c T h e a t r e , Hammersmith, went on t o u r (opening a t 

Cambridge, the A r t s ) , and w h i l e on t o u r t h e y h a v i n g d i s c o v e r e d 



390 

that I was in England they came to beg me to work on i t . 1 3 Seems 

poor Diana, who had had a cancer operation, and nov was dying of 

cancer of the brain, and drinking herself s i l l y , was incompetent 

to do so; so I accepted; and at Brighton, B r i s t o l , and C a r d i f f 

did a t r a v e l l i n g shake-scene, s t i t c h i n g - i n purple patches, 

r e v i s i n g , re-inventing, and t r y i n g to make sense out of the 

incredible psychological hash t h e i r combined e f f o r t s had made of 

i t . More or less in vain. The leading man and Diana's producer 

husband ganged up on me, each for reasons of his ovn; Diana 

d r i f t e d in and out reproachfully, drunk and unhappy; and the time 

vas too short for proper rehearsal; but the thing vas a shade 

better vhen i t opened on my birthday3-"4 at the L y r i c , Hammersmeef, 

vhere Mary and Joan and Jane and I attended. Fun. Taught me a 

very great deal, from vhich i f I l i v e long enough I hope to 

p r o f i t . The reviews vere so-so—not too bad, not too good, v i t h 

a savage and very funny onslaught by old Agate. 1 * But though i t 

had done v e i l in the provinces, i t flopped dismally in tovn, and 

ceased v i t h scarce a sound at the end of i t s run ten days ago. I 

think nov I ' l l t r y a play or tvo of me ovni . . . We plan to 

leave in Nov. or d e c , i f ve can manage i t , — f o r N Y and 

Brevster. 1 * Let me have a l i n e before that? and our loves to 

you b o t h — 

Conrad 



391 

E x p l a n a t o r y Notes 
1 Lowry l e a r n e d of the a c c e p t a n c e of Under t h e V o l c a n o by 

R e y n a l & H i t c h c o c k In New York and J o n a t h a n Cape i n London on the 
same day. 

2 John Davenport; see l e t t e r 7, n. 12, p. 49. 
3 C f . A i k e n ' s b l u r b on the o r i g i n a l d u s t j a c k e t of t h e 1947 

R e y n a l & H i t c h c o c k e d i t i o n of Under the V o l c a n o ! "Here i t i s 
. . . a changeable s h o t - s i l k sun-shot medium. . . . " 

* " c u e r n a v a c a , " i n S p a n i s h , means "cow-horn." 

° Ed B u r r a . C f . Mary A i k e n ' s d e s c r i p t i o n o f the same 
p a i n t i n g i n "The Best P a i n t e r of the American Scene," Edward 
B u r r a : A P a i n t e r Remembered Bv H i s F r i e n d s (London: Andre 
D e u t s c h , 1982) 92. 

* John A i k e n w r i t e s of t h e ping-pong games p l a y e d a t J e a k e ' s 
House "on a r e f e c t o r y t a b l e w i t h c u r v e d edges" ("Malcolm L o v r y : 
Some R e m i n i s c e n c e s " 3 8 ) . 

7 A i k e n s o l d Jeake's House i n 1947. 

* The K i d (Nev York: D u e l l , S l o a n and P e a r c e , 1947); A i k e n 
d e d i c a t e d The K i d t o L o v r y as f o l l o w s : " T h i s L i t t l e T r a v e l o g u e / 
f o r / Malcolm Lowry/ as from One R o l l i n g B l a c k s t o n e / t o A n o t h e r . " 
Lowry's copy of The K i d i n the U.B.C. L i b r a r y b e a r s the 
f o l l o w i n g i n s c r i p t i o n by A i k e n : 

For the A n l M a l c o l m 
w i t h g r e a t l o v e 
from Conrad 

9 C f . Ushant (290) and l e t t e r 85, n. 13, p. 459-60. 
1 0 A l a n Hodge (1915-79), B r i t i s h w r i t e r ; a u t h o r , w i t h R o b e r t 

G r a v e s , of The Long Week End ( 1 9 4 0 ) , and The Reader Q V e r Your 
S h o u l d e r ( 1 9 4 3 ) . Hodge m a r r i e d Jane A i k e n i n 1948. 

1 1 John Norman Cameron (1905-53), S c o t t i s h - b o r n poet who 
r e s i d e d i n E n g l a n d . 

1 2 See n. 2 above. 

" See l e t t e r 68, n. 3, p. 356; H a m i l t o n d i e d i n 1951. 

5 August 1889. 
X B James Evershed Agate (1877-1947), E n g l i s h n o v e l i s t and 

drama c r i t i c ; e d i t o r of E n g l i s h Dramatic C r i t i c s (1932); t h e a t r e 
c r i t i c f o r a number of j o u r n a l s and newspapers i n c l u d i n g t h e 
London Sunday Times from 1923-47. The u n s i g n e d r e v i e w o f A i k e n 



392 

a n d H a m i l t o n ' s p l a y , " P e a r N o M o r e , " a p p e a r i n g i n t h e T i m e s 6 
A u g . 1 9 4 6 : 6, i s p r o b a b l y t h e r e v i e w b y A g a t e h e r e m e n t i o n e d b y 
A i k e n . 

x m A i k e n d i d n o t r e t u r n t o B r e w s t e r u n t i l J u n e 1 9 4 7 , l e a v i n g 
M a r y b e h i n d i n R y e t o s e l l J e a k e ' s H o u s e . 

T e x t u a l N o t e s 

3 8 8 . 1 5 a b o v e i t , a n d t h e a £ r i t - b l a c k \ a b o v e i t , { a n d t h e } 
a f r i t - b l a c k 

3 8 8 . 2 2 q u e s t i o n s q u < r > { e } s t i o n 

3 8 8 . 2 2 - 3 w h e r e , m o r e o r l e s s p e r m a n e n t l y , \ w h e r e { , } m o r e o r 
l e s s p e r m a n e n t l y { , } 

3 8 8 . 2 6 t h t e } c a s h . N t h r c a s h . ( t y p o . ) 

3 8 8 . 2 7 e v e r y i n c h \ e v e r y i n c < e > { h } 

3 8 9 . 1 0 M e l v i l l e N M e l v i l K e } 

3 8 9 . 1 0 W i l l a r d \ W i l l a r < s > { d } 

3 8 9 . 1 1 H e n r y ) ) \ H e n r y ) { ) } 

3 8 9 . 1 2 D i c k i n s o n ? ) ? ? \ D i c k i n s o n ? < ? > { ) } ? ? 

3 8 9 . 1 2 " K i d " \ { " } K i d { " } 

3 8 9 . 1 7 P e a r c e \ P e a c r e ( A i k e n h a s i n d i c a t e d b y h a n d a 
r e v e r s a l o f t h e " c " a n d " r " J 

3 8 9 . 1 9 p r i n t i t a t a U \ . p r i n t i t a t a l l » 
3 8 9 . 2 1 m r e l i o t , \ m > t > { r } e l i o t , 

3 9 0 . 1 S e e m s \ < S e m m e { s } s > { S e e m s } 

3 9 0 . 6 t o m a k e \ t o { / } m a k e ( A i k e n h a s i n s e r t e d a s l a s h m a r k 
t o s e p a r a t e t h e t w o w o r d s ] 

3 9 0 . 7 - 8 m a d e o f i t . \ m a < o > { d } e o f i t . 

3 9 0 . 1 1 s h a d e \ , s h a d e * 

3 9 0 . 1 2 o n m y b i r t h d a y a t t h e \ <pn my b i r t h d a y * a t t h { e } 
3 9 0 . 1 6 - 1 7 i t h a d d o n e \ i t h a d d o n t e } 



393 

73: From LOWRY t o AIKEN 1 
MS H; u n p u b l i s h e d 

New O r l e a n s . 2 

[21 Dec 1946] 

My v e r y dear o l d Conrad: 

I owe you a l e t t e r , i n r e p l y t o your m a r v e l l o u s one--but 

p l e a s e f o r g i v e my not r e p l y i n g & now I must r e p l y from H a i t i 

where our a d d r e s s w i l l be: 

c/o Anton Kneer 
Agent — S . S . A l c o a Co. 

P o r t - a u - P r i n c e — We s a i l day a f t e r to-morrow, the 

23rd, on a b a u x i t e f r e i g h t e r on which we are the o n l y p a s s e n g e r s , 

the S.S. Donald W r i g h t . 3 

Margie has a book r e i s s u e d by S c r i b n e r s , of which more 

l a t e r , 4 I t r i e d t o have a p r o o f copy of the Volcano s e n t you, as 

I don't know where you a r e , nor D. S & P e a r c e ' s 3 a d d r e s s , so i n 

case you're a t sea t o o , I'm s e n d i n g t h i s c/o New D i r e c t i o n s , t o 

save time (I hope): we a r e coming t o N. Y i n F e b 6 — & I hope t o 

God I can see you t h e n . 

I f you hate the V o l c a n o , don't l e t t h a t embarrass you, or 

f e a r i t w i l l break me's h e a r t ; i t w i l l , of c o u r s e , but d o u b t l e s s 

t h a t would be a l l t o the good, t o o . A c t u a l l y I submit i t i s 

p r e t t y good work from your o l d —& new — p u p i l . 

God b l e s s t o Mary & y o u r s e l f . 

Male. 

The M e r r i e s t of Xmases & the H a p p i e s t of New Years t o you, Mary, 

& Conrad: a l s o l o v e to John & Jane-- - 7 



from Malcolm & . 

Marger i e . 



395 

E x p l a n a t o r y Notes 
1 See Appendix I , p. 494, f o r p h o t o g r a p h i c r e p r o d u c t i o n of 

t h i s l e t t e r . 
2 In November the Lowrys had t r a v e l l e d by bus from S e a t t l e 

a c r o s s the U n i t e d S t a t e s a r r i v i n g i n New O r l e a n s on 6 December 
1946. 

3 From New O r l e a n s the Lowrys were t o t r a v e l t o H a i t i aboard 
the S.S. Donald W r i g h t , a r r i v i n g i n P o r t - a u - P r i n c e on New Year's 
Eve, and thence t o Miami and e v e n t u a l l y t o New York i n time f o r 
the promotion of Under the V o l c a n o . 

* S c r i b n e r ' s r e i s s u e d M a r g e r i e ' s The L a s t T w i s t of the K n i f e 
i n 1946 w i t h the f i n a l c h a p t e r i n t a c t . 

a A i k e n ' s p u b l i s h e r s , D u e l l , S l o a n and P e a r c e . 
6 The Lowrys a r r i v e d i n New York on 19 F e b r u a r y 1947, the 

p u b l i c a t i o n day of Under the V o l c a n o . 
7 John and Jane A i k e n , A i k e n ' s e l d e s t son and d a u g h t e r . 

T e x t u a l Notes 

[ C h r i s t m a s c a r d ; see Appendix I , p. 494, f o r 
p h o t o g r a p h i c r e p r o d u c t i o n . Lowry has w r i t t e n on 
the i n s i d e of the c a r d o n l y ] 

393.7 We s a i l day a f t e r to-morrow, the 2 3 r d , \ We s a i l 
<Monday> {day a f t e r to-morrow}, the 23rd, 

393.19 your o l d — & n e w - - p u p i l . \ your old{--& n e w - - } p u p i l . 



3 9 6 

74: From AIKEN t o LOWRY 
K i l l o r i n 277 

Jeake ' s House 
Rye, Sussex 

Feb 23 47 

My dear o l d Male: your book 1 i s m a g n i f i c e n t , m a g n i f i c e n t , 

m a g n i f i c e n t . I'd have s a i d so much sooner, but I'd been 

e x p e c t i n g a l e t t e r to accompany i t , and w a i t e d , a l a s i n v a i n , f o r 

t h a t ; but now, f i r s t comes a wandering jew of a C h r i s t m a s c a r d , 

which has been everywhere from New O r l e a n s t o B r e w s t e r , b e f o r e 

f l a p p i n g the A t l a n t i c ; and s c a r c e l y l e s s b a t t e r e d and t r a v e l l e d , 

a p o s t c a r d from P o r t au P r i n c e i n H a r r y M u r r a y ' s 2 and Hart 

Crane's H a i t i ; and as both of them a r e months o l d I t h e r e f o r 

b e g i n t o d e s p a i r of a l e t t e r , and l a u n c h one m y s e l f . I d i d , 

however, w r i t e t o your p u b l i s h e r s , and I d i d send them as soon as 

I c o u l d , a p i t i f u l l y inadequate b l u r b , 3 which I can o n l y hope was 

not f a r too l a t e and i n any event u s e l e s s : I had then not 

f i n i s h e d the book, but as book and Reynal & H's l e t t e r had 

t h e m s e l v e s t a k e n s i x weeks t o a r r i v e , I thought a q u i c k 

c o n t r i b u t i o n might be b e t t e r than none. I s a i d then i n my l e t t e r 

t o R & H t h a t I had some m i s g i v i n g s about the book qua nove1: I 

t h i n k I s t i l l have, perhaps: though as t o t h a t I s h a l l w a i t t i l l 

I have read i t a g a i n . But mind you I don't mean t h a t as a 

m a t e r i a l c o m p l a i n t a t a l l , f o r as a p i e c e of l i t e r a t u r e i t i s a 

genuine bona f i d e f i r s t c u t o f f the w h i t e whale's hump, godshot, 

s u n s h o t , b l o o d s h o t , spermshot, and a l t o g e t h e r the most a i k e n -

s a t i s f y i n g book I've wallowed i n f o r a g e n e r a t i o n . My god how 

good t o be a b l e t o r e l i s h the e n g l i s h language a g a i n , t o have i t 



397 

a l l v a s c u l a r w i t h l i f e and s e n s a t i o n , as q u i v e r i n g l y a l i v e s h a l l 

we say as a b u t t e r f l y on a d u n g h i l l - - ! I t i s a l l so b e a u t i f u l l y 

and e a s i 1 v done--the e l i s i o n s and t r a n s i t i o n s and e l l i p s e s and 

p a r e n t h e s e s and a s i d e s and t i m e - n o t a t i o n s and r e c a p i t u l a t i o n s and 

m i n a t o r y f i n g e r p o s t s - - h o w i n f i n i t e l y s a t i s f a c t o r y t o a w r i t e r t o 

see a l l t h a t so i n c o m p a r a b l y w e l l done and u n d e r s t o o d ! And t h a t , 

o n l y the b e g i n n i n g ; f o r of c o u r s e i n the end i t ' s the r i c h n e s s 

and p e r c e p t i v e n e s s of your o b s e r v a t i o n t h a t r e a l l y feeds the book 

and makes i t , the u n s l e e p i n g eye and e a r , whether inward or 

outward. 0 baby, o baby, o baby, i t ' s m a r v e l l o u s Male, and I hug 

i t t o my bozoom. --Of the c h a r a c t e r s , of c o u r s e i t ' s a l l too 

easy f o r me t o see the M a l e - c o n s t i t u e n t s (and dare I mention now 

and a g a i n the a i k e n - c o n s t i t u e n t s ) t h a t go t o t h e i r makeup: but 

the C o n s u l you make w h o l l y r e a l and s u p e r b ; even f o r me, who can 

see wheel and l e v e r a t work: y e s , the g r e a t g e n i a l drunk t o end 

a l l d r u n k s , the P o p p e r g e t s t h e b o t l 4 of a l c o h o l i c s ! he w i l l become 

famous. The o t h e r s , I'm not so s u r e o f ; Hugh's c o n s t i t u e n t s are 

a g a i n f o r me p r i v a t e l y t o o e a s i l y t r a c e a b l e , and he never becomes 

q u i t e r e a l or w h o l l y seems t o have a f u n c t i o n , - - p e r h a p s a second 

r e a d i n g w i l l show me wrong. Yvonne too remains f o r me a l i t t l e 

shadowy, and the p s y c h o l o g i c a l reasons f o r i t a l l a shade 

o b s c u r e : one i s never q u i t e s u r e whether the a l c o h o l i s m induced 

the i n f i d e l i t i e s , or v e r s e r v l c e r : and t h i s weakens one's sense 

of the t r a g i c by p r e v e n t i n g one's b e l i e v i n g t h a t i t i s 

n e c e s s a r i l y i n e v i t a b l e - . I t h i n k t o o , good as the scene i s (and 

by gosh i t i s ) the d e a t h of Yvonne i s p o s s i b l y a d r a m a t i c or 

d r a m a t u r g i c m i s t a k e , b e i n g i t s e l f so much a c l i m a x - - i t tends to 



double one's image somehow when one comes to the so much more 

important and (holy great cow) so a b s o l u t e l y superb f i n a l scenes 

of the Consul's b e t r a y a l , s e l f - b e t r a y a l , i n f i d e l i t y - a n d - s u i c i d e -

i n - u t e r o , and B l a c k s t o n e - c r u c i f i x i o n - I n d i a n - a b s o r p t i o n - a n d - d e a t h -

i n - t h e - b a r r a n c a . 0 my my my what a scene a l l t h i s l a s t i s - -

u n f o r g e t t a b l y s p l e n d i d , genius i n every page of i t . But b e t t e r 

without the horse and Yvonne--? Yvonne j u s t o f f ? away? l a t e ? 

l o s t ? on her way? But l e t me read i t a g a i n . --Well, the book 

should, and w i l l , make your n a m e ' i l l u s t r i o u s : up you go to the 

very top: and we can o n l y hope t h a t i t w i l l make you a fortune 

too. Here, howsumever, I f i n d myself worrying as to whether the 

Rank and V i l e w i l l be p a t i e n t enough f o r your slow unwindings, 

r i c h d i v a g a t i o n s , d e s c r i p t i v e tempo: maybe they w i l l : t h e i r own 

l o s s i f not. You w i l l probably, too, run up a g a i n s t ignorant 

p i g e o n - h o l i n g with Lost Weekend.* But t h i s s o r t of t h i n g needn't 

worry you. A l l you need to worry about, now, i s what to do next! 

Though even t h a t , I t h i n k , won't r e a l l y be necessary. , You've 

been and gone and done i t . 

We're stuck here, t r y i n g to s e l l poor o l d Jeake: I don't 

l i k e to say i t ; but there i t i s . B e t t e r so! And as soon as i t 

can be, home to Brewster, I hope before summer.6 We're s i c k with 

melancholy, and a l l the attendant worries and f r e t s and 

a n x i e t i e s , and t h i s unhappy people and land weigh upon us too. 

We'll be here long enough to have a l e t t e r from you--so l e t ' s 

have i t ? and i n the meantime our very much loves to you both, 

and h a i l to 



UNDER THE MALCANO 
or 

POPPERGETSTHEBOTL ! ! ! 



400 

E x p l a n a t o r y Notes 
1 Under the V o l c a n o . 
2 See l e t t e r 18, n. 22, p. 112. 
3 A i k e n ' s " b l u r b " was p r i n t e d on the d u s t j a c k e t of the 

f i r s t Reynal & H i t c h c o c k e d i t i o n of Under the V o l c a n o . 
4 Pun on the name of one of the v o l c a n o e s , P o p o c a t e p e t l , i n 

Under the V o l c a n o . 
s C h a r l e s J a c k s o n , The L o s t Weekend (New York: F a r r a r , 

S t r a u s & Cudahy, 1944); c f . l e t t e r 70, n. 13, p. 371. 
s A i k e n l e f t England i n June 1947, l e a v i n g Mary behind t o 

s e l l Jeake's House. 

T e x t u a l Notes 

(No o r i g i n a l i s a v a i l a b l e f o r t h i s l e t t e r ; I have 
t h e r e f o r e had t o r e l y on Joseph K i l l o r i n ' s 
t r a n s c r i p t i o n i n S e l e c t e d L e t t e r s of Conrad A i k e n 
(277) ] 



401 

75: From LOWRY t o AIKEN 
TS H; u n p u b l i s h e d 

D o l l a r t o n , B.C., 
Canada, 

June 24, 1947. 

Dear o l d Conrad: 

T h i s a i n ' t a l e t t e r e x a c t because I have a g r a f i a and a s o r e 

eardrum due t o overswimming (the o t h e r i s d o u b t l e s s due t o 

o v e r w r i t i n g ) but j u s t a s o r t of stop-gap message of c h e e r , and 

a l s o of enormous and h e a r t f e l t thanks f o r your e n c o u r a g i n g and 

k i n d l y words and h e l p and your s u p e r m a r v e l l o u s l a s t l e t t e r w h i c h , 

d e l i v e r e d me by t h e e x c e l l e n t Bob L i n s c o t t , 1 has me p u r r i n g y e t . 

I f e a r me you have l e f t Jeakes by now and w i t h o u t s p e a k i n g 

of how b l o o d y a w f u l t h a t must have been we j u s t send a l l p r a y e r s 

and good wishes t h a t a l l may be r e b o r n and more t h a n r i g h t once 

more a t 41 D o o r s , 2 though w i t h the hope t h a t t h e r e i s a f a i n t 

42nd a t l e a s t l e f t open f o r your r e t u r n sometime t o Rye. 

Margie has a s e r i o u s and good n o v e l - Horse i n the Sky -

coming out v i a Max P e r k i n s , S c r i b n e r s , i n O c t o b e r : 3 

P o p p e r g e t s t h e b o t l * h i t the b e s t s e l l e r l i s t and even a Book of 

the M o n t h l y C l u b . 

And s o , I s h a l l w r i t e when I have the w i t f o r i t ; and 

meantime God b l e s s and welcome and thanks a g a i n and s i n c e r e l o v e 

t o both Mary and y o u r s e l f from us b o t h . 

E n c l o s e d some photos of r e c e n t i n t e r e s t i n g p i l g r i m a g e 

Male. 



[Photographs enclosed with l e t t e r ] 0 
4 0 2 

Pious pilgrimages no 1: 
strange moonlight at midday 
or Male in quest of Conrad's youth 
in Savannah." 

P.S. One of loveliest cities I have ever seen. 



Male i n Savannah: 
'1 can see you, Conrad.' 

'No, t h e r e you a r e , up t h a t t r e e . ' 
Or b u l l - n e c k e d by the B a p t i s t Church 



404 

'No, damn i t , you're here t o o ' 
In a r i v e r s i d e t a v e r n i n Savannah. 
From the negro s e c t i o n next door the juke box 
i s p l a y i n g Open the door R i c h a r d . 
We are i n the 'Whites* d r i n k i n g your h e a l t h i n 
c l a r e t . (by the b o t t l e & bought 
r e t a i l on the s p o t . ) 

S t . Male by a (as y e t ) u n s t a i n e d g l a s s window 

Margie d r i n k s your h e a l t h 
i n same pub. 
(The juke box i s s t i l l p l a y i n g 
Open the door, R i c h a r d . ) 



E x p l a n a t o r y Notes 
x See l e t t e r 17, n. 7, p. 94. 
2 "41 Doors": The A i k e n s ' house i n B r e w s t e r , M a s s a c h u s s e t t s . 
3 M a r g e r i e Bonner, Horse i n the Sky (New York: S c r i b n e r ' s , 

1947). 

* i . e . , Under the V o l c a n o ; A i k e n was the f i r s t t o make t h i s 
pun i n l e t t e r 74, p. 397 and 399. 

s These photographs were p r o b a b l y t a k e n i n Savannah on the 
Lowrys' t r i p by bus from Miami to New York. 

6 A i k e n was born i n Savannah, G e o r g i a and l i v e d t h e r e u n t i l 
he was e l e v e n y e a r s o l d . 

T e x t u a l Notes 

401.20 E n c l o s e d [. .'.] p i l g r i m a g e \ [ h a n d w r i t t e n b e f o r e 
s i g n a t u r e a t end of l e t t e r ] 

e n c l o s u r e [5 photographs w i t h h a n d w r i t t e n comments on back of 
each by Lowry; o r i g i n a l s are i n the H u n t i n g t o n 
A i k e n C o l l e c t i o n ] 



4 0 6 

76: From LOWRY t o AIKEN 
TS H; u n p u b l i s h e d 

D o l l a r t o n , B.C., 
Canada, 

October 4, 1947. 

Dear o l d Conrad: 

My God, o l d chap, I thank you d e e p l y f o r the d e d i c a t i o n of 

The K i d , x and I s i m p l y cannot e x p r e s s hov moved and d e l i g h t e d and 

touched I am a t the honour: i n f a c t I was h a l f vay t h r o u g h a 

l e t t e r t h a n k i n g you f o r the book and e x p r e s s i n g our and o t h e r s 

d e l i g h t a t the poem i t s e l f b e f o r e I sav the d e d i c a t i o n , vhereupon 

I became so e x c i t e d I had t o go out and chop some vood t o p u l l 

m y s e l f t o g e t h e r , whereupon a g a i n I conked m y s e l f s h r e w d l y upon 

the r i g h t f o r e f i n g e r v i t h the axe, a f e a t i n i t s e l f , as a 

consequence of v h i c h t h i s l e t t e r i s r a t h e r h a r d e r t o w r i t e t h a n 

the o t h e r . 

I must say t h a t The K i d was d e e p l y a p p r e c i a t e d here by the 

b e s t poets of whom Canada can boast - t h a t may not be s a y i n g 

much, but t h e y can be s i n g u l a r l y mean c r i t i c s - and some l i k e 

E a r l e B i r n e y 2 and A.J.M. S m i t h 3 a r e r e a l l y good - t h e r e was a 

c o n c l a v e of them here r e c e n t l y , I f l a u n t e d The Western Review a t 

them,"9 The K i d was r e c i t e d , and t h e i r genuine e n t h u s i a s m would 

r e a l l y have p l e a s e d you. 

Mine too - f o r I was s e t t i n g The K i d t o music on the 

t a r o p a t c h * w i t h a f i n e hot t w l n g and twang of my ovn when t h e r e 

came h o l l e r s f o r h e l p from the sea where A,J,M, Smith's s i x year 

o l d k i d had o v e r t u r n e d our b o a t . A f t e r he had been r e s c u e d the 



407 

accompaniment of such avuncular comments as shut up bawling, what 

the h e l l do you mean by i n t e r r u p t i n g us, you're not a man u n t i l 

you've drowned at l e a s t once, the musical Kid was resumed but 

a l a s at a p a r t i c u l a r l y hot twing I f e l l myself out of the window 

i n t o the sea, whence strange chords now sometimes i s s u e , and the 

g u i t a r was l o s t f o r e v e r . 6 (I am g e t t i n g another however.) 

Anyhow, i t ' s a wonderful poem and I hope your p u b l i s h e r ' s 

backsides may have been d u a l l y p i e r c e d and Sloane's lineament 

rubbed i n t o the wound by a f i n e g e n e r a l r e a c t i o n to i t . 

For my p a r t , I am hard at work on another opus - three 

i n t e r r e l a t e d novels, Dark as the Grave Wherein My F r i e n d i s L a i d , 

Eridanus, and La Mordida; 7 Eridanus i s a kind of Intermezzo t h a t 

takes place i n Canada between two other p i e c e s l i k e w i s e s e t i n 

Mexico, p a r t of which reads, I am a f r a i d , r a t h e r l i k e the b i z a r r e 

concantenations and symbol formations of dementia praecox, noted 

by Herr Jung - or even Denkwurdigkeiten Eines Nervenkranken. 8 

In t h i s I b e l i e v e I am r e a l l y down among the 'catacombs to 

l i v e , ' with a vengeance, but I f e e l i t w i l l come o f f - i t ends i n 

triumph, which sounds p r e t t y meaningless unless you know the why 

and wherefore, but more of i t l a t e r . I t seems to me to break new 

ground, though that may be nothing to commend i t , even i f t r u e . 

--The penis m i g h t i e r than the hoe. 

For the r e s t , P o p p e r g e t s t h e b o t t l i s out i n E n g l a n d , 9 where 

i t seems to be g e t t i n g somewhat panned, save i n the London 

Observer, where i t has been compared to Heironymus B o s c h . 1 0 

( . . . Save f o r a few kind words by M a c a r t h y , 1 1 the poor t h i n g 

f e l l dead, and me with i t , Here, i t d i d r a t h e r b e t t e r . ) 



408 

( J u s t the same, I have j u s t h e a r d , 3 / 5 of the f i r s t e d i t i o n 

has s o l d out i n 10 days.) 

On the o t h e r hand i t i s coming f o r t h w i t h a c o n s i d e r a b l e 

b l a s t of trumpets i n France w h i t h e r , upon a f r e i g h t e r , Margie and 

I propose t o go b r i e f l y over C h r i s t m a s . 1 2 

M a r g i e ' s f i r s t s e r i o u s n o v e l , Horse i n the Sky, i s coming 

out on Monday. 1 3 Though t h i s was, I b e l i e v e , the l a s t book to be 

a c c e p t e d by Maxwell P e r k i n s ( w i t h whom I had a f i n e whiskey f e s t 

i n the R i t z by the w a y ) 1 - 4 she has, a p a r t from t h a t , r e c e i v e d not 

one mumbling word of encouragement i n r e g a r d t o i t save from 

m y s e l f and N o x o n , 1 3 and i n f a c t has r e c e i v e d o n l y s n e e r s , 

e s p e c i a l l y from E n g l a n d , from people who c o u l d n ' t w r i t e a book 

one t e n t h as good, which I f i n d v e r y m y s t e r i o u s , f o r u n l e s s I am 

c o m p l e t e l y cuckoo i t seems t o me a s i n g u l a r l y f i n e and 

b e a u t i f u l l y c o n s t r u c t e d p i e c e of work. I t comes t o you, under 

s e p a r a t e c o v e r , as from two p u p i l s i n a b s e n t i a but s t i l l s t u d y i n g 

- and I hope you w i l l approve. Only v i s i b l e i n f l u e n c e of A i k e n 

i s perhaps the l a s t w o r d , 1 6 though perhaps, t o o , l i k e the 

c a p t a i n ' s horse i n the charge a c c o u n t , even i f you c a n ' t see i t 

i t ' s t h e r e j u s t the same. (A phrase about the orange c o l o u r of 

windows a t n i g h t she a r r i v e d a t i n d e p e n d e n t l y as a consequence of 

which I c o u l d n ' t persuade her to c u t i t o u t . The h o n e s t y of the 

s o u r c e of my attempt t o make h e r , however, remains r a t h e r 

b e a u t i f u l l y i n q u e s t i o n ) 1 7 

Our house i s now storm and r a i n p r o o f (though the l i q u o r i s 

o n l y s e v e n t y - f i v e ) - - W e r i s e a t dawn e v e r y day and swim, and 

g e n e r a l l y have an even grander l i f e than b e f o r e our f i r e . The 



v i l l a g e i s d e s e r t e d , t h e r e ' s nobody here but us S c h i z o p h o e n i x , 

and I o n l y w i s h you c o u l d v i s i t us. I f humanly p o s s i b l e we mean 

to do j u s t t h a t to you sometime w i t h i n the coming 10 m o n t h s . 1 8 

An eared grebe has j u s t s a i l e d ' p a s t , and we a r e a b l e t o 

observe the amours of two ravens on a n e i g h b o u r i n g dead p i n e . 

Margie j o i n s me i n a l l the v e r y b e s t l o v e t o y o u r s e l f and 

Mary and here's how and hoping you a r e v e r y happy and l o t s of 

l u c k , w i t h l o v e and g r a t i t u d e , from 

Male 



410 

E x p l a n a t o r y Notes 
1 See l e t t e r 72, n. 8, p. 391. 
2 A l f r e d E a r l e B i r n e y (1904- ), Canadian p o e t , n o v e l i s t , and 

l i t e r a r y c r i t i c , educated a t the U n i v e r s i t y of B r i t i s h Columbia 
(1922-26) and the U n i v e r s i t y of Toronto (1927-33); e d i t o r of 
Canadian Forum (1938-40) and the Canadian P o e t r y Magazine (1946-
4 8 ) . B i r n e y and Lowry met i n May 1947 and remained c l o s e f r i e n d s 
u n t i l Lowry's d e a t h i n 1957. With M a r g e r i e Lowry, B i r n e y has 
completed "Malcolm Lowry: A B i b l i o g r a p h y P a r t I " i n Canad i a n  
L i t e r a t u r e 8 ( S p r i n g 1961): 81-88, " P a r t I I " i n 9 (Summer 1961): 
80-84, and has e d i t e d S e l e c t e d Poems of Malcolm Lowry r The 
Pocket Poets S e r i e s 17 (San F r a n c i s c o : C i t y L i g h t s Books, 1962) 
and Lunar C a u s t i c (London: Cape, 1963). 

3 A r t h u r James M a r s h a l l Smith (1902-80), Canadian p o e t , 
l i t e r a r y c r i t i c , and a n t h o l o g i s t , educated a t M c G i l l U n i v e r s i t y 
(1921-26) where w i t h F.R. S c o t t he founded The M c G i l l F o r t n i g h t l y  
Review (1925-27 ) . 

4 "The K i d " was o r i g i n a l l y p u b l i s h e d i n the Western Review 
11.3 ( S p r i n g 1947): 133-49 b e f o r e i t was p u b l i s h e d i n book form 
by D u e l l , S l o a n and Pearce on 29 August 1947. 

3 " t a r o p a t c h " : Lowry's name f o r h i s u k e l e l e . See Gordon 
Bowker's "Two Notes: The T a r o p a t c h , " The Malcolm Lowry Review 
19/20 ( F a l l 1986/Spring 1987): 149, f o r a b r i e f e x p l a n a t i o n and 
h i s t o r y of the word. C f . a l s o U l t r a m a r i n e i n which Lowry p l a y s 
on the words " T a r o p a t c h " and " T a r o t pack" ( 1 7 8 ) . 

6 Lowry t o l d a s t o r y somewhat s i m i l a r t o t h i s t o A l Purdy i n 
which A.J.M. Smith "jumped out the f r o n t window a t h i g h t i d e 
f u l l y c l o t h e d , a p p a r e n t l y i n a f i t of e u p h o r i a induced by s a l t 
water and B o l s g i n " ( S a l l o u m , Malcolm Lowry: Vancouver Days, 
109 ) . 

7 In h i s 1951 "Work i n P r o g r e s s " p r o p o s a l t o A l b e r t E r s k i n e 
(U.B.C. C o l l e c t i o n [ 3 2 - 1 ] ) , Lowry e n v i s i o n e d Dark as the Grave  
Wherein My F r i e n d i s L a i d , " E r i d a n u s , " and "La M o r d i d a " as a 
t r i l o g y w i t h i n h i s proposed sequence of works "The Voyage That 
Never Ends" ( c f . Grace, Voyage 8 ) . T h i s p l a n was, of c o u r s e , 
never r e a l i z e d , a l t h o u g h Dark as the Grave was p u b l i s h e d 
posthumously by Douglas Day and M a r g e r i e Lowry i n 1968. 
" E r i d a n u s " was e v e n t u a l l y i n c o r p o r a t e d i n t o October F e r r y t o  
G a b r i o l a (1970). "La M o r d i d a " remains u n p u b l i s h e d . 

s " D e n k w u r d i g k e i t e n E i n e s Nervenkranken": German, "Memoirs 
of a N e u r o t i c . " 

9 Under the Volcano (London: Jonathan Cape, 1947); see 
l e t t e r 74, p. 397 andd 399, from A i k e n f o r the o r i g i n a l 
" P o p p e r g e t s t h e b o t l " pun. 



411 
x o See L i o n e l H a l e ' s " D e l i r i u m , " Observer 21 S e p t . 1947: 3: 

"The prose i s Hemingway-plus-lava, w i t h an added p i c t o r i a l sense 
t h a t can be h o r r i b l y r e m n i s c e n t ( s i c ) of Hieronimus Bosch, i f 
t h a t macabre master had i n c l u d e d among h i s d e v i l s t h e Demon Rum." 

x x I have been unable t o i d e n t i f y the "Macarthy" r e v i e w . 
1 3 The Lowrys s a i l e d f o r Prance v i a the Panama C a n a l aboard 

the S.S. B r e s t on 7 November 1947, a r r i v i n g i n Le Havre on 23 
December. 

1 3 Horse i n t h e Skv (New York: S c r i b n e r ' s , 1947). 
x * Lowry may have met Maxwell P e r k i n s w h i l e i n New York i n 

F e b r u a r y 1947; P e r k i n s d i e d a few months l a t e r on 17 June 1947. 
1 9 G e r a l d Noxon: see l e t t e r 8, n. 15, p. 61. See The 

L e t t e r s of Malcolm Lowrv and G e r a l d Noxon e d i t e d by P a u l T i e s s e n 
f o r Noxon's comments on M a r g e r i e ' s Horse i n the Sky. 

x " The l a s t word of Horse i n the Skv i s "Dungarvon," t h e 
name of one of the c h a r a c t e r s i n the n o v e l ; A i k e n s i m i l a r l y 
c o n c l u d e s B l u e Voyage w i t h a c h a r a c t e r ' s name: " F a u b i o n . " 

X 7 C f . Horse i n the Sky: " . . . p a s t the Wabash R a i l r o a d 
S t a t i o n , i t s orange square of l i g h t b l i n k i n g out v h e r e the 
t e l e g r a p h o p e r a t o r s a t . . ." ( 1 3 0 ) ; I have been unable t o l o c a t e 
a s i m i l a r passage i n any of A i k e n ' s v r i t i n g s . 

x " L o v r y d i d not a c t u a l l y see A i k e n a g a i n u n t i l September 
1954. 

T e x t u a l Notes 

407.16 D e n k v u r d i g k e i t e n E i n e s Nervenkranken.\ 
D e n k v l u r d i g k e i t e n E i n e s N e < [ i l l e g . ]>{r}venkranken. 

407.17-18 'catacombs t o l i v e , ' \ {'}catacombs t o l i v e , { ' } 

407.20 and w h e r e f o r e , \ an(d) w h e r e f o r e , 

407.21-22 i f t r u e . - - T h e p e n i s \ i f t r u e . { — } T h e p e n i s 

407.24 g e t t i n g somewhat panned,\ g e t t i n g (somewhat) panned, 

407.25 HeironymusN Heironym<o>(u)s 

408.1-2 ( J u s t t h e same, [. 
t o p o f page] 

.1 10 d a y s . ) \ ( h a n d w r i t t e n a t 

408.12 e s p e c i a l l y \ e s p e < [ i l l e g . ] > { c i a } l l y 



412 

408.18 perhaps, too, l i k e \ perhaps!,} too{,} l i k e 

408.26 seventy-five)--We\ s e v e n t y - f i v e ) < . > { — } 
<[illeg.]>{W}e 

408.27 grander\ <d>{g}rander 



77: From LOWRY t o AIKEN 
MS H; u n p u b l i s h e d 

[ D o l l a r t o n ] 

[1947] 

--the m a r g e r i e s and the malcolms d i d 

so bugger the squawks from the f o o l s who c h i d - -

Who a l l seem s i n g u l a r l y f u l l of s h i d 

--We l i k e d the K i d , we l o v e d the K i d . 



414 

78: From LOWRY t o AIKEN 
MS H; MSPC UBC; u n p u b l i s h e d 

c/o Joan Blacks-
La C e r i s a i e 
Vernon, Eure 
F r a n c e . 

[March 1948] 

Dear o l d C o n r a d , — I am i n h o s p i t a l h e r e , 2 s l e e p i n g under the 

c r o s s , and s u r r o u n d e d by nuns, v e r y n i c e t o o , and a p r i e s t (I 

t h i n k e v e r y time he has come t o g i v e me extreme u n c t i o n ) who says 

• M y - b r o d d e r - w a s - p e e l o t e - o n - a - p h a r t i n g - p l a n e 1 — b e e n p r e t t y s i c k , 

but hope t o be out soon, when & i f s h a l l p r o b a b l y go down s o u t h -

had a stormy voyage here on a f r e i g h t e r — 4 0 days & n i g h t s & we 

h i t a c y c l o n e i n the N. A t l a n t i c & l o s t our s t e e r i n g g e a r ; we had 

one o t h e r p a s s e n g e r , by n a m e — C h a r o n ; 3 the V o l c a n o i s coming out 

here but am a t r i f l e exhausted ( f l u , a f t e r m a t h o f , among o t h e r 

t h i n g s ) t o w r i t e you a l o n g l e t t e r ; so I w i l l c o n t e n t m y s e l f w i t h 

the p o i n t of my l e t t e r , news I would l i k e t o be f i r s t w i t h , but 

which you have d o u b t l e s s a l r e a d y h e a r d , from a l l I can g a t h e r The  

K i d i s g e t t i n g a t r i u m p h a n t r e c e p t i o n i n E n g l a n d ; I have a New 

statesman & N a t i o n by me, doesn't b e l o n g t o me, so c a n ' t send i t ; 

so I w i l l q u o t e — n e e d l e s s t o say I'm a b s o l u t e l y t i c k l e d p i n k over 

t h i s , & o f f e r my, so t o s a y , h e a r t i e s t c o n g r a t u l a t i o n s , i n the 

m i d s t of my honest j o y I cannot h e l p p u r r i n g — o r i s i t , 

remembering B.V, the P r e l u d e s , the E c l o g u e s , 4 not t o s a y the 

r e c e p t i o n g i v e n the K i d by your own p u b l i s h e r , h o w l i n g ? 3 — o v e r 

i t s c e r t a i n i r o n i c i m p l i c a t i o n s you w i l l be the f i r s t t o 

a p p r e c i a t e : here goes the rave r e v i e w i n the Statesman by George 

D. P a i n t e r : 8 Not l o n g a f t e r the l a n d i n g of the Mayflower a t 



415 

"Plymouth" i n 1620 a young Cambridge (Eng) B.A, W i l l i a m 

B l a c k s t o n e by name, reached America & bought from the I n d i a n s the 

f u t u r e s i t e of B o s t o n . There the next b a t c h of c o l o n i s t s i n 1630 

were s u r p r i s e d & annoyed t o f i n d him i n p o s s e s s i o n . The i n n o c e n t 

B l a c k s t o n e - -

t o h i s own c o s t p l a y e d the generous h o s t 
& asked a d v e n t u r e r s a c r o s s h i s r i v e r . 

He s o l d them h i s l a n d but when t h e y t r i e d t o t a k e h i s 

s p i r i t u a l freedom, t o o , moved s o u t h & west & d i e d i n the 

w i l d e r n e s s . 

h i s books burned & h i s own book l o s t f o r e v e r 
f o r he had a l i b r a r y & he was w r i t i n g a Book. 

T h i s h a l f f a b u l o u s f i g u r e has met a t l a s t a poet i n s e a r c h 

of a myth. Mr A i k e n has made of him & h i s s u c c e s s o r s a k i n d of 

American s c h o l a r gypsy, of e p i c r a t h e r t h a n e l e g a i c s t a t u s , a 

t r a n s a t l a n t i c C o r i o l a n u s who once i n e v e r y g e n e r a t i o n c r i e s t o 

the mob, " I b a n i s h you", and c a r r i e s h i s d i v i n e spark t o the 

e v e r - r e c e d i n g w i l d s . The c h i e f metre of h i s m a g n i f i c e n t poem i s 

the l o o s e a n a p e s t i c c o u p l e t of the o l d cowboy l y r i c : 

0 when I d i e w i l l you bury me 

where c o y o t e s howl on the lone p r a i r i e . 

- - p l u c k i n g a s t o n i s h i n g l y l o v e l y twangs from h i s bunkhouse g u i t a r , 

he t r a c k s the K i d t h r o u g h space & t i m e , over the p r i m e v a l 

American s c e n e , 
the watergap c r o s s e d , the c h i n q u a p i n s gone, 
b r e a s t h i g h l a u r e l , & s t i l l heading on. 

There i s not t o o much, be r e a s s u r e d , of t h e c h i n q u a p i n s (a 

" n a t i v e dwarf c h e s t n u t . " ) Mr A i k e n uses h i s I n d i a n i s e d 

v o c a b u l a r y w i t h t a c t & s u c c e s s , as a d e v i c e f o r e x c l u d i n g the 



416 

White Man from h i s v i r g i n l a n d s c a p e . He a d m i t s no human f i g u r e 

but the K i d h i m s e l f & even He i s seen o n l y i n the branch s t i l l 

swaying from h i s passage, or by 

p r a i r i e - d o g c i t i e s swarming i n the sun 
g o l d e n i n the e v e n i n g , and then not one. 

And so a l o n e l y b e a u t y i s c r e a t e d , i n a c c o r d a n c e w i t h 

Mallarme's d e f i n i t i o n "a v i r g i n a l abscence d i s p e r s e d i n 

s o l i t u d e , " and w i t h something of Mallarme's method. The shadowy 

r e c o r d of The K i d , t r a c e d through f r o n t i e r s - m e n p h y s i c a l & 

s p i r i t u a l , s t o p s w i t h C a p t a i n A h a b — w i s e l y , f o r the l a s t K i d was 

D i l l i n g e r , and t h e r e w i l l never be a n o t h e r i n t h i s c i v i l i z a t i o n . 

Having "promised something g r e a t " f o r a m a t t e r of f o r t y 

y e a r s , Mr A i k e n has seen h i s moment come. (How's t h a t , o l d 

f e l l e r me l a d ? ) H i s own i n t e n s e p l e a s u r e , h i s sense of ( a t l a s t ) 

( t h i s 'at l a s t 1 i s what g e t s me too) i n s p i r a t i o n & power, a r e 

communicated. The K i d i s the k i n d of poem M e l v i l l e might have 

c r e a t e d i f he had remained i n s i g h t of the magic mountain 

G r e y l o c k , where he wrote Moby D i c k — i f he had not been d e s s i c a t e d 

by P a l e s t i n e & w r i t t e n C l a r e l ; & i t w i l l l i v e as one of the 

f i n e s t p i e c e s of i n d i g e n o u s American p o e t r y s i n c e Whitman--

T h e r e l I n s p i t e of the ( a t l a s t ) & t h e 40 y e a r s e t c (& the 

r e v i e w e r s a p p a r e n t b l i s s f u l i g n o r a n c e of what c o n s t i t u t e s a 

moment f o r Mr A i k e n , now i n A m e r i c a , not t o s a y the b l i n d n e s s of 

B r i t i s h p u b l i s h e r s ) i t i s b e t t e r than a poke i n the eye w i t h a 

s h a r p s t i c k , & adds a l i t t l e l i g h t t o the day, I f e e l — n a t u r a l l y 

I have a s p e c i a l a f f e c t i o n f o r & p r i d e i n The K i d because i t i s 

d e d i c a t e d t o me,7 t h i s q u i t e a p a r t from how I r a t e i t as a poem, 



417 

v h i c h i s v e r y h i g h l y - - i t vas v e r y p o p u l a r i n Canada t o o , I may 

say; I hope your p u b l i s h e r s a r e s u i t a b l y c h a s t e n e d . 

R e v i e v e d v i t h you i s a book c a l l e d Unarm (though not 

Costumes by) E r o s ; e i n the p a i n t i n g s s e c t i o n t h e r e i s a 

s y m p a t h e t i c a r t i c l e on the Memorial E x h i b i t i o n a t the Tate f o r 

P a u l Nash; 9 & a l s o i n t h i s same number, March 27 1948, i n the 

c o r r e s p o n d e n c e I f i n d the f o l l o v i n g l e t t e r under the heading 

S o v i e t A r t i s t s : 1 0 S i r , — M r M a r t i n M i t c h e l l ' s humourless & p o o r l y 

reasoned a t t a c k on Raymond M o r t i m e r ' s a r t i c l e must not go 

u n c h a l l e n g e d . A r t , t o v h a t e v e r fundamental c r i t i c i s m i t i s 

s u b j e c t e d by the C e n t r a l Committee of the Communist P a r t y , 

remains the a e s t h e t i c e x p r e s s i o n of a p e r s o n a l a t t i t u d e . Whether 

i t s h o u l d , f o r example, d e a l v i t h man's h e r o i c s t r u g g l e v i t h h i s 

environment & c o n s e q u e n t l y f l o u r i s h as a p o s i t i v e f o r c e ( t o quote 

Mr M i t c h e l l ' s j a r g o n ) i s the p e r s o n a l a f f a i r of the a r t i s t & no 

one e l s e , l e a s t of a l l t h a t of a p h i l o s o p h e r or a p o l i t i c i a n . 

Whether a p a r t i c u l a r vork has succeeded i n i t s p a r t i c u l a r aim i s 

f o r the i n d i v i d u a l c r i t i c t o d e c i d e on the b a s i s of h i s p e r s o n a l 

a e s t h e t i c . 

Mr M i t c h e l l v i s e l y r e f r a i n s from an a s s a u l t on Raymond 

M o r t i m e r ' s s t r o n g e s t r e d o u b t , namely the i m p o s s i b i l i t y of 

c o n v e y i n g an i d e o l o g y i n music, & the consequent u t t e r a b s u r d i t y 

of condemning any music, hovever u n i n t e l l i g i b l e t o o n e s e l f , as 

not c o n f o r m i n g t o a g i v e n i d e o l o g y . One can sympathise v i t h the 

Commissars & peasants i n t h e i r b e v i l d e r m e n t a t the r e c e n t vork of 

S h o s t a k o v i t c h & h i s c o p e n i t e n t s v i t h o u t a t a l l l e s s e n i n g the 

f o r c e of the c o n t e n t i o n t h a t the l a t t e r s h o u l d compose as t h e y 



418 

p l e a s e . The l o g i c a l outcome of t h i s a r b i t r a r y m e d d l i n g w i t h 

a e s t h e t i c s t a n d a r d s i n the U.S.S.R i s t h e i r r e d u c t i o n t o the 

l o w e s t common d e n o m i n a t o r , t h a t of the t o t a l l y u n i n f o r m e d ! I t i s 

f o r t u n a t e t h a t contemporary c r i t i c i s m of Beethoven's l a s t 

q u a r t e t s was not so conducted: e l s e t h e s e p r o f o u n d e s t of m u s i c a l 

u t t e r a n c e s c o u l d h a r d l y have s u r v i v e d . 

T h i s i s s i g n e d — J o h n A i k e n . 1 1 

W e l l — g o d b l e s s o l d f e l l o w , a l l b e s t from M a r g i e & I t o Mary 

& you & a l l a t 41 D o o r s 1 2 - - h o p e t o be p a s s i n g your way one day 

not too f a r d i s t a n t 

l o v e 

Male. 



419 

E x p l a n a t o r y Notes 
1 The Lowrys were i n t r o d u c e d t o Joan B l a c k ( l a t e r Joan 

C h u r c h i l l ) a t her home i n Vernon by John Davenport, whom t h e y ' d 
met w i t h i n P a r i s i n December 1947. They s p e n t J a n u a r y and 
F e b r u a r y , and l a t e r p a r t of J u l y 1948, a t her home, "La 
C e r i s a i e , " d u r i n g which time Lowry was w o r k i n g w i t h the F r e n c h 
t r a n s l a t o r s of Under the V o l c a n o . 

2 I n March 1948 Lowry took a two week "extended r e s t " (Day 
401) i n a h o s p i t a l i n Vernon run by the S i s t e r s of C h a r i t y . 

3 C f . Lowry's "Through the Panama," Hear Us Oh L o r d From  
Heaven Thv D w e l l i n g P l a c e ( P h i l a d e l p h i a : L i p p i n c o t t , 1961); 
"Through the Panama" i s i n f a c t based a l m o s t e n t i r e l y upon the 
j o u r n a l s Lowry kept w h i l e t r a v e l l i n g by f r e i g h t e r t h r o u g h the 
Panama C a n a l on h i s way t o F r a n c e . 

* R e f e r e n c e s t o A i k e n ' s Blue Vovage r P r e l u d e s f o r Memnonf 
and Brownstone E c l o g u e s . 

9 C f . l e t t e r 72, p. 389, i n which A i k e n t e l l s of The K i d 
h a v i n g been t u r n e d down by D u e l l , S l o a n and P e a r c e . 

6 See George D. P a i n t e r ' s "New P o e t r y , " New Statesman and  
N a t i o n 27 March 1948: 259-60; Lowry has quoted a c c u r a t e l y from 
P a i n t e r ' s r e v i e w e x c e p t f o r minor a l t e r a t i o n s i n p u n c t u a t i o n and 
i n d e n t a t i o n . 

7 See l e t t e r 72, n. 8, p. 391. 
9 P a i n t e r ' s r e v i e w a l s o i n c l u d e s a r e v i e w of Unarm, Eros by 

T e r r e n c e T i l l e r ; Lowry i s here p l a y i n g on the t i t l e of t h i s book 
and t h a t of A i k e n ' s Costumes by Eros (New York: S c r i b n e r ' s , 
1928). 

9 See P a t r i c k Heron, " P a u l Nash--A Memorial E x h i b i t i o n a t 
the T a t e , " New Statesman and N a t i o n 27 March 1948: 252. P a u l 
Nash was a f r i e n d of A i k e n i n E n g l a n d ; c f . l e t t e r 44, n. 2, p. 
265. 

1 0 John A i k e n , " S o v i e t A r t i s t s , " New Statesman and N a t i o n . 
256 . 

1 1 T h i s John A i k e n i s p r o b a b l y not A i k e n ' s son. 
1 2 "41 Doors": the A i k e n s ' house i n B r e w s t e r , M a s s a c h u s e t t s . 

414 .6-7 

T e x t u a l Notes 

n i g h t s & we h i t \ n i g h t s & {we} h i t 



420 

414.12 from a l l I c a n \ from <what> { a l l } I can 

414.14 doesn't b e l o n g \ <i>doesn't b e l o n g 

414.19-20 --over i t s c e r t a i n i r o n i c i m p l i c a t i o n s \ --over i t s 
<various> < { t h e i r } > { c e r t a i n } i r o n i c i m p l i c a t i o n s 

414.21 here goes the r a v e r e v i e w \ here goes the {rave} 
r e v i e w 

415.5-8 B l a c k s t o n e - - ! . . . .1 
He s o l d \ B l a c k s t o n e — / t o h i s own c o s t p l a y e d the 

generous host/& asked a d v e n t u r e r s a c r o s s h i s 
r i v e r . / 3 He s o l d [Here and i n t h e n e x t f o u r 
t e x t u a l n o t e s , Lowry has i n d i c a t e d l i n e breaks w i t h 
s l a s h marks and i n d e n t a t i o n s w i t h "§"] 

415.10- 13 w i l d e r n e s s [ . . . . ] 
T h i s h a l f \ w i l d e r n e s s . 3 / h i s books burned & h i s 

own book l o s t f o r e v e r / f o r he had a l i b r a r y & he 
was w r i t i n g a Book. j j T h i s h a l f 

415.24-7 American scene, [. . . .1 
There i s \ American s c e n e , / the watergap c r o s s e d , 

the c h i n q u a p i n s gone,/ b r e a s t h i g h l a u r e l , & s t i l l 
h e a d i n g on./ There i s 

416.3- 6 or by [ . . . . ] 
And s o \ or by/ p r a i r i e - d o g c i t i e s swarming i n the 

s u n / g o l d e n i n the e v e n i n g , and t h e n not one./ J £ And 
so 

416.11- 12 i n t h i s c i v i l i s a t i o n . 
HavingX i n t h i s <generation> { c i v i l i s a t i o n . } ^ 

Having 

416.13- 14 (How's t h a t , o l d f e l l e r me l a d ? ) \ [Lowry has 
a c t u a l l y p l a c e d t h i s sentence w i t h i n square 
b r a c k e t s ; t o a v o i d c o n f u s i o n w i t h my e d i t o r i a l 
comments, I have a l t e r e d t h e s e t o round 
b r a c k e t s ] 

416.14- 15 ( a t l a s t ) ( t h i s 'at l a s t ' Is what g e t s me t o o ) 
i n s p i r a t i o n s ( a t l a s t ) { ( t h i s 'at l a s t ' i s what 
g e t s me t o o ) } i n s p i r a t i o n [ t h i s i n s e r t i o n was 
o r i g i n a l l y p l a c e d w i t h i n square b r a c k e t s ; as above, 
I have a l t e r e d them t o a v o i d c o n f u s i o n ] 

416.17 i f he had remained\ i f he had <not> remained 

417.1 i n Canada t o o , I may\ i n Canada { t o o } , I may 

417.4- 5 a s y m p a t h e t i c a r t i c l e \ a<n> { s y m p a t h e t i c } a r t i c l e 



421 

417.19-20 a e s t h e t i c 
Mr. M i t c h e l l \ a e s t h e t i c / Mr. M i t c h e l l [Lowry has 

used a s l a s h mark to i n d i c a t e a new paragraph] 

418.4 Beethoven's\ B e { e } t h o v e n 1 s 

["P.T.O" i s w r i t t e n by Lowry a t the bottom of the 
7th page] 

418.7 T h i s i s s i g n e d - - \ <(>This i s s i g n e d - -



422 

79: From AIKEN t o LOWRY1-
MS UBC; u n p u b l i s h e d 

[ B r e w s t e r , Mass.] 

(Xmas 1949} 

Wonderful t h a t you're b a c k - - I t r a n s l a t e d the g r e a t e r p a r t of 

your c a r d , but not a l l . What's t h i s about s h i p ' s e n g i n e s , and my 

d o u b l e ? 2 E l u c i d a t e ! But d e l i g h t e d you l i k e d A r k . 3 (The p l a y , 

a t P r o v i n c e t o w n l a s t summer, made a S e n s a t i o n , may go on t o N. 

York, N. O r l e a n s , P a r i s , & Madrid!) 

A l l b e s t t o you b o t h — 

Conrad 

Xmas 19 49 



423 

E x p l a n a t o r y Notes 
1 See Appendix I , p. 495, f o r p h o t o g r a p h i c r e p r o d u c t i o n of 

the r e c t o of t h i s C h r i s t m a s c a r d . 
2 Lowry's C h r i s t m a s c a r d i s m i s s i n g ; however, see l e t t e r 80, 

p. 424, i n which he answers A i k e n ' s q u e s t i o n . 
3 "Mr. A r c u l a r i s " ; Lowry e x p l a i n s i n the next l e t t e r t h a t he 

had been r e f e r r i n g t o G e r a l d Noxon's r a d i o v e r s i o n of the s t o r y ; 
see l e t t e r 80, n. 3, p. 426. 

T e x t u a l Notes 

[ C h r i s t m a s p o s t c a r d ; see Appendix I , p. 495, f o r 
p h o t o g r a p h i c r e p r o d u c t i o n of the r e c t o of c a r d w i t h 
Mary A i k e n ' s drawing] 



424 

80: From LOWRY to AIKEN 
MS H; unpublished 

D o l l a r t o n P.O. 
D o l l a r t o n B C 

[ e a r l y 1950] 

Dear o l d Conrad: 

Thank you & Mary v e r y much f o r the f e s t i v e (& b e a u t i f u l ) 

c a r d . I'm s o r r y my words were so i l l e g i b l e — t h e r e weren't 

n o t h i n g about 'your double', o l d chap—more about 'doubles' 

i m p l i e d i n your c a r d — h a ha—what I t h i n k you read was ' t r o u b l e ' 

—may have been—& what you ought to have s a i d i n s t e a d of 'Glad 

to hear you're back' was 'Sorry to hear about your back,' which 

by the way, I broke, i n an a c c i d e n t , f a l l i n g indeed o f f one of my 

own e r e c t i o n s , I mean c o n s t r u c t i o n s 3 - — I had a v i s i o n i n a 

C a t h o l i c h o s p i t a l a f t e r t h a t , but I don't t h i n k I mentioned i t , 

though I might as w e l l have, f o r I remember t h i n k i n g how c l o s e Mr 

A r c u l a r i s was to the a c t u a l t r u t h . 2 When I mentioned 'ship's 

engines' I meant I c o u l d have used more of the sound of same i n 

A r c u l a r i s — I was r e f e r r i n g to Gerald's r a d i o v e r s i o n , very 

b e a u t i f u l l y done here otherwise & e x c e l l e n t l y r e c e i v e d . 3 Apart 

from t h a t , I was r e f e r r i n g , by s h i p ' s engines, to some work we 

are doing a t the moment, of which, i f i t comes o f f , I s i n c e r e l y 

hope you w i l l be p r o u d — b u t t h i s i s supposed to be a s e c r e t t i l l 

a c c o m p l i s h e d — s o no more now.4 For the r e s t , I am d e l i g h t e d a t 

the success of A r c u l a r i s — e v e n more d e l i g h t e d to hear, even 

through the post, your k i n d l y and i r o n i c purr a t same, without 

the memory of which, a p p l i e d to other happenings, I must have 



found i t d i f f i c u l t t o meet much v h i c h has come. No o t h e r news, 

save t h a t t h e back i s b e t t e r — v i t h o u t any a f t e r e f f e c t s . We l i v e 

i n the same o l d shack i n c o n d i t i o n s of f r i g h t e n i n g toughness t h i s 

v i n t e r - - a f l o o d has r a z e d our n e i g h b o u r ' s houses t o the ground, 

but o u r s , s e l f b u i l t , s t a n d s s t i l l - - & ve vere never so happy, nor 

v o r k i n g so h a r d . I svam t i l l mid-December, back and a l l , (nov 

see v h a t you've done v i t h your example of a c o l d b a t h e v e r y day) 

— s l i g h t l y n o r t h of us, t h e r e a r e t e m p e r a t u r e s of f i f t y - t h r e e 

below z e r o . The Volcano vas a f l o p i n E n g l a n d , but has become a 

c l a s s i c i n F r a n c e , where i t i s t h i s month added t o t h e i r q u i d pro 

quo of the Modern L i b r a r y , t r a n s l a t e d by a S w i s s , a M a r t i n i q u a i s e 

negro, & an A s s y r i a n d y i n g of consumption, w i t h a none t o o sober 

p r e f a c e by me (among o t h e r s ) a p p a r e n t l y about something e l s e , & 

i n the company of D i d e r o t & the Abbe P r e v o s t . * Margie has had 

bad l u c k i n her work so f a r , w i t h one e x c e p t i o n , 6 but we s i n k or 

swim t o g e t h e r , or both i n the c u r r e n t one. (or a r e c a r r i e d  

a l o n g . ) P l e a s e g i v e our v e r y b e s t l o v e t o Mary & y o u r s e l f and 

may, most s i n c e r e l y , God b l e s s you & you b o t h — W i t h l o v e from us 

both 

Malcolm. 

P.S. There i s snow t h i s morning f a l l i n g q u i t e h e a v i l y , i n 

b r i g h t s u n l i g h t , out of an a b s o l u t e l y c o b a l t sky--have you ever 

seen t h i s ? 



426 

E x p l a n a t o r y Notes 
x Lowry broke h i s back f a l l i n g o f f h i s p i e r i n J u l y 1949. 
2 A f t e r the a c c i d e n t , Lowry was a d m i t t e d t o S t . P a u l ' s 

H o s p i t a l i n Vancouver where, a c c o r d i n g t o Douglas Day, he 
e x p e r i e n c e d a v i o l e n t outbreak of d e l i r i u m tremens accompanied by 
h a l l u c i n a t i o n s ( 4 1 9 ) ; t h i s e x p e r i e n c e became the b a s i s of an 
u n p u b l i s h e d n o v e l , "The O r d e a l of S i g b j ^ r n W i l d e r n e s s " (U.B.C. 
Lowry C o l l e c t i o n ( 2 2 - ( 1 9 - 2 0 ) ] ) . I n A i k e n ' s s h o r t s t o r y , Mr. 
A r c u l a r i s has an extended v i s i o n , w h i l e d y i n g on a h o s p i t a l 
o p e r a t i n g t a b l e , of b e i n g on a sea voyage and t r a v e l l i n g by n i g h t 
to the s t a r s . 

3 G e r a l d Noxon and Andrew A l l a n ' s r a d i o v e r s i o n , "Mr. 
A r c u l a r i s , " was a i r e d on the C.B.C. "Stage 49" program on 28 
November 1948. I n 1949 and 1950 Noxon adapted t h r e e o t h e r A i k e n 
s t o r i e s f o r r a d i o : "A T h i e f i n the House" (based on 
C o n v e r s a t i o n ) , "The F a l l e n D i s c i p l e , " and "Impulse"; t h e s e were 
a l l produced by A l l a n f o r the C.B.C. ( T i e s s e n 1 7 ) . 

* The Lowrys had by t h i s time s t a r t e d w o r k i n g on a f i l m 
s c r i p t of F i t z g e r a l d ' s Tender i s the N i g h t , which t h e y e v e n t u a l l y 
s e n t t o t h e i r f r i e n d , Frank T a y l o r , i n H o l l y w o o d ; the f i l m s c r i p t 
was never used. As i n the s t o r i e s i n Hear Us O L o r d From Heaven  
Thy D w e l l i n g P l a c e , i n t h i s s c r i p t Lowry uses the r e f r a i n from 
" F r e r e J a c q u e s " t o s u g g e s t the sound of a s h i p ' s e n g i n e s (Lowry, 
Notes on a S c r e e n p l a y 56-58). 

9 Au-dessous du v o l c a n [Under the V o l c a n o ] ( P a r i s : Le C l u b 
f r a n c a i s du l i v r e , 1949) was t r a n s l a t e d by Stephen S p r i e l w i t h 
the c o l l a b o r a t i o n of C l a r i s s e F r a n c i l l o n and Lowry. A p r e f a c e by 
Lowry i s i n c l u d e d , as i s a p o s t f a c e by Max-Pol F o u c h e t . 

* P o s s i b l y M a r g e r i e ' s The Shapes That Creep p u b l i s h e d by 
S c r i b n e r ' s i n 1946. 

T e x t u a l Notes 

424.2-3 f e s t i v e (& b e a u t i f u l ) c a r d . \ f e s t i v e {(& b e a u t i f u l ) } 
c a r d . 

424.5 your c a r d - - h a h a — w h a t \ your c a r d — { h a h a — } w h a t 

424.11-12 Mr A r c u l a r i s \ <m>{M}r A r c u l a r i s 

424.15 b e a u t i f u l l y done here o t h e r w i s e &\ b e a u t i f u l l y done 
here { o t h e r w i s e } & 

424.22 memory of w h i c h , a p p l i e d t o o t h e r happenings, I must 
have\ memory of w h i c h , <one must> { a p p l i e d t o o t h e r 
happenings,} I <would> {must} have 



427 

425.13 by me (among o t h e r s ) a p p a r e n t l y \ by me {(among 
o t h e r s ) } a p p a r e n t l y 

425.16-17 c u r r e n t one. (or are c a r r i e d a l o n g . ) \ c u r r e n t one. 
{ ( o r a r e c a r r i e d a l o n g . ) } 

425.18 God b l e s s you & you b o t h - - \ God b l e s s {you &} you 
b o t h — 

425.18-19 W i t h l o v e from us b o t h \ With l o v e from {us both} 

425.21-3 P.S. There [. . .1 t h i s ? \ {P.S. There i s snow t h i s 
morning f a l l i n g <out> q u i t e h e a v i l y , i n [. . .] 
t h i s ? } [ h a n d w r i t t e n i n l e f t - h a n d margin of f i r s t 
page ] 



428 

81; From LOWRY t o AIKEN 
TS H; u n p u b l i s h e d 

D o l l a r t o n , B.C. 
Canada, 

Sept. 28, 1950. 

Dear o l d Conrad: 

Have j u s t r e c e i v e d s h o r t s t o r i e s 1 v i t h much thanks and g r e a t 

p l e a s u r e i n r e r e a d i n g , where not o f t e n r e r e a d — T h o u g h I have not 

had time t o r e r e a d a l l , l e t me s a y many have f o r me mellowed w i t h 

age, i f a f f e c t i o n and n o s t a l g i a s evoked have not made me 

u n c r i t i c a l . T h i s i s t r u e of some s t o r i e s such as S p i d e r S p i d e r , 

and Your O b i t , which I was not so fond of a t the time when I 

f i r s t r e a d them i n Costumes, 2 but I guess I d i d not f u l l y 

u n d e r s t a n d them. They now seem e x c e l l e n t . S t r a n g e M o o n l i g h t i s 

b e t t e r t h a n e v e r , i f p o s s i b l e , and of r e l a t i v e l y new ones H u l l o 

T i b seems t o me a m a r v e l l o u s l i t t l e s t o r y . J e s u s t h a t poor c a t . 

And f o r a l l one's p e r c e p t i o n ! - And d i d I s a y l i t t l e ? M o r a l l y 

her f a t e has c o n s i d e r a b l y more meaning than t h a t of Anna K a r e n i n a 

under s i m i l a r c i r c u m s t a n c e s , and her c o n t i n u a n c e i n heaven seems 

t o me f a r more a s s u r e d than t h a t of t h a t dame. May e n d l e s s 

dances w i t h moths u n d y i n g i n the E l y s i a n F i e l d s be her l o t ! I 

remember Smith and Jones once meeting w i t h your s e v e r e 

d i s a p p r o v a l so have not r e r e a d but i t l o o k s as i f you have c u t 

i t . I somewhat miss Pure as the D r i v e n Snow and the Moment,3 but 

you c a n ' t have e v e r y t h i n g : t o o bad, t o o bad. (That i s not 

c r i t i c i s m but f r i e n d l y quote) Of the m e r i t s of S e c r e t Snow and 

C i r c u l a r i s * you must have heard more t h a n enough. What i s now 



429 

the s t a t u s of the play? I am now s c a r i n g myself with The 

D i s c i p l e - I guess i t i s an e x c e l l e n t volume, I hope you are 

s a t i s f i e d with the s e l e c t i o n and that i t has much s u c c e s s ! 

For o u r s e l v e s , am a g r e a t h i t In France, and am i n the 

e q u i v a l e n t of the Modern L i b r a r y thingmetight t h e r e 9 and i n 

Norway.6 We are f r i g h t e n i n g l y poor a t the moment, but l i f e i n 

the o l d - or r a t h e r new - shack i s b e t t e r than ever. We are 

working hugely so f i n a n c e s may improve, with a rush, i n which 

case hope to see you, i n f a c t w i l l , i f humanly p o s s i b l e . Hope 

you and Mary are keeping v e r y w e l l , we a r e , myself never b e t t e r . 

We had some fan m a i l from a gent i n Minnesota named Z.L.Begin, a 

lawyer. Where? or why bother? Or maybe a symbol. For example, 

I broke my back with the r e s u l t that I am no longer c o n s t i p a t e d 

and have even s t a r t e d to grow a g a i n . (Though you can f o r g i v e me 

f o r f e e l i n g I was a b i t "knocked oop" a t the time.) 

Send us your news, God b l e s s and best love to you both from 

us both 

A f f e c t i o n a t e l y , 

Male 



430 

E x p l a n a t o r y Motes 
x The S h o r t S t o r i e s of Conrad A i k e n (New York: D u e l l , S l o a n 

and P e a r c e , 1950). Lowry's copy of t h i s book i s i n the U.B.C. 
Lowry C o l l e c t i o n . 

2 Costumes By E r o s (New York: S c r i b n e r ' s , 1928); " S p i d e r , 
S p i d e r " and "Your O b i t u a r y , W e l l W r i t t e n " were o r i g i n a l l y 
p u b l i s h e d i n t h i s volume. 

3 "Pure as t h e D r i v e n Snow" i s p r i n t e d i n Among the L o s t  
P e o p l e (New York: S c r i b n e r ' s , 1934); "The Moment" appears i n 
Costumes Bv E r o s . 

* i . e . , " S i l e n t Snow, S e c r e t Snow" and " A r c u l a r i s . " 

° See l e t t e r 60, n. 5, p. 426. 

• Under v u l k a n e n . t r a n s . P e t e r Magnus, f o r e w a r d S i g u r d H o e l 
( O s l o : G y l d e n d a l Norsk P o r l a g , 1949). 

T e x t u a l Notes 

428.3-4 r e r e a d i n g , (. . .) l e t me s a y many\ r e r e a d i n g { , } 
where not o f t e n reread<,>{—}<t>(T)hough ( I ) have 
not had time t o r e r e a d a l l ( , } l e t me say<,> many 

428.7 Your O b i t , \ <y>(Y)our < o > ( 0 ) b i t , 

428.8-9 Costumes, (. . . .) S t r a n g e M o o n l i g h t \ Costumes{,} 
but I guess I d i d not ( f u l l y ) u n d e r s t a n d them. 
(They now seem e x c e l l e n t . ) S t r a n g e M o o n l i g h t 

428.16 her l o t ! \ her lot<.>{!) 

428.21 quote) Of the m e r i t s \ quote) ( S e c r e t Snow and the 
m e r i t s > Of the m e r i t s ( t h i s d e l e t i o n i s done on 
the t y p e w r i t e r ) 

429.12-13 symbol. For example, I b r o k e \ symbol. (For 
example,) I broke 

429.15 a t the t i m e . ) \ a t the t i m e { . } ) 



431 

82; From MARY AIKEN to L.QWRV3-
MS UBC; u n p u b l i s h e d 

323-2nd_ S t . S .East 
Washington 3-D.C. 
Li-7-6342 

[323-2nd S t . S.East] 
(Washington, D.C.] 

[16 Dec 1950] 

332-East 33£d_ S t . * 
New York C i t y 
Mu-4-6699 

B e l i e v e i t or n o t ! 

u n t i l Sept 15 '51 o n c e - i n - a - v h i l e . 

when Conrad has T h i s i s our c o l d - w a t e r 

the C h a i r of P o e t r y f l a t 

a t the L i b r a r y of C o n g r e s s . 3 

We're n e a r l y always i n Wash, but w i l l be i n N.Y.C. f o r Xraas 

MERRY XMAS 

& 

l o t s of l o v e 

from 

Mary & Conrad 



432 

E x p l a n a t o r y Notes 
1 See Appendix I , p. 496, f o r p h o t o g r a p h i c r e p r o d u c t i o n . 
2 The A i k e n s had a f l a t i n New York which t h e y s t a y e d i n 

whenever t h e y were i n t h e c i t y ( c f . l e t t e r 83, p. 435); a c c o r d i n g 
t o D a v i d Markson, Lowry v i s i t e d A i k e n a t t h i s a d d r e s s i n 1954 
b e f o r e a t t e n d i n g t h e p a r t y a t which t h e y were t o see each o t h e r 
f o r the l a s t time (Malcolm Lowrv's V o l c a n o : Mvth Symbol Meaning 
224). 

3 I n 1947 A i k e n had been e l e c t e d a F e l l o w i n American 
L e t t e r s of the L i b r a r y of C o n g r e s s , and from 1950-52 h e l d the 
C h a i r of P o e t r y t h e r e w i t h the t i t l e of P o e t r y C o n s u l t a n t . 

T e x t u a l Notes 

[ C h r i s t m a s p o s t c a r d ; see Appendix I , p. 496, f o r 
p h o t o g r a p h i c r e p r o d u c t i o n of v e r s o w i t h Mary 
A i k e n ' s l e t t e r ] 

d a t e (postmarked 16 Dec 19501 

431.4 B e l i e v e i t or n o t f A [ s t i c k e r above t h i s r e a d s : 
" S i l e n t N i g h t " ! 



4 3 3 

83: From AIKEN to LOWRY 
TS UBC; K i l l o r i n 296 

poetry room 
Library of Congress1 

jan 22 52 

Dear Old Male: 
Your card chided us. We sank lower than 

ever this year, under an accumulation of dull necessities, and 
sent almost nary a card anywhere, chiefly because a friend of 
Mary's chose that unpropitious moment to commission her for a 
design of a t i l e d mantelpiece, heaven help us a l l , and so our 
Xmas Artist was otherwise, though gainfully, employed. Anyway, 
i t was good to hear from you, even i f with the accustomed Chorus 
behind you, and over your shoulder, of the whuling Elements, 
which god knows do seem to be active in your niche of the world. 
How do you survive? and do you never tire? or long, as we do 
passionately, for something else? Washington gets us down like 
b i l l y - o , despite pleasant interludes. We had fun last May, when 
a very good local theatre-group, who do plays "in the round" in 
an adapted cinema—and with astonishing s k i l l — p u t on our 
Arcularis. 2 Panned by the local press, who are a lot of movie 
hacks (the reviewers, I mean) but a huge success with the actors 
and audiences, and, what's best, very satisfactory to me—we'll 
get i t to New York or bust. I've just been revising i t for the 
fortieth time, and adding (out of Osiris Jones!)3 a prologue and 
epilogue, after which, as soon as typed, i t ' s going to Burgess 
Meredith,4 who had heard of i t from Hume Cronyn,* who almost put 
i t on with Jessica Tandy8 last year--you see how i t i s , almost 



a l m o s t a l m o s t , always a l m o s t . J u s t as i t a l m o s t got put on a t 

the C h e r r y Lane i n New York two y e a r s ago, and a l m o s t by 

E x p e r i m e n t a l T h e a t r e the year b e f o r e t h a t . And i s t h i s v e r y 

moment a g a i n a l m o s t i n g , or t r y i n g t o , w i t h a new group a t the 

C h e r r y Lane (Oscar W i l l i a m s 7 and WmCarlos W i l l i a m s among them) 

who aim t o s p e c i a l i z e i n P o e t i c Drayma. I t was damned i n t e r e s t i n g 

s e e i n g the t h i n g done sans s e t s , and t o see how e f f e c t i v e , how 

more e f f e c t i v e , language became when put out t h e r e a l l n a k e d l y by 

s e l f : i n t e r e s t i n g , t o o , t o f i n d w i t h how e x t r e m e l y l i t t l e change 

t h e p l a y c o u [ l ] d be made t o f i t t h i s s o r t of performance. To 

r e v i s e a passage, and see i t i m m e d i a t e l y put t o t o the t e s t i n 

a c t i o n i s one of the most i n s t r u c t i v e e x p e r i e n c e s i n r e the 

w r i t t e n and spoken word I've ever known. You r e a l l y l e a r n 

something. . . But Washington, no. And the L i b r a r y , no. I'm 

t h i s minute deep i n an i m b r o g l i o w i t h the top b r a s s of the 

b u r e a u c r a c y , who, i n t h e t o i l s of a m i l l i o n a i r e nonogenarian 

f e m a l e , who has g i v e n them money, and from whom t h e y hope t o 

f i l c h more, have p r e t t y e f f e c t i v e l y manacled and gagged the 

C o n s u l t a n t i n P o e t r y ; but he has a t l a s t , a f t e r many s l e e p l e s s 

n i g h t s of s w e a t i n g c o n s c i e n c e , d e c i d e d t o speak h i s mind. I d i d 

t h i s i n the form of a l e t t e r t o the F e l l o w s i n Am. L e t t e r s of the 

L i b . of Cong., 8 whose a n n u a l meeting i s h e l d here next month; 

but as the l e t t e r , b e i n g o f f i c i a l , has t o c l e a r the h i e r a r c h i e s 

of C o n t r o l d o w n s t a i r s b e f o r e i t ' s a l l o w e d t o go f o r t h , I'm now 

a w a i t i n g the sound of a m u f f l e d e x p l o s i o n and the dread summons. 

A l l v e r y s i c k e n i n g . None of them know a n y t h i n g about l i t e r a t u r e , 

none of them have the l e a s t n o t i o n of a s e n s i t i v e r e g a r d f o r i t 



or p r i d e i n i t , t h e y r e w r i t e (or t r y t o ) my l e t t e r s i n t o t h e i r 

gobbledegook choctaw (and I r e w r i t e 'em back a g a i n ) , t h e y e x p e c t 

me t o d r a f t l e t t e r s f o r the L i b r a r i a n ' s s i g n a t u r e about m a t t e r s 

which don't c o n c e r n me, and about which I know n o t h i n g , and then 

r e t u r n them t o me w i t h a memo t o the e f f e c t t h a t I mustn't 

a d d r e s s the r e c i p i e n t by h i s C h r i s t i a n name, which not even h i s 

b e s t f r i e n d s would dare t o do, but by something e l s e : t h i s l a s t , 

an a c t u a l i n s t a n c e , was what f i n a l l y took the s a n g u i n a r y bun, and 

I'm p r o p o s i n g , a t the m e e t i n g , t h a t t h i s custom a t l e a s t be 

a b o l i s h e d . But you see what I mean, you see why j*e_ y e a r n f o r 

o t h e r s c e n e s , o t h e r c l i m e s . New Z e a l a n d : we t o y w i t h the i d e a of 

s e t t l i n g i n New Z e a l a n d . I t sounds a l l r i g h t . I t ' s v e r y cheap. 

I t ' s v e r y F a r . I t has f e r n t r e e s , and s e a , and mountains, and 

the b e g i n n i n g s of a p o e t r y movement. I t has a y e a r - r o u n d 

c l i m a t e — y o u can swim or s k i on the same day, and you can hunt 

down your v e n i s o n , i f t h a t i s what you w(a]nt t o do, any day i n 

the y e a r . So why not New Zealand? The unanswered q u e s t i o n i s , 

how i s the g i n s u p p l y : we s h a l l l o o k i n t o t h a t . Next time we 

v i s i t our $14 a month s l u m l e t i n NYC ( d i d you know? ground f l o o r , 

w i t h a garden and n i n e t r e e s , e i g h t of them a i l a n t h u s , and a t the 

back of the b u i l d i n g , i n e a s t 33d S t r e e t , so t h a t i t i s v e r y 

q u i e t — a n d o n l y round the c o r n e r from your B e l l e v u e H o s p i t a l ) 9 — 

next time we go up t h e r e , as we do f o r l o n g weekends, i n our 

s w i f t l i t t l e A u s t i n , we s h a l l go t o the N Z e a l n d C o n s u l and 

bombard him w i t h q u e s t i o n s . . . Meanwhile, we sweat i t o u t , 

t a k i n g such r e l i e f as we can i n g o i n g the rounds of t h r e e or f o u r 

good r e s t a u r a n t s and the movies, which a r e many and p r e t t y good. 



4 3 6 

. . But c h i e f l y what I w r i t e t o t e l l you, dear o l d Male, i n 

a d d i t i o n t o t h a n k i n g you f o r c o n t r i b u t i n g t o t h a t s u i c i d a l i s s u e 

of WAKE,1 0 which of c o u r s e I haven't r e a d y e t — y o u r c o n t r i b u t i o n , 

t h a t i s - - i s , t h a t USHANT has m i r a c u l o u s l y , and a l l by i t s e l f , as 

i n a s o r t of d r e a m l i k e p a r t h e n o g e n e s i s , got i t s e l f w r i t t e n a t 

l a s t — a i n ' t i t i n c r e d i b l e ? 1 1 I now l o o k back on the c u r i o u s 

p r o c e s s w i t h pure a s t o n i s h m e n t : I r e a d a page or two w i t h o u t i n 

the l e a s t r e c a l l i n g what i t f e l t l i k e t o w r i t e them: i t wasn't 

me, a t a l l , i n f a c t , t h a t wrote i t , but an i n v i s i b l e company of 

t i n y v i s i t i n g f i r e m e n . I t w i l l come out next f a l l , D u e l l S l o a n & 

P e a r c e — L i t t l e , Brown & Co.,--and f o r once, as Cap Pearce seems 

t o be reduced t o a k i n d of s p e e c h l e s s n e s s of e n t h u s i a s m , I dare 

t o hope we may make a few much needed d o l l a r s , j u s t when, t h i s 

j o b o v e r , we s h a l l most want them. F r a n k l y , I don't know what t o 

t h i n k of i t . I t grew, a l l by i t s e l f , i n t o a New Shape, i t s own, 

a s p i r a l u n w i n d i n g of memory i n t o a s p i r a l p r o j e c t i o n of 

a n a l y s i s : i t has a d e s i g n , and y e t i t would be hard t o s a y what 

i t i s . I t seems t o me, i f I may be presumptuous, t o a c h i e v e a 

k i n d of l i v i n g n e s s , as of a l i v i n g presence r i g h t b e s i d e you, 

t h a t i s perhaps new: or maybe i t ' s a new " o r d e r " . I dunno--I 

dunno. I t ' s p r e t t y o r f u l e x p l i c i t about many t h i n g s . Y o u r s e l f 

i n c l u d e d , f o r you a r e a f e l l o w named Hambo, 1 2 and one of the 

Heros. I p r a y you won't be o f f e n d e d by any of i t : I pray when 

you r e a d i t you w i l l c o n t i n u a l l y s a y t o y o u r s e l f , t h i s guy l o v e s 

me, or he wouldn't be so b l o o d y c a n d i d about me. 1 3 But a c t u a l l y , 

e c t u a l l y , I v e n t u r e t o hope t h a t you w i l l not o n l y l i k e the book, 

but f i n d the t r e a t m e n t of y o u r s e l f b a s i c a l l y and d e e p l y 



a f f e c t i o n a t e . What Tom E l i o t i s g o i n g t o t h i n k i s a n o t h e r t a s s i e 

of t e a . I c a l l him the T s e t s e , and have a l r e a d y so i n f o r m e d him 

(no comment from him.) And h i s R e t r e a t t o the Church g e t s vhat I 

t h i n k i t d e s e r v e s . W i l l he be a f o r g i v i n g C h r i s t i a n , a 

b e n e v o l e n t M a r t y r , and b l e s s me from the C r o s s ? — A s f o r poor dear 

M a r t i n A r m s t r o n g , vhose h o m o s e x u a l i t y ( a l o n g w i t h t h a t of the 

E n g l i s h scene a t l a r g e ) g e t s a thorough g o i n g o v e r , w e l l , I hope 

he never r e a d s i t , t h a t ' s a l l , and have warned the k i d s , i n 

E n g l a n d , t h a t t h e y had b e t t e r c o n s p i r e t o keep i t out of h i s and 

J e s s i e ' s hands3-*. . . And my own e r o t i c c a r e e r , dear god, dear 

j e s u s , what a r e people g o i n g t o t h i n k of t h a t - - ? Nev Z e a l a n d , 

New Z e a l a n d , come autumn—under a f e r n t r e e , f a r from the v e r y 

v e r y madding crowd. . . . Of c o u r s e you know a l l about the Noxon 

b u s t - u p x s — a sad bad b u s i n e s s , v e r y naughty, we f e e l , of B e t t y , 

t o go and do such and s u c h , and t h e y so n e a r , as i t were, t o 

p o r t . But god knows I've m y s e l f done e x a c t l y t h a t , and more t h a n 

once; and I can o n l y s a y I'm s o r r y f o r them a l l , and not t o o 

s a n g u i n e , I r e g r e t t o s a y , about G's new t i e - u p w i t h O l g a , whose 

s l i g h t l y i n f a n t i l e c o y n e s s , a l o n g w i t h so buxom a frame, tends t o 

g e t us down. W e l l , the dear B a s s e t t 3 - 6 thought w e l l of h e r , and I 

hope he was r i g h t . Did you know i n c i d e n t a l l y of t h a t t r a g e d y - - ? 

For the dear B a s s e t t came down w i t h G e r a l d f o r our v e r y f i r s t 

veekend a t B r e w s t e r l a s t June, and d i e d i n h i s s l e e p - - I found him 

so when I went t o c a l l him i n t h e morning. As he would have 

wished i t - - f i v e m i l e s from h i s f a m i l y l o t i n the c h u r c h y a r d a t 

South D e n n i s , and a f t e r a S u r f e i t of L o b s t e r s , and a l i f e 

c o m p l e t e l y w i t h o u t i l l n e s s . A marvelous f e l l o w , and as one of 



438 

h i s t e a c h e r s wrote me, an i r r e p e r a b l e l o s s . I c a n ' t f a c e Boston 

or Cambridge or t h e Harvard C l u b w i t h o u t him: even B r e w s t e r now 

l o o k s a l i t t l e g r a y . A l a s . heave us a l i n e - -

our l o v e s 

Conrad 

p e r t r y room 
L of C 

Feb 2 52 

P S--1 t h o u g h t , b e l o v e d Male, t h a t you wou would want 

t o know of t h e d e a t h , which we l e a r n e d of y e s t e r d a y , of Mrs. 

Neeves—Tom's w i f e - - a t R y e . 1 7 I'm s u r e the o l d boy would l o v e i t 

i f you were t o drop him a l i n e or two. D e v o n s h i r e House, 

W i n c h e l s e a Road, Rye, i s the a d d r e s s . A p p a r e n t l y she hadn't been 

i l l l o n g , but w i t h some r a r e d i s e a s e , and l u c k i l y (so the 

n e i g h b o r who w r i t e s r e p o r t s ) p r e t t y much w i t h o u t p a i n . Poor o l d 

Tom—I wonder how h e ' l l make o u t . She l o o k e d a f t e r him w i t h her 

whole l i f e - - b u t t h e n , he d i d the same f o r h e r , a complete 

s y m b i o s i s , one of the most p e r f e c t . J e e s t . G i v e s one t o t h i n k . 

Rye, September 5, 1924, and I am g o i n g i n t o the s h i p t o c e l e b r a t e 

the b i r t h of my daughter J o a n , i n J e a k e ' s House, the house which 

had been bought f o u r months b e f o r e , what time the hawthorn was i n 

bloom, f o r t h a t v e r y purpose. And t h e r e , of c o u r s e , were o l d Tom 

and the m i s s u s , newly moved from the Y p r e s , on the s t e p s , where 

t h e y used t o r o l l t h e empty b a r r e l s up t h a t b l o o d y l i t t l e r a i l w a y 

t r a c k , remember? And t h e r e , o n l y a few b r i g h t seconds l a t e r , you 

and I were t o appear w i t h an eye out f o r sausage r o l l s . 



4 3 9 

w e l l w e l l w e l l and w e l l 

Conrad 

\ 



440 

E x p l a n a t o r y Notes 
1 A i k e n was a t t h i s time s t i l l h o l d i n g the C h a i r of P o e t r y 

a t the L i b r a r y of Congress which he'd r e c e i v e d i n 1950. 
2 The p l a y of A i k e n ' s s h o r t s t o r y , "Mr. A r c u l a r i s . " 
3 A i k e n ' s The Coming F o r t h By Day of O s i r i s J o n e s . 

* Burgess M e r e d i t h (1909- ), American a c t o r , d i r e c t o r , 
p r o d u c e r , and w r i t e r ; a c t e d i n Of Mice and Men (1939), That  
C e r t a i n F e e l i n g (1941), The Gay Adventure (1954), and Rocky 
(1976) amongst many o t h e r s . 

s Hume B l a k e Cronyn (1911- ), Canadian born a c t o r and 
d i r e c t o r who m a r r i e d the a c t r e s s J e s s i c a Tandy i n 1942; t o g e t h e r 
t h e y appeared i n the r a d i o s e r i e s "The M a r r i a g e " which was 
t e l e v i s e d i n 1954. 

8 J e s s i c a Tandy (1909- ), London-born a c t r e s s ; m a r r i e d t o 
Hume Cronyn ( n . 5 a b o v e ) . 

7 Oscar W i l l i a m s (1900-1964), American poet and e d i t o r ; 
a u t h o r of The Golden Darkness (1921), In Gossamer Grey (1921), 
The Man Coming Toward You (1940), and S e l e c t e d Poems (1947); 
e d i t o r of New Poems (1940). 

8 A i k e n was h i m s e l f a F e l l o w from 1947-54. 
9 See l e t t e r 82, n. 2, p. 432. Lowry was a d m i t t e d t o New 

York's B e l l e v u e H o s p i t a l i n June 1935 f o r t r e a t m e n t f o r 
a l c o h o l i s m ; h i s n o v e l l a Lunar C a u s t i c i s based upon t h i s 
e x p e r i e n c e . 

1 0 The 11th i s s u e of Wake, p u b l i s h e d i n 1952, was e n t i r e l y 
devoted t o Conrad A i k e n ; t h e r e , t o o , A i k e n c a l l s the i s s u e 
" s u i c i d a l " ("A Note" 1 ) . Lowry's c o n t r i b u t i o n (80-89) i s a 
l e t t e r t o Seymour Lawrence d a t e d 28 November 1951 i n which he 
d i s c u s s e s h i s r e l a t i o n s h i p w i t h A i k e n . 

a-1 An e x c e r p t from Ushant appears i n Wake 11: 3-9. 
1 2 Lowry a l s o appears as "Hambo" i n A i k e n ' s A Heart f o r the  

Gods of M e x i c o . 
1 3 A c c o r d i n g t o b o t h C l a r i s s a L o r e n z and John A i k e n , Lowry 

was d e e p l y h u r t by A i k e n ' s p o r t r a y a l of him i n Ushant, and the 
p u b l i c a t i o n of the book caused a l a s t i n g break between the two 
( L o r e l e i Two 219; "Malcolm Lowry: Some R e m i n i s c e n c e s " 39); the 
e v i d e n c e of t h e i r c o r r e s p o n d e n c e , however, would seem t o suggest 
o t h e r w i s e . 

x * J e s s i e (MacDonald) A r m s t r o n g , A i k e n ' s f i r s t w i f e and 
mother of t h e i r t h r e e c h i l d r e n ; she and M a r t i n D o n i s t h o r p e 



4 4 1 

Armstrong (1882-1974), B r i t i s h poet and n o v e l i s t , had m a r r i e d i n 
1930 a f t e r her d i v o r c e from A i k e n ; c f . l e t t e r 8, n. 8, p. 60. 

1 5 G e r a l d and B e t t y (Lane) Noxon were d i v o r c e d i n 1951; c f . 
l e t t e r 8, n. 15, p. 61. 

1 6 Gordon B a s s e t t ; see l e t t e r 42, n. 5, p. 257. 
1 7 Tom Neeves was the owner of the The S h i p Inn, Rye; c f . 

l e t t e r 4, p. 25. E n c l o s e d w i t h l e t t e r 84 i s Lowry's l e t t e r t o 
Tom Neeves. In h i s l e t t e r t o Seymour Lawrence i n Wake 11, Lowry 
t e l l s of Mrs. Neeves* fondness f o r A i k e n ( 8 6 ) . 

T e x t u a l Notes 

433.4-5 f r i e n d of Mary's\ f r i e n d of Mar<g>y*s 

433.11 never t i r e ? \ never tire<d>? 

433.21 a f t e r w h i c h , \ a f t e r { / } w h i c h , ( A i k e n has i n s e r t e d a 
s l a s h mark by hand t o i n d i c a t e a s e p a r a t i o n of the 
two words] 

433.23 i t i s , a l m o s t \ i t i s { / , } a l m o s t [ A i k e n has i n s e r t e d 
a s l a s h mark t o i n d i c a t e a s e p a r a t i o n ] 

434.9 i n t e r e s t i n g , \ i n t e r { e } s t i n g , 

434.10 the p l a y c o u [ l ] d \ the p l a y coukd [ t y p o . ] 

434.11 put t o t o \ p u t { / } t o t o [ A i k e n has i n s e r t e d a s l a s h 

mark t o i n d i c a t e a s e p a r a t i o n ] 

434.19 but he has\ but <who> {he} has 

434.22 next mon.th;\ next month<:>{;} 
435.6 a d d r e s s the r e c i p i e n t by\ a d d r e s s the r e c i p i e n t <as> 

by 
435.9 p r o p o s i n g , \ p < t > { r } o p o s i n g , 

435.16 what you w [ a ] n t \ what you wqnt [ t y p o . ] 

435.22-3 — n e x t time we\ — n e x t {time} we 

436.25 But a c t u a l l y , \ But a c t < u > { u a } l l y , 

436.26 not o n l y l i k e t h e book,\ not {only} t l i k e > the book, 

437.4 C h r i s t i a n , \ C h r i < i > s t i a n , 



a sad bad b u s i n e s s , \ a s<a>{a}d bad b u s i n e s s , 

our l o v e s \ [ h a n d w r i t t e n a t end of l e t t e r ] 

hawthorn\ ha wthorn [ t y p o . ] 

appear w i t h \ appear<,> w i t h 



443 

84: From LOWRY t o AIKEN 
MS H; MSPC UBC; u n p u b l i s h e d 

[ D o l l a r t o n ] 

V e r n a l Equinox. 
/ E a s t e r Monday. 
(21 March/ 31 March 
1952] 

Address i s now 
D o l l a r t o n a g a i n , & 
perhaps a l m o s t 
A s c e n s i o n day by now. 

My b e l o v e d o l d Conrad: 

Your o l d Hammbo1 a i n ' t been f e e l i n g w e l l , i n f a c t has been 

g o i n g t h r o u g h a h e l l of a passage, but i s back on deck, i n f a c t , 

come t o t h i n k of i t , never l e f t the deck: Margie i s f i n e , work 

goes w e l l , p u b l i s h i n g r e l a t i o n s not q u i t e so f i n e , vhat w i t h the 

o l d f i r m of R e y n a l & H i t c h c o c k s p l i t u p , 2 so t h a t one i s d i v i d e d 

i n one's l o y a l t i e s & l e g a l i t i e s - - a l l t h i s b e d s i d e r e a d i n g t o you. 

Poor o l d D o l l a r t o n was n e a r l y washed away i n a h u r r i c a n e : 

but our o l d s e l f - b u i l t second house s t i l l s t a n d s , t o the 'grave 

d e l i g h t ' of the few r e m a i n i n g f i s h e r m e n ; however we had t o seek 

r e f u g e h e r e 3 f i n a l l y & don't r e t u r n t i l l A p r i l F o o l ' s day, when 

the skunk cabbages w i l l be found s i n g i n g among the Love's l i e s 

b l e e d i n g & E v e n i n g s t a r , as you might s a y , not t o mention Death 

Camas & the c o n t o r t e d l o u s e w o r t . 

You were wrong t o say I had no way w i t h c a t s though, as I 

have a s o r t of f e e l i n g you once d i d on our passage from 

G i l b r a l t a r , * i n a f r i e n d l y f a s h i o n , or perhaps you were r i g h t , & 

I m e r e l y i n h e r i t e d your way: a t a l l e v e n t s our c a t t h a t we c o u l d 



not b r i n g w i t h us would not s t a y w i t h the f i s h e r m a n (though h i s 

f i r s t owner) w i t h whom we had l e f t him, & i n s t e a d has gone w i l d 

i n the bush & the f o r e s t , haunts our house, w i l l speak t o noone 

but o u r s e l v e s by p r o x y , & i s even t e r r o r i z i n g the n e i g h b o u r h o o d — 

perhaps he i s 1/4 l y n x - - s o t h a t not l i k i n g t o t h i n k of t h a t among 

o t h e r t h i n g s , we s h a l l be g l a d t o get back and b a i l him out of 

h i s rowan t r e e . 

Meantime I have c o n t r i v e d a l e t t e r t o poor o l d Tom Neeves,* 

r e m i n d i n g him of r a b b i t s & bacon & t h i n g s t h a t w i l l be f o r e v e r 

u n f o r g o t t e n , not f o r g e t t i n g t h e Dutch s h i p l i k e a h a y s t a c k , & 

which perhaps w i l l h e l p t o assuage h i s bereavement: how t r u l y 

compassionate & good of you t o t h i n k of t h i s , though i t i s of 

c o u r s e but what one would have e x p e c t e d of you. 

I c o n g r a t u l a t e you from the bottom of my h e a r t on g e t t i n g 

Ushant done under such c i r c u m s t a n c e s , i . e the L i b r a r y e t c , 6 am 

l o o k i n g f o r w a r d enormously t o r e a d i n g i t , c e r t a i n i t w i l l be 

g r e a t (& a l s o h o p i n g t h a t you w i l l have s p a r e d me some of my 

o b s c e n e s t f a i l i n g s t o use m y s e l f - - n o m a t t e r , I would p r o b a b l y 

p l a g i a r i s e them anyway e t c . ) I am v e r y proud t o be t h e r e though, 

b e l i e v e me, however f o u l . 

I hope you can r e a d my a r t i c l e i n Wake,7 i f i t a p p e a r s , 

w r i t t e n when the f o u n d a t i o n s were r i s i n g under us, w i t h o u t 

v o m i t i n g : a l l I wanted t o s a y r e a l l y was t h a t I c o n s i d e r e d you 

not o n l y one of the t e n or so g r e a t e s t w r i t e r s who ever l i v e d , 

but one of t h e g r e a t e s t sportsmen. So, i f I don't g e t i t o v e r , I 

am t e l l i n g you t h a t t h a t was what I wanted t o say. 

I send you a p i c t u r e of a c a t up a t e l e g r a p h p o l e . 8 



445 

I'm a p y n t o r & g i l d e r . I am, & by J e s u s nov I LIVE i n  

Vancouver 1 9 Or don't I ? (At l e a s t I d i d vhen I v r o t e the f i r s t 

d r a f t of t h i s ) Nevermind, ve v i l l a l l meet i n Nev Z e a l a n d . 

A l a s , t h a t b l o o d y l i t t l e moving machine. . . 1 Q 

But i n s p i t e of t h a t o l d s m a l l g r a s s be a s s u r e d of ray l o v e & 

u n d y i n g r e s p e c t from o u r s e l v e s t o y o u r s e l f & Mary from your ever 

devoted o l d f r i e n d - -

Hambo-hambone! 

P.S I am j u s t g r i e v e d , p e r i o d , about G e r a l d & B e t t y , 1 1 vho vere 

so damned good t o us, & such t r u l y good f r i e n d s , a l b e i t B e t t y d i d 

not l i k e me, she d i d her b e s t t o t r y , vas s v e l l t o us, & Margie 

l o v e d h e r ; I l o v e d them both i n my vay, & v h i l e I v i s h them e v e r y 

l u c k i n t h e i r apparent change of h e a r t , I c a n ' t h e l p v i s h i n g them 

t o g e t h e r a g a i n . My f e e l i n g i s t h e y v e r e & a r e both genuine 

a r t i s t s , g e n u i n e l y courageous, the b e s t of p e o p l e , but as f o r 

t h a t good o l d B e t t y she r e a d t o o much of t h a t good o l d Tchechov, 

& vhen you do t h a t on the s h o r e s of Lake O n t a r i o , or even of the 

Bass R i v e r , w i t h so many s e a g u l l s around, a n y t h i n g may happen 

. . . But I l o a t h e l i k e h e l l t o t h i n k what i t may have done t o 

poor o l d G e r a l d . F o r t u n a t e l y he has p l e n t y of g u t s . But what 

a r e g u t s , as P o n t i u s P i l a t e might have s a i d ? . . E s p e c i a l l y when 

you have t o use them as b o o t s t r a p s . 

P.P.S. L e t the a l m o s t i n g of A r c u l a r i s become, 1 2 i n New York, a 

p o s i t i v e i n g - - o r r a t h e r the o n l y k i n d of p o s i t i v e t h a t g i v e s 

r e l i e f t o man. (There i s a s w e l l s m a l l — & i n f a c t not so s m a l l 

- - b e g i n n i n g s of a t h e a t r e h e r e - - t h a t i s p a y i n g i t s way--No E x i t , 



The F l i e s , & the Ascent of F 6 1 3 (not to mention Much ado about 

Nothing), a l l p l a y i n g a t d i f f e r e n t t h e a t r e s , & to crowded houses, 

& a l s o some m a r v e l l o u s l y b i z a r r e d r a m a t i s t s , i n c l u d i n g perhaps 

even me; no w r i t e r s to hold a candle to y o u r s e l f or a n y t h i n g , or 

w i t h i n a m i l l i o n m i l e s , but a t l e a s t one (who i s p o e t i c i s i n g 

something of my own) p o t e n t i a l l y a h e l l of a l o t b e t t e r than 

C h r i s t o p h e r Fry, 2 -* which i s not s a y i n g much maybe; name of 

Newton, 1 9 & the son of a Holy r o l l e r , & not above r o l l i n g 

h i m s e l f , from time to t i m e — s o you might, though not f o r t h i s 

reason, bear our town i n mind with the f i n i s h e d A r c u l a r i s ? not 

f o r f r e e e i t h e r , f o r you might make some cash, & they would be 

honoured. T e c h n i c a l standard of p r o d u c t i o n i s extremely high, 

a c t i n g not so hot, or e r r a t i c , though there are some f i n e 

a c t r e s s e s : by & l a r g e though, there i s an e x t r a o r d i n a r y f e e l i n g 

f o r language. which would be good f o r Mr A . 1 6 As a l s o , 

enthusiasm.) 

P.P.S. Have j u s t r e c e i v e d the news, a f t e r many months of 

C a r l s e n i n g upon a f l y i n g e n t e r p r i s e with breaking tow-ropes (as a 

consequence of which I d i d n ' t want to post t h i s l e t t e r i n case i t 

depressed you) t h a t Random House & the Modern l i b r a r y people are 

t a k i n g me i n tow with a l a r g e advance & c o n t r a c t upon the w i n g . 1 7 

(of course one s t i l l keeps one's f i n g e r s c r o s s e d . In the army 

they c a l l i t c h e s t . 'What about a game of chequers?' 

'Sure, I don't m i n d . ' ) 1 8 

God b l e s s you. Male 

P.S. But a l a c k we have not found the c a t . 



4 4 7 

P . P.P . S . I e n c l o s e you c a r b o n of l e t t e r a i r m a i l e d to o l d Tom. I 

wrote i t t w i c e i n my own h a n d w r i t i n g : f i n a l l y d e c i d e d he c o u l d n ' t 

read i t , so typed i t , but was so moved c o u l d n ' t get the grammar 

s t r a i g h t even t h e n . 

E x c u s e , t h i s messy l e t t e r : i t was the b l o o d y pen, not t o mention 

the b l o o d y paper, combined perhaps w i t h a s l i g h t l y b l o o d y mind a t 

the t i m e . 



448 

[ L e t t e r to Tom Neeves enclosed v i t h l e t t e r ] 

D o l l a r t o n , 
B r i t i s h Columbia, 
Canada. 

Dear Mr. Neeves: 

Perhaps you don't remember me r i g h t o f f but you w i l l soon. 

I was a p u p i l of Mr. Aiken's who l i v e d f o r many years at Jeake's 

House on Mermaid S t r e e t i n Rye, and we used to come down at s i x 

o'clock every evening and sometimes about midday - and sometimes 

myself e a r l i e r s t i l l - and s i t i n the p a r l o u r of your good o l d 

Ship Inn and d r i n k the odd h a l f - q u a r t e r n of whiskey and chat, 

with your s e l f , and your beloved wife, and I want to say t h a t 

these were some of the happiest times of my l i f e ; and among the 

most t r e a s u r e d memories, I am sure, of Mr. Aiken, who had the 

added advantage of l i v i n g permanently i n Rye and so could 

p a t r o n i z e your never to be f o r g o t t e n h o s t e l r y more o f t e n than I 

c o u l d , are those of your good s e l v e s and of the Ship. In the 

evening he always f i n i s h e d the s e r i a l i n the D a i l y M i r r o r before 

he would d r i n k h i s second h a l f q u a r t e r n , whereas I always wanted 

to d r i n k ray second h a l f q u a r t e r n before he had got to the end of 

the second paragraph of the D a i l y M i r r o r s e r i a l : but that doesn't 

matter. Nor does i t , t h a t i t was more than twenty years ago. I t 

i s indeed 15 years s i n c e I have seen Mr. Aiken, because we have 

been separated by circumstances of wars and d i f f e r e n t c o u n t r i e s , 

but I have always looked upon him much as a f a t h e r , besides which 

he i s one of my best f r i e n d s , and so we have never l o s t touch. 

Well, those vere your f r i e n d s and Mrs. Neeves' f r i e n d s - you 



449 

remember Mr. A i k e n of c o u r s e , but t h a t was me t o o , s i t t i n g i n 

your p a r l o u r a t the S h i p Inn ( o r even s t a n d i n g i n the case of 

m y s e l f , s u p p o s i n g t h i s t o be p o s s i b l e , i n the o t h e r bar.) 

Mr. A i k e n was of c o u r s e an o l d and good f r i e n d of your w i f e 

and y o u r s e l f y e a r s b e f o r e I ever met him, he i s a t p r e s e n t the 

L i b r a r i a n of Congress i n the U n i t e d S t a t e s of A m e r i c a , and he has 

j u s t w r i t t e n t o me i n Canada, t e l l i n g me the g r i e v o u s news t h a t 

Mrs. Neeves, your dear w i f e , has d i e d , and what I wanted t o say -

i f I can s a y i t i n words - was something t o convey to you my v e r y 

deepest sympathy i n your i r r e p a r a b l e l o s s , a l o s s t h a t w i l l be 

s h a r e d by a l l I know who were happy enough to know Mrs. Neeves 

and y o u r s e l f . Mr. A i k e n ' s l e t t e r indeed goes back a l m o s t t h i r t y 

y e a r s , because he f o n d l y remembers t h a t i t was i n t o the S h i p t h a t 

he went upon September 5, 1924, t o c e l e b r a t e the b i r t h of h i s 

daughter J o a n , a t which time he t e l l s me ( f o r I was o n l y a boy of 

f i f t e e n a t t h a t t i m e ) t h a t you and Mrs. Neeves - and so v i v i d i s 

the memory he r e c a l l s even t h a t the hawthorn was i n bloom - had 

newly moved from the Y p r e s . 

For m y s e l f , I never can f o r g e t many of your w i f e ' s sweet 

a c t i o n s of k i n d n e s s t o us and o t h e r s : a p a r t from a n y t h i n g e l s e , I 

remember the incomparable r a b b i t and bacon, and the way she would 

prepare t h a t : and many o t h e r happy t h i n g s b e s i d e , of you b o t h , 

i n c l u d i n g the u n d e r s t a n d i n g t h i n g s she s a i d , and the f e e l i n g of 

b e i n g a t home t h a t one had a t the good o l d S h i p , when i n those 

days t h e r e might be a Dutch schooner you would d e s c r i b e as a 

" h a y s t a c k " l o a d i n g o u t s i d e i n the r i v e r , and the f e e l i n g of 

h a p p i n e s s and goodness t o o t h a t was i m p a r t e d from your l i v e s t o 



450 

t h i s t h e n young w r i t e r . 

Mr. A i k e n v a l u e d both your f r i e n d s h i p s enormously: e q u a l l y , 

m y s e l f : and as he mourns f o r you, so do I attempt t o commiserate 

w i t h you i n your g r e a t bereavement, though f o r m y s e l f I cannot 

b e l i e v e i t t o be a f i n a l l o s s , f o r s u r e l y you w i l l be r e u n i t e d 

a g a i n - and o u r s e l v e s , may i t be hoped t o o , a l l of us, i n a n o t h e r 

" S h i p . " 

God b l e s s you Mr. Neeves, good l u c k & g r e e t i n g s f o r E a s t e r 

S i n c e r e l y your o l d f r i e n d & happy customer 

Malcolm Lowry 



451 

E x p l a n a t o r y Notes 
1 The name of the c h a r a c t e r based on L o v r y i n A i k e n ' s A 

Heart f o r the Gods of Mexico and Ushant. 
2 W h i l e Eugene Reynal had l e f t the f i r m of R e y n a l & 

H i t c h c o c k f o r H a r c o u r t , B r a c e , t a k i n g the L o v r y a c c o u n t v i t h him, 
L o v r y ' s o l d e d i t o r a t R e y n a l & H i t c h c o c k , A l b e r t E r s k i n e , had 
moved t o Random House. L o v r y ' s " l o y a l t i e s " v e r e d i v i d e d because 
h i s agent had s e n t h i s r e c e n t vork t o R o b e r t G i r o u x a t H a r c o u r t , 
B r a c e , v h i l e L o v r y vanted t o keep E r s k i n e as h i s e d i t o r (Day 
427). 

3 The L o v r y s had r e n t e d an apartment i n Vancouver f o r t h e 
v i n t e r (see my f i r s t t e x t u a l n o t e , p. 452); h o v e v e r , by the t i m e 
of m a i l i n g t h i s l e t t e r , t h e y had r e t u r n e d t o D o l l a r t o n . 

4 On t h e i r vay t o S p a i n i n the summer o f 1933, and on t h e i r 
r e t u r n , the A i k e n s and L o v r y had s t o p p e d i n G i l b r a l t a r ( L o r e n z 
149, 158); c f . a l s o l e t t e r 29, n. 4, p. 198. 

8 Tom Neeves, t h e ovner o f t h e S h i p I n n , Rye; c f . l e t t e r 83, 
p. 438. L o v r y ' s l e t t e r t o Tom Neeves I s i n c l u d e d v i t h t h i s 
l e t t e r . 

9 i . e . , The L i b r a r y of Congress where A i k e n vas v o r k i n g from 
1950-52. 

y "A L e t t e r , " Wake 11 (1952): 80-89. 

• See L o v r y ' s l e t t e r i n Wake i n v h i c h he t e l l s of A i k e n 
r e s c u i n g a c a t from a t e l e g r a p h p o l e ( 8 5 - 8 6 ) , and B l u e Voyage 
( 1 4 7 ) . 

• See B l u e Voyage: "'A p y n t e r an' g i l d e r , I am, an' I've 
been t o Vancouver'" ( 3 6 ) . 

1 0 C f . B l u e Vovaoe (4, 36, 6 7 ) , and Under t h e V o l c a n o (67, 
173). 

1 X G e r a l d and B e t t y Noxon had d i v o r c e d i n 1951; see l e t t e r 
83, p. 437, and l e t t e r 8, n. 15, p. 61. 

1 2 The s t a g e v e r s i o n of A i k e n ' s s t o r y "Mr. A r c u l a r i s . " 

i * "The A s c e n t of P6": p l a y by W.H. Auden and C h r i s t o p h e r 
I s h e r v o o d f i r s t p u b l i s h e d as The A s c e n t of F6: A Tragedy i n Tvo 
A c t s (London: F a b e r , 1936; Nev York: Random House, 1937). 

1 4 C h r i s t o p h e r F r y (1907- ), B r i t i s h p l a y v r i g h t , a c t o r , and 
d i r e c t o r ; a u t h o r o f The Bov v i t h a C a r t ( 1 9 3 8 ) , A PhvQnlx, Tog-
F r e q u e n t ( 1 9 4 6 ) , The Dark i s L i g h t Enough (1954) ( a l l p l a y s ) ; 
v r i t e r o f the s c r e e n p l a y s f o r The Beggar's Opera (1952) and Ben  
Hur ( 1 9 5 9 ) ; a v a r d e d the Queen's G o l d Medal f o r P o e t r y i n 1962. 



452 
1 5 Norman Newton (1929- ), Canadian w r i t e r , a c t o r , and 

composer whom Lowry met i n 1949. In the e a r l y 1950's, he and 
Lowry worked t o g e t h e r on a s t a g e v e r s i o n of N o r d a h l G r i e g ' s The  
S h i p S a i l s On which was never completed. Cf. Newton's l e t t e r t o 
Lowry i n the U.B.C. L i b r a r y [1-52] and l e t t e r 18, n. 20, p. 112. 
Newton's memoir of Lowry appears i n S h e r y l S a l l o u m ' s Malcolm  
Lowrv: Vancouver Days (84-91). 

1 6 i . e . , " A r c u l a r i s " 
X 7 In A p r i l 1952 Random House o f f e r e d Lowry a c o n t r a c t which 

c a l l e d f o r two n o v e l s and a book of s h o r t s t o r i e s w i t h i n the next 
two-and-a-half y e a r s . Lowry was unable t o f u l f i l l the c o n t r a c t , 
and i n J a n u a r y 1954 Random House c u t him o f f . 

1 8 Cf. B l u e Vovaae ( 9 3 - 4 ) . 

T e x t u a l Notes 

Address [ d e l e t e d a t t o p of l e t t e r : 
<Apt 33. 

1075 G i l f o r d s t r e e t 
Vancouver 

B r i t i s h Columbia.>] 

443.12 v i l l be found s i n g i n g \ w i l l be {found} s i n g i n g 

443.15-17 c a t s though, [. . .] or perhaps\ c a t s though, {as I 
have a s o r t of f e e l i n g you once d i d on our passage 
from G i b r a l t a r , i n a f r i e n d l y f a s h i o n , } or perhaps 

444.8 c o n t r i v e d a l e t t e r to poor\ c o n t r i v e d {a l e t t e r } to 
poor 

444.9 of r a b b i t s & bacon\ of < t h > { r } a b b i t s & bacon 

444.14 I c o n g r a t u l a t e you [. . .] g e t t i n g \ I c o n g r a t u l a t e 
{you from the bottom of my h e a r t } on g e t t i n g 

444.15 c i r c u m s t a n c e s , i . e the L i b r a r y e t c , \ c i r c u m s t a n c e s , 
<am l o o k i n g > i . e the < l > { L } i b r a r y e t c , 

444.19 p l a g i a r i s e them anyway\ p l a g i a r i s e <it> {them} 
anyway 

444.19 t o be t h e r e though,\ t o be t h e r e <,> though, 

444.22-3 w i t h o u t v o m i t i n g : \ w i t h o u t <vomiting> { v o m i t i n g } : 

444.23 t o s a y r e a l l y was\ t o s a y { r e a l l y } was 

445.14 t h e y were & a r e \ t h e y {were &} a r e 



t h a t good o l d B e t t y \ t h a t {good} o l d B e t t y 

F o r t u n a t e l y \ ["P.T.O" i s w r i t t e n beneath t h i s at 
bottom of t h i r d page] 

a s w e l l s m a l l [. . .] b e g i n n i n g s \ a s w e l l {small--& 
i n f a c t not so small--}beginnings 

F6 [. . . ], a l l p l a y i n g \ F6 {(not to mention Much 
ado about Nothing)}, a l l p l a y i n g 

--so you might, (. . .] bear\ --so you might, 
{though not f o r t h i s reason,} bear 

Modern l i b r a r y people a r e \ Modern l i b r a r y {people} 
are 

one s t i l l keeps\ one { s t i l l } keeps 

P.P .P.S. I enclose [. . . .] even then.\ [ w r i t t e n 
i n top l e f t - h a n d corner of f i r s t page] 

Excuse t h i s [. . .] at the time.\ [ w r i t t e n i n l e f t -
hand margin of f i r s t page] 

[ l e t t e r from.Lowry to Tom Neeves; TS H; TSPC UBC] 

hawthorn\ hawthorn<e> 

God b l e s s [. . .] customer.\ [handwritten by Lowry 
a t end of l e t t e r ] 



454 

85: From LOWRY t o AIKEN 
TS H; u n p u b l i s h e d 

D o l l a r t o n , B.C., 
Canada, 

Sept. 14, 1952. 

Dear o l d Conrad: 

Ushant i s a knock-out - ow, how i t h u r t s ! 1 A g r e a t book, i n 

many ways, t e c h n i c a l l y , a m a r v e l , i n p l a i n words' a masterwork. 

That much I can g l e a n though n a t u r a l l y so f a r I've tended t o r e a d 

i t a b i t i n the manner of the wind t u r n i n g the pages of the book 

i n the garden, save t h a t the wind, f o r a l l the s k i r t s i t has 

blown up, i s perhaps not r e a d i n g the book l i k e me w i t h the o b j e c t 

of f i n d i n g i t s own pants t a k e n down on the next page. T h i s p l u s 

p r e s s u r e of one's own work and the u s u a l e l e m e n t a l d i f f i c u l t i e s 

of k e e p i n g a l i v e i n the w i l d e r n e s s have made i t hard t o form a 

d i s p a s s i o n a t e judgement as y e t . In o t h e r words I a i n ' t r e a l l y had 

t i m e , and when I make t i m e , I don't r e a d i t d i s p a s s i o n a t e l y . 

Meantime t h e r e a r e wonders of p r o s e , profound p e r c e p t i o n s and 

a p p e r c e p t i o n s and c o m p l e x i t i e s e x p r e s s e d i n m i r a c u l o u s l i m p i d i t y . 

The form i s a t r i u m p h , and the end, as hot m u s i c i a n s say, i s out 

of t h i s w o r l d . No c r i t i c i s m s (though I might - and c e r t a i n l y 

w i t h i t more e n l i g h t e n e d p r a i s e - have some l a t e r ) save t h a t now 

and then I f e l t a s l i g h t f a i l u r e of t o n e , e.g., round about the 

s e c t i o n of u n c l e s ' a s h e s . 2 And he, though i t would c e r t a i n l y 

have g i v e n him "an unaccustomed wetness i n the t r o u s e r s , " 3 might, 

have c o m p l a i n e d , as once b e f o r e , of an o c c a s i o n a l u n n e c e s s a r y 

c o a r s e n e s s . What the h e l l . But I thought you u n f a i r t o B.V.4 a t 



455 

one point. In those days, young fellow, dealing with those 

complicated issues of prose, you were content sometimes not to 

'write', but to 'decorate the page*, as Tchechov somewhere 

advises (Sounds l i k e bad advice too, but you get what I mean--if 

anything; as a matter of fact I simply wanted to reassert my 

p r i s t i n e l o y a l t y to B.V, but became involved in a tangential & 

largely unfounded speculation I couldn't develop without getting 

into a fine muddle) one to do. Perhaps you have forgotten the 

technical problems that seem solved at every moment in that book, 

on every page, in every word, and by the placing of the words. 

A l l maybe l a r g e l y unconscious,[--]Jeez Conrad I don't mean that 

though I mean the rest(--]but I've never read a book that 

appealed to so many senses at once as that, including some not in 

the roster. Ushant possesses a similar genius in the art of 

communications; never too much fed into the channel, though 

you've involved yourself with a l l the temptations of complete 

freedom. But I'm not writing an appraisal of Ushant here so much 

- there are tremendous things almost wherever you open i t - as a 

note to set your mind at rest about Hamrabo,9 in case you were 

worrying, l e s t I be hurt. H'm. Our sweating s e l f , but better. 

And considerably more i n t e l l i g e n t . S t i l l : 

What a f e a r f u l account he. w i l l have to give 
of himself at the judgement day! 
OW, HOW IT HURTS! 

the reference being to the s i n i s t e r i n s c r i p t i o n upon the glass 

case containing a bepoxed Liverpudlian waxwork in the old Museum 

of Anatomy in Paradise outside which i t also said: Man know 

t h y s e l f ! 6 



T h i s , t o make y o u l a u g h . S e r i o u s l y , s o f a r a s I'm 

c o n c e r n e d , i t seems t o me y o u ' v e been v e r y s p o r t i n g and 

c h a r i t a b l e t h o u g h n a t u r a l l y one w i s h e s one had a c q u i t t e d o n e s e l f 

d i f f e r e n t l y i n r e a l l i f e . A l s o i t i s a b i t h i j e o u s ( a s o u r o l d 

c o o k u s e d t o s a y ) f r o m t h e e x i s t e n t i a l p o i n t o f v i e w , t o t h i n k 

t h a t a t t h o s e few moments one a c t u a l l y d i d i m a g i n e one was b e i n g 

t r u l y h e l p f u l - however i n t o l e r a b l e - o r s h a r i n g i n some m u t u a l l y 

s a c r e d o r s e c r e t - - d o n 1 t t a k e t h i s t o o s e r i o u s l y , o l d man, my 

h y p o c r i s y i s e x p o s e d o v e r l e a f [ - - I d r a r a a t h a t one was i n f a c t (one 

f o r g e t s o n l y i n p a r t , i t i s t r u e ) b e i n g e y e d ( a s S t r i n d b e r g m i g h t 

s a y ) a s a r a b b i t f o r v i v i s e c t i o n . And w o r s e s t i l l , e y e i n g o n e ' s 

f e l l o w C o n r a d , f o r I'm j u s t a s b a d , no d o u b t , i n f a c t w o r s e . And 

v h e n I t h i n k what g o b b e t s o f Hammbo y o u m i g h t h a v e c h o s e n f o r 

d i s p l a y I c a n o n l y a f f i r m t h a t i n t h e m a t t e r o f f o r b e a r a n c e C l i v e 

o f I n d i a has n o t h i n g on you." 7 And o f c o u r s e one i s a l s o h o n o r e d . 

Hope i t i s a l l U s h a n t i h w i t h t h e T s e - T s e . e — A n d I hope the r e a l 

Hammbo may p r o v e a c r e d i t : t h e v o r k - a n d God how much o f i t 

t h e r e i s - i s g o i n g w e l l . And s o i s o u r l i f e . A n o t h e r book 

s h o u l d be f i n i s h e d s o o n , 9 and t h e r e a r e t h o u s a n d s o f p a g e s o f 

d r a f t s o f f u t u r e ones ( i n t h e v a u l t o f a b a n k , t h i s t i m e ) . 3 - 0 

We've had a p r e t t y r o u g h t o u g h t i m e t h e l a s t y e a r s , v h a t w i t h 

most o f o u r a s s e t s f r o z e n i n Europe. 3 - 3 - And on o c c a s i o n , t h e 

t y p e w r i t e r f r o z e n t o o . B u t b a s t a ! 3 - 2 C o n g r a t u l a t i o n s u p o n , and 

t h e b e s t o f l u c k w i t h U s h a n t . W i t h d e v o t i o n and a l l t h e v e r y 

b e s t l o v e t o M a r y and y o u r s e l f f r o m us b o t h - i n f a c t f r o m a l l 9 

o f u s , Mr. a n d M r s . B l a c k s t o n e , 3 - 3 Mr. a n d M r s . Hammbo, Mr. and 

M r s . L o w r y , n o t f o r g e t n o t f o r g e t t i n g Mr. a n d M r s . D e m a r e s t , 1 4 



and from the old Male himself. 

As ever 

Male 

P.S. I was delighted and moved to get a reply from old Tom 

(after you'd put the deeply good suggestion in my head he'd 

glad to get a l e t t e r after the misses' death) 

T.W. Neeves 52 New Winchelsea 

Dear Mr. Lowry very pleased to hear 

from you we hear from Mr. Aiken at times 

and from Mr. Rice and Mrs. R i c e 1 6 they stade 

we with us two year age we hear from them 

at Times now the Old Ship was good place! -

to l i v e we Left t h e i r 17 years age l a s t 

March Mr. Aiken was shocking[--]he wrote speaking of course 

only looked l i k e shocking[--]to us of you 

He was a nice kind of gentleman -

I myself have just come out Hospital 

had bad operation came home 4 weeks ago 

F e l l i n g better now, Blader Troble now 

for about 6 Monnths I had a bad times Doctor 

t e l l me your man 80 year to be a l i v e 

hope for l i t t l e better time coming 

f e e l more l i k e old time on way 

wis hing best very Pleased to hear from you 



458 

S i n c e r e l y Your Old Thomas Neeves Cheero! 



459 

Explanatory Notes 
1 Lowry's copy of Ushant in the U.B.C. Library bears the 

following i n s c r i p t i o n by Aiken: 

For our beloved 
Malc-Hambo-Blackstone 
with a l l devotion 

from Conrad 
August 23—1952 

2 See Ushant (283-87); see l e t t e r 55, p. 297, from Aiken in 
vhich he t e l l s the story of his Uncle Alfred's ashes upon which 
the episode in Ushant is based. 

3 Cf. l e t t e r 70, p. 368, from Lowry. 

* Blue Voyage. 
s The character based upon Lowry in Ushant; Lowry has 

inserted an extra "m" into the name throughout this l e t t e r . 
6 Cf. Day's Malcolm Lowry: A Biography in which he t e l l s of 

the five-year-old Lowry being taken to the "Syphilis Museum in 
Paradise Street" by his brother Stuart (67), and Michael Mercer's 
Goodnight Disgrace ( 52-55). In Ultramar ine Lowry writes of a 
similar v i s i t to a Syphilis Museum: " . . . what a f e a r f u l account 
he w i l l have to give of himself at the JUDGEMENT day . . . " 
(148). Aiken mentions a "Paradise Street" in Ushant (43), but 
gives no account of the v i s i t to the museum. 

7 Cf. George Alfred Henty's With Clive in India, or the  
Beginnings of an Empire (London: Blackie, 1884); these tales of 
B r i t i s h adventurers in India were read in the B r i t i s h school 
system for generations. 

s "Tsetse": the character in Ushant based upon T.S. E l i o t . 
"Ushantih": c f . l e t t e r 13, n. 4, p. 76. 

9 Hear Us 0 Lord From Heaven Thy Dwelling Place. 
1 0 Probably Dark as the Grave Wherein My Friend is Laid; c f . 

Day (431). 
1 1 After the death of his mother, Evelyn (Boden) Lowry, on 6 

December 1950, Lowry had begun to receive sporadic payments from 
the family estate. 

1 2 "basta": Spanish, "enough." 
1 3 "Blackstone": Lowry is r e f e r r i n g to the myth of William 

Blackstone, the man who l i v e d amongst the Indians in the American 
wilderness, which was of special significance to Aiken and which 
forms the subject of his long poem The Kid. The myth of William 



460 

Blackstone is also frequently mentioned in Under the Volcano. 
Cf. also Aiken's i n s c r i p t i o n in Ushant in n. 1 above. 

1 4 "Demarest": the protagonist of Blue Voyage. 
1 B Tom Neeves: see l e t t e r 83, p. 438, from Aiken, and 

Lowry's l e t t e r to Neeves enclosed with l e t t e r 84, p. 448. 
x e Possibly the American writer Jennings Rice (1900- ) and 

his wife Maria Gandia who were friends of Aiken and Edward Burra 
and who eventually s e t t l e d in Florence. 

Textual Notes 

454.19 And he, though\ And he{,} though 

454.20 "an unaccustomed wetness in the trousers,"\ {"}an 
unaccustomed wetness in the trousers,{"} 

454.21 complained, as once before,\ complained{,} as once 
before{,} 

455.2-3 to 'write',\ to {'}write{'}, 

455.3 "decorate the page',\ { ' }decorate' the page{'}, 

455.4-8 advises (Sounds l i k e [. . .] muddle) one to do.\ 
advises {(Sounds l i k e bad advice too, but you get 
what I mean--if anything; as a matter {{of fact}} I 
simply wanted [. . .] muddle)} one to do. [this 
insertion is handwritten in the left-hand margin] 

455.11-12 unconscious,[--]Jeez Conrad I don't mean that though 
I mean the r e s t [ - - ] \ unconscious,{[--]Jeez Conrad I 
don't mean that though I mean the rest[--]} [this 
insertion is handwritten in the right-hand margin] 

455.19 Hammbo,\ Ham{m}bo, 

455.27-28 Man know thyself !\ Man know t h y s e l f U } 

456.5 used to say) from\ used to say) <to think that 
those> from [this deletion is made on the 
typewr i t e r ] 

456 . 8-9 sacred or secret—don' t take this [ .. . .] overleaf 
[--]drama\ sacred or secret{--don't take this too 
seriously, old man, my hypocrisy is exposed 
over leaf[--]{drama [this insertion is handwritten 
at the bottom of the page] 

456.13 Hammbo\ Ham{m}bo 



461 

the real Hammbo\ the r e a l Ham{m}bo 

rough tough time\ rough <thou> tough time (this 
deletion is made on the typewriter] 

Mr. and Mrs. Hammbo,\ Mr. and Mrs. Ham{m}bo, 

Lowry, not forget not forgetting Mr. and Mrs. 
Demarest,\ Lowry, <and> {not forget not forgetting} 
Mr. and Mrs. <[illeg.]> {Demarest}, 

As ever\ [handwritten before signature] 

Mr. Aiken was shocking[--]he wrote [. . .] 
shocking[--]to us\ Mr. Aiken was shocking{[--]he 
wrote speaking of course, i t only looked l i k e 
shocking[--]}to us [handwritten in right-hand 
margin] 



462 

86: From LOWRY to AIKEN 
TS H; unpublished 

D o l l a r t o n , B.C., 
Canada, 

J u l y 16, 1954. 
*(See below) 

My beloved o l d Conrad: 

A l l tpo hard the l e t t e r i t would seem I should w r i t e , 

e s p e c i a l l y as to the q u e s t i o n - the q u e s t i o n a l s o r a i s e d by you 

p. 329 - 330 i n and of Ushant (and t h e r e i n , by you, t r i u m p h a n t l y 

solved!) as to where, i n God's name, to begin, or "step on;" 1 --

e s p e c i a l l y now, a f t e r f a r too long a s i l e n c e , a s i l e n c e f o r which 

I have f e l t i n c r e a s i n g l y of l a t e to blame, and t h i s f o r having 

l e f t you with the ungenerous and n i g g l i n g impression - and what 

was worse, about the only impression - that I was "hurt", more 

even than a n y t h i n g e l s e , more even than honoured, by Ushant 

i t s e l f : a l l t h i s i s so f a r from being the case as to be almost 

funny, or would be, save t h a t , by l e a v i n g you t h a t impression -

i f indeed I d i d - and v e n t u r i n g nothing more a r t i c u l a t e l a t e r , I 

f e e l I may have i n a d v e r t e n t l y wounded you by my apparent 

i n g r a t i t u d e , or angered and d i s a p p o i n t e d you by my bloody 

*I had l e f t t h i s l e t t e r to gather a l i t t l e dust before sending 
i t , f e e l i n g i t s t i l l unworthy: purposing then to send i t i n time 
f o r your b i r t h d a y 2 (of which, o l d man, very many happy r e t u r n s ) : 
then, coming a c r o s s some of your o l d l e t t e r s , a l l of them so 
k i n d , so understanding, & so generous to another (even i n the 
midst of your own t r o u b l e s ) I f e l t deeply ashamed & that I could 
not leave you longer without a l i n e . 



463 

imperceptiveness, not to say s t u p i d i t y : not to say meanness; you 

could r i g h t l y have thought me g u i l t y of an i n j u s t i c e too, for the 

book is a great one, and I should have said so - would have said 

so in extensive d e t a i l but for certain " a u x i l i a r y circumstances" 

that were responsible for my not being able to give i t my f u l l 

objective attention t i l l recently. There turns out to be another 

reason for this too which I hope I ' l l convey as I go along, since 

i t is a splendidly Ushantesque one.--Meantime, and for the rest, 

I feel that I'm largely not g u i l t y of anything save that sort of 

narcissism - and I submit that i f narcissism i t is at least of 

the most unselfish kind, in intention, i f not in e f f e c t - that 

keeps one from writing at a l l rather than say anything not 

masterly about a masterpiece. - - W e 11, I've conquered this 

i n h i b i t i n g f a c t o r , - - t h i s l e t t e r must s t i l l be largely 

i n a r t i c u l a t e , and s t i l l say l i t t l e that I want to say, but yet is 

going to go, as better than none. I note that i t seems I haven't 

taken into account that your silence might likewise have been 

occasioned by "certain a u x i l i a r y circumstances": I hope in that 

case not as painful as mine which range a l l the way from false 

angina and dog bite on Margie's side to myself getting caught in 

a trap (the trap: a half uprooted root[--]symbolical perhaps?) 

set by boys playing cowboys and Indians of a l l things!:--and 

smashing my right leg and ankle and likewise d i s l o c a t i n g the 

l a t t e r - this over a year ago, largely spent in a cast, and I've 

only been able to walk properly again the last month. (What! 

dead silence in the s t a l l s , you are supposed to laugh; and indeed 

the whole thing was incredibly funny in one way, looking back on 



464 

i t , s i n c e Margie was b i t t e n by the dog on the way to phone the 

ambulance f o r me, so t h a t we both a r r i v e d i n h o s p i t a l together, 

where a good time was had by a l l . ) The worst has been the s l o w l y 

t i g h t e n i n g net - or noose - of e v i c t i o n around us as B r i t i s h 

Columbia's i n d u s t r i a l boom (perhaps one should say d e r r i c k , 

f u r t h e r to complicate the image) has lowered upon the L o w e r i e s . 3 

With the o i l - r e f i n e r i e s d a i l y g a i n i n g ground down the banks of 

the i n l e t - at the base of the b i g g e s t one a huge i l l u m i n a t e d 

c e r i s e HELL appears n i g h t l y - they having, i n the i n t e r e s t s of 

t r u t h , no doubt, omitted a p h a e r e t i c a l l y the p r e f a t o r y S* - on the 

mountainside where the aspens a l l , a l l - or n e a r l y a l l - are 

f a l l e n , and the simultaneous p o l u t i o n to a great extent, i t o f t e n 

seems, of e v e r y t h i n g , a i r , sky, water, people. Our o a s i s s t i l l 

stands, we s t i l l even add to i t , our w e l l g i v e s f o r t h pure 

mountain water s t i l l , the sea between o i l - s l i c k s i s s t i l l 

marvellous to swim i n , out of the window, of from a p i e r , near 

which l i e s our boat,--the mountains are t h e r e , so i s the dogwood 

b u r s t i n g i n t o bloom ten years a f t e r i t was burned with our f i r s t 

house, and another shack we a c q u i r e d i n a d d i t i o n to the one we 

r e b u i l t with our own hands,[--]though i n them days ones own hands 

r e a l l y were one's own hands--of the B e t t e r L i f e as represented by 

the "Shoulder Parade" e t c , 3 as a kind of prepioneer- we remain 

s l i g h t l y s c e p t i c a l , or perhaps f e e l a b i t wryly j e a l o u s . [ - - ] 

i n h a b i t e d by a mink and f a m i l y who use o l d d r a f t s of the Volcano 

as a t o i l e t , and the view a t night with the two towering burning 

o i l wastes - which from time to time emit i n c o n c e r t a s i n g l e 

great subterranean growling b e l c h , so that one has become almost 



465 

fond of them - spouting 500 feet into the sky - " r e a l l y beautiful 

creatures, Male," I can almost hear you saying - with the other 

r e f i n e r y noises of a thousand Jew's harps is something to see and 

hear and smell, by Crikey, i f i t is not: but a truce to this 

drooling about the mountain scenery: the point was - but I 

imagine you done got i t already. To abandon the place, the house 

in i t s p e r i l seemed, seems, traitorous but to stay simply 

i n v i t i n g madness: how both to abandon i t without treason and 

remain without going cuckoo but at the same time go - and by the 

way where? - whole yet leaving the door open to come back, and 

supposing there not to be a door, how to keep one in the heart -

how to do a l l this with a sense of adventure while staying, so to 

say, where you are, or one was, advancing with d i g n i f i e d gait 

toward some extramundane yet (with a motion as natural as a" 

transhumance) eminently p r a c t i c a l haven elsewhere that though 

several thousand miles away s t i l l in a mysterious way was the 

same place, though as yet unknown - j'y suis, me v o i c i , je reste 

l a , me v o i l a ! 6 - how to do a l l t h i s sort of thing with no money 

yet having at the same time more than enough - a l l this has been 

of the essence of the problem: in b r i e f , brother, had I not 

suddenly found myself taking good old Ushant from i t s hiding 

place again - between Shakespeare and Brownstone Eclogues but 

s t i l l a kind of hiding place,--I don't know what I would have 

done. A l l t h i s , which has been b r u t a l l y aggravated for the l a s t 

years by the fact that I've been trying to write about this very 

thing - I mean s p e c i f i c a l l y here, the l i f e , the wonderful 

wonderful l i f e , the approaching e v i c t i o n , the horrible horrible 



e v i c t i o n 7 - not f i d d l i n g w h i l e Rome b u r n s , more l i k e making a 

t a p e r e c o r d i n g of one's own e x e c u t i o n - was somewhat t o o 

d r a m a t i c a l l y borne i n upon me the o t h e r n i g h t vhen I found m y s e l f 

w h i l e svimming b e i n g s v e p t t v o m i l e s dovnstream and out of c o u r s e 

by a f i f t e e n f o o t r i p t i d e ( t o combat such has been, of l a t e , a 

c h i e f amusement) t o be d e p o s i t e d upon a f a r s h o r e , l i k e B y r o n , 

v i t h t h e p a l s y (but v i t h o u t h a v i n g swum the H e l l e s p o n t e ) i n the 

p i t c h dark on t h e edge of the w i l d e r n e s s v h e r e , upon e s p y i n g a 

f r i e n d l y , as I t h o u g h t , f i s h e r m a n ( a l s o , as i t t u r n e d o u t , a 

b e n e v o l e n t c h a r a c t e r of mine, though he d i d n ' t knov t h a t ) and 

h a v i n g a s k e d s h i v e r i n g l y f o r the l o a n of a l a n t e r n t o f i n d my vay 

home and a t o v e l , not t o s a y some varmth from somevhere t o s t a y 

t h i s l i t t l e p o t t e r ' s t r e m b l i n g hand,* i n s t e a d o f o f f e r i n g any 

s u c h t h i n g , some dark H a m b o g t r o t t e r y * s u s p e c t i n g , he smote me 

v i c k e d l y upon the s n o o t . . . There's H a t t y Bumpo x o f o r you -

b r i n g s you up v i t h a bump. He a l s o hacked me v i c i o u s l y on t h e 

s h i n s . H i s name vas C l a r e n c e , and I t h i n k I'm b u r i e d under a 

l i l a c t r e e , t h e vay I've f e l t s i n c e . x x He vas an ex-sea cook 

t o o : I f o r g o t t o s a y my f i r s t name vas C l a r e n c e . . . x a But a 

t r u c e t o t h i s . 

What I'm t r y i n g t o s a y i s t h a t (though I admit t h a t t h e 

p r e v i o u s p a r a g r a p h doesn't seem any t o o l o g i c a l l y t o l e a d up t o 

i t ) i t has been a c a s e , both v i t h i n and v i t h o u t , v i t h t h e vork 

and v i t h one's l i f e , of b e i n g a l m o s t c o m p l e t e l y l o s t i n the d a r k , 

i n v o l v e d v i t h a s u f f e r i n g I f e l t t o be u n i q u e , and v i t h v h i c h I 

d i d n ' t knov v h a t t o do: l o s t , and t h e n s u d d e n l y , as i f round a 

p o i n t i n c h a o s , and a t p r e c i s e l y t h e c r i t i c a l moment, s u d d e n l y t o 



observe the b e n e f i c l e n t l i g h t of Ushant i t s e l f , no l e s s , your 

Ushant, s w i n g i n g i t s t r a n s f l u e n t crossbeams ahead, t o g u i d e me. 

(And t h e r e i n - i n the book t h i s t i m e , I mean, and don't t r y t o 

unmix t h e s e metaphors - not t o be socked on the s n o o t , not t o 

r e c e i v e a s t o n e , but an Egg, i n f a c t perhaps the Cosmic Egg 

i t s e l f , but w i t h o u t the bad s m e l l I a t t r i b u t e t o t h i s c e l e s t i a l 

f r u i t i n the V o l c a n o . ) . . 1 3 

What i t comes down t o anyway, i t has e n a b l e d me t o make a 

s e r i e s of v i s e and s w i f t d e c i s i o n s t h a t v o u l d have been 

o t h e r w i s e , I t h i n k , n e a r l y i m p o s s i b l e f o r me. Among t h e most 

i m p o r t a n t of these i s t h a t e n a b l e s me t o say now t h a t we a r e 

r e t r e a t i n g , but - l i k e t h e r e g i m e n t who b u r i e d the b o d i e s a f t e r 

C u s t e r ' s L a s t S t a n d , - i n good o r d e r : r e t r e a t i n g but - t h e 

f i n a n c i a l problem a l s o h a v i n g been s o l v e d q u i t e t r i u m p h a n t l y -

l i k e w i s e a d v a n c i n g : - ( j u s t t o keep t h e Ushantesque r e c o r d s 

s t r a i g h t , I s h o u l d have mentioned t h a t t h e o t h e r p e r s o n I have t 

c o n s i d e r i n our l i t t l e saga of w i t h d r a w a l and r e t u r n , 1 ' * namely 

M a r g e r i e , i s descended on one s i d e of t h e f a m i l y from t h e C r a f t s 

and on the o t h e r from the W i n t h r o p s - her g r e a t - g r e a t - I don't 

know how many g r e a t g r a n d f a t h e r s — o n her mother's s i d e b e i n g t h e 

founder of Roxbury, Mass, no l e s s , and a n o t h e r one the P r i s c l l l a 

W i n t h r o p of M i l e s S t a n d i s h fame ( M a r g e r i e ' s s i s t e r i s named 

P r i s c i l l a ) e t c . e t c . she i s , t h r o u g h B e t s y P a t t e r s o n o f 

B a l t i m o r e , a l s o r e l a t e d t o Napoleon Bonaparte ( B e t s y m a r r i e d h i s 

young b r o t h e r Jerome) as I sometimes l i k e t o remind h e r 1 9 - i ( t ] 

would be e x t r a o r d i n a r y , or perhaps not so e x t r a o r d i n a r y i f she 

t u r n e d out t o be a c o l l a t e r a l r e l a t i v e of your own, anyway I l i k 



468 

to think she i s ) : - ve are advancing upon Greece ( f i r s t to 

Syracuse) there to l i v e for a fev years: meantime ve are leaving 

the house in good hands that v i l l give and take from i t the most 

good (and won't I hope, f i l l the stove f u l l of bones) and v i t h 

the understanding that i f ve vant to come back anytime i t ' s s t i l l 

ours, i f i t ' s s t i l l there: and vho knovs, i t may be, and the o i l 

r e f i n e r i e s gone. . . 

But for Ushant I f e e l a l l t h i s vould have been a rout 

though. It is the i d e n t i t y less with Hammbo (though there's 

plenty salutary there, including that vhich "hurts") but v i t h 

your good s e l f - in your multiple and passionate r e l a t i o n to 

houses3-0 - that has saved my bacon: you have suffered through 

t h i s , for me, i t i s i f I can t e l l myself, and t h i s not only takes 

avay half of the othervise unbearable pain, but acts as a 

vholesome release. What psychological abyss I might have been 

heading for othervise v i t h so much l i b i d o invested in t h i s spot 

of earth I shudder to think. I vould have fetched up l i k e one of 

the characters in Desire Under the Elms or something. My current 

vork vould have been a rout too, maybe abandoned. But more of 

t h i s l a t e r . I knov better vhat to do nov. Meantimes, thanks 

l a r g e l y to yourself, the present is e x c i t i n g , the future f u l l of 

adventure, and the bleeding i s almost e x h i l a r a t i n g . We are 

s a i l i n g , D.V.17 sometime in September by an I t a l i a n freighter 

bound for Naples or Genoa.x" Because I s h a l l have only a t r a n s i t 

visa and ve can't be leaving here t i l l the end of August at 

e a r l i e s t , and ve're stopping off to see Margie's mama in Los 

Angeles, I s h a l l have only a fev days in Nev York, i f that, and 



can hope o n l y t h a t some m i r a c l e may o c c u r v h e r e b y i t c o i n c i d e s 

v i t h one o f your v i s i t s t h e r e i f you're not i n Nev Zealand by 

t h i s t i m e : x * f o r of c o u r s e I c a n ' t s a y hov much I'd l o v e t o see 

you: but i f ve c a n ' t see one another I ' l l send you a t e l e g r a m 

a n y v a y 2 0 - a t the moment p l a n s a r e s t i l l a b i t u n c e r t a i n ; I have 

t o hear f u r t h e r from the s h i p p i n g company. 

For the r e s t , a f t e r the f o r e g o i n g c h a o s , i t seems a b i t 

redundant - and the paragraph a f t e r t h a t i s p r o b a b l y g o i n g t o be, 

I s e e , redundant t o o - t o go on t o s a y t h a t I have e x p e r i e n c e d 

here i n B.C. f o r the f i r s t t i m e , t h e r e v e l a t i o n - v. t o p of 3 3 2 2 X 

- not t o m e n t i o n , i f so t o speak i n r e v e r s e , and f o r a s l i g h t l y 

d i f f e r e n t r e a s o n , the r e v e l a t i o n on bottom o f 3 3 3 " - no no no, 

t h e y ' r e a l l t o o near the k n u c k l e , t h e s e pages:- I c a n ' t do any o f 

i t j u s t i c e : v h i c h i s t o r e p e a t t h a t I have found the v h o l e 

m a g n i f i c e n t book o f enormous h e l p : j u s t a t t h e time I needed 

Ushant, here vas Ushant t o h e l p me: v h a t has been worst f o r me 

has been t o approach t o " t h i s o t h e r domain of l o v e " bottom of 

332, but v i t h o u t any r i t u a l poem t o be the c e l e b r a t i o n of i t . 3 3 1 

But maybe even t h a t v i l l come. ( I ' v e done an enormous l o t of 

v o r k - some o f i t good - i n t h i s p l a c e , I mean D o l l a r t o n - much 

of i t , you v i l l one day see, q u i t e t e r r i f y i n g i n the l i g h t of 

Ushant i t s e l f , much of i t h a v i n g been v r i t t e n v h i l e you must have 

been v r i t i n g the o t h e r , but a l o t o f t h i s v o r k has become v e r y 

u n b a l a n c e d - a g a i n Ushant s u p p l i e s t h e r e d r e s s . ) And the passage 

on 336: b e g i n n i n g "That l i t t l e l o v e : t h e t r u t h v a s , t h a t the poem 

had been D's unexpected c o n f e s s i o n e t c "- J e e z e , hov I u n d e r s t a n d 

t h a t nov. 



470 

F i n a l l y I ought t o s a y t h a t Ushant i s o b v i o u s l y one o f the 

b e s t books ever v r i t t e n - i f not n e c e s s a r i l y , i n so many words, 

your "best' 1 book: but i t i s an ADVANCE not o n l y on your a c c o u n t , 

but i t does move l i t e r a t u r e f o r w a r d s u r e l y , w i t h an a l m o s t 

i m p e r c e p t i b l e j o l t , e v e r y b i t as much as Finnegan's Wake, though 

f o r a l m o s t p r e c i s e l y o p p o s i t e r e a s o n s : one; i t s m a r v e l l o u s 

g e n e r o s i t y , as of a uranium mine, v i t h your s t a k e p l a n t e d t h e r e 

but as i f i t v e r e l e f t open f o r o t h e r p e o p l e t o vork i t ( — a s a 

l i b r a r i a n here s a i d t o me 'You have t o have a h i g h c l a s s 

i n t e l l e c t — l i k e t o w r i t e a book l i k e t h a t , mr L o v r y ' . ) i t i s a l s o 

a p u r e l y I n t e l l e c t u a l t r i u m p h of t h e f i r s t v a t e r . And t h e 

t h e s i s : c o l l o s a l . — B u t you have had enough of my i n c o m p r e h e n s i b l e 

s t u f f . "And the vaves of v i l d f l o v e r s , a s k i n g nov t o be 

remembered. . ." I won't s a y a n y t h i n g about t h a t e i t h e r , v h i c h I 

f e e l m y s e l f t o have misquoted - I c a n ' t f i n d the page (bad l i g h t ) 

i f I've buggered i t up I'm s o r r y : i t ' s near the end of a 

m a r v e l l o u s passage, about 2 9 8 . 2 4 

W e l l god b l e s s you, my dear f e l l o v : I've read p r a c t i c a l l y 

n o t h i n g e l s e f o r n e a r l y the v h o l e p a s t month and a l v a y s v i t h 

i n c r e a s i n g d e v o t i o n . May g r a c e descend on you and Mary v h a t e v e r 

your d i r e c t i o n . B e s t l o v e from us b o t h . And t o o l d G e r a l d 

t o o , 2 8 s h o u l d you be i n t o u c h ( A l s o the b r i d g e , t r i p a r t i t e , once 

c r o s s e d t r i p a r t l g h t . And a house i n South Yarmouth. Yes, I 

remember i t a l l . ) And t a l k i n g of t e l e g r a m s , as perhaps might not 

a n o t h e r c h a r a c t e r have v i r e d : U s h a n t i h . . . U s h a n t i h . . . 

U s h a n t i h . . 



God b l e s s you. the o l d Male. 

P.S. D d i d n ' t say "He t h i n k s I'm a b i r d i n a t r e e , " but "he 

t h i n k s I'm a t r e e v i t h a b i r d i n i t . " Hambo vas empathasing more 

t h a n you remembered. 2 7 

P.P.S. For v h a t i t i s w o r t h , Po' H. i n f a c t v a s n ' t p u r s u e d by a 

C h i n e s e c o o l i e i n K o v l o o n 2 * b u t , as I remember, by an Arab havker 

vho remained on board the s h i p a f t e r he s h o u l d have got o f f a t 

P o r t S a i d , f o r h i s n e f a r i o u s purpose ( t o g e t h e r a l s o , i f I 

remember a r i g h t , v i t h a s o v s o v voman vhose b l i n d eye s o c k e t c o u l d 

be p r o c u r e d f o r a mere song) b r i b i n g the pure young s a i l o r v i t h a 

v h o l e t r a y of " r e a l g o l d r i n g s s t o l e n o f f the m a i l b o a t , " and 

even v e n t so f a r as Oar es Salaam v i t h the s h i p dovn t h e Suez 

C a n a l b e f o r e he vas r i d o f . 

P.P.P.S. But j u s t t o shov you I haven't e n t i r e l y l o s t my 

a r t i c u l a c y , perhaps I c o u l d v e n t u r e t o cap - u n l e s s t h i s be 

d i s c o u r t e o u s or a thought t o o p l e o n a s t i c - the B e l o v e d U n c l e ' s 

v i t t i c i s m , a l r e a d y c a p p i n g D's ( t o p 287: and vhat a damn f i n e 

scene t h i s i s , e s p e c i a l l y i n the cemetery) "And" s a i d t h e U n c l e 

i n s t a n t l y - " d i d she t a k e i t i n ? " by "Or, h a v i n g t a k i n g i t i n , 

d i d she g e t the p o i n t p r o p e r l y ? " 

PPPPS (Or vas t h i s perhaps j u s t a n o t h e r case of " v i t h d r a v a l and 

r e t u r n " ? ) 



472 

E x p l a n a t o r y Motes 
1 See Ushant; " . . . the p r i m a r y q u e s t i o n as t o where, i n 

god's name, i n a l l t h a t w e l t e r of m a t e r i a l . . . one was t o make 
one's f i r s t e n t r y ; or a t e x a c t l y what p o i n t o f the n e b u l a r 
s p i r a l . . . dare t o s t e p on" (329-30). 

3 5 August 1889. 
3 The " s q u a t t e r s " i n D o l l a r t o n had been p e r i o d i c a l l y 

t h r e a t e n e d v i t h n o t i c e s o f e v i c t i o n over the y e a r s , and i n 1954 
t h e D i s t r i c t of N o r t h Vancouver vas p r e p a r i n g t o d e v e l o p C a t e s 
Park i n t h a t a r e a ; i n 1958 the l a s t shacks i n t h e a r e a v e r e 
d e m o l i s h e d ( S a l l o u m 123). 

4 C f . L o v r y ' s "The F o r e s t P a t h t o the S p r i n g , " Hear Us 0 
L o r d From Heaven Thv D v e l l l n a P l a c e ( P h i l a d e l p h i a ; L l p p l n c o t t , 
1961) 256. 

s Not i d e n t i f i e d . 

* F r e n c h , " I am h e r e , here I am, I am s t a y i n g h e r e , here 
I've come"; c f . " J ' y s u i s , j ' y r e s t e , " v o r d s o f marechal 
Mac-Mahon (1808-92). 

7 L o v r y i s p r o b a b l y r e f e r r i n g t o h i s n o v e l , October F e r r y t o 
Sabxi&la.. 

• C f . Ushant: " ' t h e hand of t h e p o t t e r s h a k e s ' " ( 2 8 6 ) ; 
" P o t t e r " vas the maiden name of A i k e n ' s mother and a l s o A i k e n ' s 
m i d d l e name. 

• Hambo i s the c h a r a c t e r i n Ushant based upon L o v r y . 
1 0 N a t t y Bumppo ( L o v r y has m i s s p e l l e d i t ) i s a c h a r a c t e r vho 

f i g u r e s under v a r i o u s pseudonymns i n the " L e a t h e r s t o c k i n g " 
s e r i e s of n o v e l s by the American v r i t e r James Fenimore Cooper 
(1789-1851). 

x x In Ushant t h e n a r r a t o r , D., t e l l s o f p l a n t i n g l i l a c 
bushes v i t h someone named C l a r e n c e (333-34); t h e r e i s a s i m i l a r 
scene i n A i k e n ' s Conversation-

x a L o v r y vas c h r i s t e n e d " C l a r e n c e Malcolm L o v r y . " The name 
"Boden," v h i c h he o f t e n quoted as h i s m i d d l e name, vas a c t u a l l y 
h i s mother's maiden name. 

1 3 See Under t h e V o l c a n o ( 6 6 ) . 
1 4 Images of " v i t h d r a v a l and r e t u r n " abound i n Ushant. 
x s I have not been a b l e t o v e r i f y any o f t h e s e d e t a i l s . 
x " A i k e n vas v e r y a t t a c h e d , not o n l y t o J e a k e ' s House, but 



4 7 3 

a l s o t o the house i n Savannah i n v h i c h he'd been b o r n , and i n 
1 9 6 0 he and Mary moved t o Savannah and i n t o t h e house next door 
t o t h i s house. 

1 7 If Deo V o l e n t e " : L a t i n , "God v i l l i n g . " 
x * The L o v r y s l e f t D o l l a r t o n f o r the l a s t time on 1 1 August 

1 9 5 4 , t r a v e l l i n g t o Nev York v i a Los A n g e l e s , and t h e n , i n 
September, aboard the S.S. Giacomo t o I t a l y . 

1 9 C f . l e t t e r 8 3 , p. 4 3 5 , from A i k e n . 
a o See l e t t e r 8 7 , p. 4 7 7 . 
2 1 See Ushant: " . . . vhat n e v e r t h e l e s s became u n a v o i d a b l y 

c o n s p i c u o u s i n i t vas the b a s i c importance i n i t of l o v e . L o v e l 
Good heavens, hov b l i n d he had been" ( 3 3 2 ) . 

2 2 See Ushant: "But the r e a l t r u t h vas t h a t t o t o u c h t h a t 
e a r t h [ i . e . , the e a r t h of a f o r e i g n c o u n t r y ] vas t r e a s o n " ( 3 3 3 ) . 

2 3 U s h a n t i " . . . one vas b e g i n n i n g t o a p p r o a c h t h a t o t h e r 
domain of l o v e v h i c h had had i t s vay v i t h him. . . and t h e 
v r i t i n g o f the r i t u a l poem v h i c h vas h i s f o r e s e e a b l e c e l e b r a t i o n 
of i t " ( 3 3 2 ) ; e s s e n t i a l l y , A i k e n i s here v r i t i n g about s p i r i t u a l 
l o v e t r a n s c e n d i n g s e x . 

2 4 T h i s passage JJL on page 2 9 8 . 
2 9 G e r a l d Noxon; see l e t t e r 8, n. 1 5 , p. 6 1 . 
2 e C f . l e t t e r 8 5 , n. 8, p. 4 5 9 , and l e t t e r 1 3 , n. 4, p. 7 6 . 
2 7 see u a h a n t ( 3 5 7 ) and under, t h e V o l c a n o ( 1 3 4 ) ; i n u s h a n t 

A i k e n (D.) i n s i n u a t e s t h a t L o v r y (Hambo) s t o l e t h i s anecdote from 
him f o r use i n Under t h e V o l c a n o -

2 9 See U s h a n t ( 1 1 6 ) . 

T e x t u a l Notes 

Date J u l y 1 6 , 1 9 5 4 . *(See B e l o v ) \ J u l y 1 6 , 1 9 5 4 . [*(See 
below)) 

4 6 2 . 5 s o l v e d ! ) \ s o l v e d { ! } ) 

4 6 2 . 1 6 - 2 2 * I had l e f t t h i s ( . . . ) v i t h o u t a l i n e . \ 
[ h a n d v r i t t e n a t bottom of f i r s t page and keyed t o 
d a t e above) 

4 6 3 . 1 meanness;\ meanness{;} 



474 

463.4 " a u x i l i a r y c i r c u m s t a n c e s " \ { " } a u x i l < l > i a r y 
c i r c u m s t a n c e s " 

463.8 Ushantesque one.--Meantime,\ Ushant<i>(e}sque one. 
{--)Meantlme, 

463.11-12 - t h a t keeps one\ - t h a t keep{s} one 

463.13 m a s t e r p i e c e . — W e l l , \ m a s t e r p i e c e . { — } W e l l , 

463.14 f a c t o r , - - t h i s l e t t e r \ f a c t o r , { — } t h i s l e t t e r 

463.18 a u x i l i a r y \ a u x i l < l > i a r y 

463.21 r o o t - - s y m b o l i c a l p e r h a p s ? ) \ r o o t { — s y m b o l i c a l 

p e r h a p s ? } ) [ i n s e r t i o n v r i t t e n i n l e f t - h a n d margin] 

463.22 o f a l l t h i n g s ! : — a n d \ o f a l l t h i n g s { I } : { - - } a n d 

464.5 d e r r i c k , \ d e r r i c k { , } 
464.10 o m i t t e d a p h a e r e t i c a l l y t h e p r e f a t o r y S - on t h e \ 

o m i t t e d { a p h a e r e t i c a l l y } t h e p r e f a t o r y S - <om> 
{on} the 

464.17 our b o a t , — t h e mountains\ our b o a t , { — } t h e mountains 

464.20-24 h a n d s , { — ) t h o u g h i n (. . .] v r y l y j e a l o u s . ! — 1 
i n h a b i t e d \ h a n d s , { ( — ] t h o u g h i n them days ones 
{{ovn}} hands r e a l l y v e r e one's ovn h a n d s — o f the 
B e t t e r L i f e as r e p r e s e n t e d by t h e "Shoulder P a r a d e " 
{etc,} as a k i n d of p r e p i o n e e r <I> ve remain 
s l i g h t l y s c e p t i c a l , or perhaps f e e l a b i t { v r y l y } 
j e a l o u s . ! — ] } i n h a b i t e d . ( t h i s i n s e r t i o n v r i t t e n 
i n l e f t - h a n d margin) 

465.4 by C r i k e y , \ by < c > { C } r K O k e y , 

465.6 To abandon\ <">{T}o abandon 

465.13 or one v a s , \ or <von> one v a s , ( t h i s d e l e t i o n i s 
made on the t y p e v r i t e r ] 

465.17-18 j e r e s t e l a , me v o i l a l -\ j e r e s t e ifat, me v o i l ^ U ) -

465.18 t h i s s o r t of t h i n g v i t h \ t h i s { s o r t of t h i n g ) v i t h 

465.23 h i d i n g p l a c e , — I \ h i d i n g p l a c e , { — } I 

466.10 d i d n ' t knov £bajfc.)\ d i d n ' t knov ,that») 

466.13 t h i s . l i t t l e \ <fcMs_, l i t t l e 

466.15 s n o o t . . A s n o o t . { . .} 



475 

467.1- 2 your Ushant,\ «yourt Ushant, 

467.2- 3 t o guide i f i . . (And\ t o g u i d e «me». {(/And 

467.5 an Egg,\ an <e>{E}gg, 
467.7 V o l c a n o . ) . A V o l c a n o . O ) . . 
467.10 f o r ae.\ (passage o r i g i n a l l y meant t o be i n s e r t e d a t 

t h i s p o i n t i s d e l e t e d and i l l e g i b l e i n t h e l e f t -
hand margin] 

467.13 r e t r e a t i n g \ r e t ( - w . ] r e a t i n g 

467.17 saga o f \ s a g < ( i l l e g . ) > { a } of 

467.18 C r a f t s , \ [passage o r i g i n a l l y meant t o be i n s e r t e d a t 
t h i s p o i n t i s d e l e t e d and i l l e g i b l e i n the l e f t -
hand margin] 

467.21 founder of Roxbury,\ founder of <Du>(Ro]xbury 
<{Great [ i l l e g . ] i t i s Roxbury. ( I had s a i d 
Duxbury.)}>, [ t h i s i n s e r t i o n i s c r o s s e d out i n the 
l e f t - h a n d margin) 

467.25-6 - i ( t ] v o u l d be\ - i f [ t y p o . ] v o u l d be 

468.9 Hamrabo\ Ham(m]bo 

468.14-15 a c t s as a w h o l e s o m e \ a c t s {as} a vholesome 

468.22 e x h i l a r a t i n g . \ e x h i K I i l l e g . ] > { a } r a t i n g 

469.4 I ' l l send\ <I811> ( I ' l l ] send 

469.7 For the r e s t , \ { }For t h e r e s t , 

469.8 a f t e r t h a t \ a f t e r that<t> 

469.17 has been t o \ h<ar>{as} been t o 

469.21 you v i l l one day s e e , \ you v i l l {one day) s e e , 

470.2 b e s t books ever v r i t t e n \ b e s t books ( e v e r w r i t t e n } 

470.2-3 n e c e s s a r i l y , i n so many words, your " b e s t " \ 
n e c e s s a r i l y { , } i n so many v o r d s { , } .your> " b e s t " 

470.6-10 r e a s o n s : one; i t s (. . .] mr L o v r y . ' ) i t i s \ 
r e a s o n s : (one; i t s m a r v e l l o u s g e n e r o s i t y , as of a 
uranium mine, v i t h your s t a k e p l a n t e d { { t h e r e } } , 
{{but}} as i f { { i t } } v e r e l e f t open f o r <an> o t h e r 
people { { t o vork i t } } — (as a l i b r a r i a n here s a i d 
t o me 'You have t o have a h i g h c l a s s i n t e l l e c t — 
l i k e t o v r i t e a book l i k e t h a t , < ( i l l e g . ) > mr 



476 

L o v r y ' . ) } i t i s ( t h e i n s e r t i o n i s v r i t t e n i n the 
l e f t - h a n d margin) 

470.12 c o l l o s s a l . - - B u t \ c o l l o s s a l . { - - } B u t 

470.22 s h o u l d you\ s<g>(h}ould you 

470.22 ( A l s o the b r i d g e , \ ( A l s o t<i>(he} b r i d g e , 

471.1 God b l e s s you.\ ( h a n d v r i t t e n b e f o r e s i g n a t u r e ) 

471.16 t o o p l e o n a s t i c -\ t o ( o ) p l e o n a s t i c -

471.17 v i t t i c i s m , \ v i t t i c i s m { , } 

471.17 ( t o p 287: and\ ( t o p 287 <!>{:} and 

471.19 i n ? " by "Or,\ i n ? " (by) "Or, 

471.21-2 PPPPS (Or I . . .] r e t u r n ? ) \ {££££3. (Or vas t h i s 
{{perhaps}} j u s t a n o t h e r case o f " v i t h d r a v a l and 
r e t u r n " ? ) } ( h a n d v r i t t e n a t end o f l e t t e r ) 



477 
87: From LOWRY to AIKEN 

TS H; unpublished 

t WESTERN UNION] 
[NEW YORK NY] 

[Saturday; 8:43 AM] 
[4 Sept 1954] 

CONRAD AIKEN — 

41 DOORS — 

BREWSTER MASS-

MALCOLM NEEDS TALCUM BE WALCOM CARE OF DAVID MARKSON1 610 WEST 

113 STREET BEFORE TUESDAY IF POSSIBLE WHEN ALL KRAKENS2 GET 

TOGETHER 

LOVE 

HAMBO--3 



478 

E x p l a n a t o r y Notes 
1 David Markson (1927- ), American n o v e l i s t who i n 1951 

wrote a Master's t h e s i s on Under the Volcano a t Columbia 
U n i v e r s i t y which was l a t e r r e v i s e d and p u b l i s h e d as Malcolm  
Lowry's Volcano: Myth Symbol Meaning (New York: Times Books, 
1978). He and Lowry corresponded f o r a year u n t i l they f i n a l l y 
met i n the summer of 1952 when Markson v i s i t e d the Lowrys' i n 
D o l l a r t o n , and remained good f r i e n d s u n t i l Lowry's death i n 1957. 
The Lowrys stayed with. Markson i n h i s New York apartment i n 1954 
before l e a v i n g aboard the S.S. Giacomo f o r I t a l y . A reminiscence 
of Lowry by Markson appears i n Markson's Malcolm Lowry's Volcano 
(219-31) and i n Malcolm Lowry: Psalms and Songs (120-27). 

2 Cf. l e t t e r 70, n. 31, p. 373 . Aiken d i d manage to get to 
New York while Lowry was s t i l l there; t h i s was to be t h e i r l a s t 
meeting. 

3 Character i n Ushant based upon Lowry. 

T e x t u a l Notes 

[telegram] 



479 

88: From AIKEN to LOWRY 
TS H; unpublished 

MALCOLM LOWRY,CARE DAVID MARKSON= 

610 WEST 113 ST= 

[DENNIS MASS] 

[SEP 5 1954] 

HALLILEUH CAN YOU COME UP DIFFICULT FOR US TO COME DOWN BUT WILL 

IF NECESSARY PLEASE TELEPHONE DENNIS 385 AFTER 5 TONITE LOVE= 

CONRAD= 



Textual Notes 

[ telegram] 



481 

89: From LOWRY to AIKEN1 
MS UBC; TS H; unpublished 

[NEW YORK NY] 

(8:15 AM] 
[September 1954] 

CONRAD AIKEN 

FONE 41 DOORS 

BREWSTER MASS 

WAS ON DECK AT 7AM TO SEE YOU OFF WEDNESDAY BUT WAS OFFSET BY 

HURRICANE2 IF NOT OFF CAPE HATEROUS3 AM GOING TO ENCOUNTER 

MONDAY AFTERNOON YOUR POST CARD RECEIVED4 GOD BLESS YOU AND 

LOADS OF LOVE TO YOU AND MARY 

MALCOLM AND MARJORIE 



482 

E x p l a n a t o r y Notes 
1 See Appendix I, p. 497, f o r manuscript d r a f t of t h i s 

l e t t e r . 
2 "Hurricane Edna"; c f . Peter C h u r c h i l l ' s memoir i n Day's 

Malcolm Lovry: A Biography (8) vhere he mentions t h i s h u r r i c a n e 
and Lowry's odd r e a c t i o n to i t . 

3 Cf. Aiken's poem " H a t t e r a s , " A t l a n t i c Monthly 169.3 (March 
1942): 334; r e p r i n t e d i n r e v i s e d form as "Hatteras C a l l i n g " i n 
Brovnstone Eclogues. 

4 T h i s p o s t c a r d from Aiken i s m i s s i n g . 

T e x t u a l Notes 

[telegram; see Appendix I, p. 497, f o r photographic 
r e p r o d u c t i o n of the s l i g h t l y d i f f e r e n t manuscript 
d r a f t of t h i s l e t t e r ] 



483 

Appendix I : L e t t e r 14: From LOWRY t o AIKEN 

L e t t e r 16: From LOWRY t o AIKEN ( r e d u c t i o n ) 

L e t t e r 67: From LOWRY t o AIKEN ( C h r i s t m a s c a r d ) 

L e t t e r 70: From LOWRY t o AIKEN 

( A i k e n ' s v a r i a n t t r a n s c r i p t i o n ) 

L e t t e r 73: From LOWRY t o AIKEN ( C h r i s t m a s c a r d ) 

L e t t e r 79: From AIKEN t o LOWRY 
(Mary A i k e n ' s d r a w i n g ) 

L e t t e r 82: From MARY AIKEN t o LOWRY ( C h r i s t m a s c a r d ) 

L e t t e r 89: From LOWRY t o AIKEN 
(Lowry's h a n d w r i t t e n d r a f t w i t h d o o d l e by 
D a v i d Markson i n t h e t o p l e f t - h a n d 
c o r n e r ) 



4 8 4 

14; Fygm LOWRY t o ftlKEN ... t u < , 

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16: From LOWRY tr. AIKEN (reduction) 

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489 



7 Q ; F r o m LOWRY t o ATKRW ( A i k * n » « » r 1 M C T m n « n ) 

4 9 0 

Dear o l d Conrad: 

Thanks awfully f o r yours, and have been meaning to write a r e a l l y f a t and 
informative and.diverting l e t t e r - i n f a c t , made a l l the notes f o r same, but I 
want to g -et t h i s l e t t e r o f f now so i t w i l l be i n time to wish you bon voyage, 
therefore I must make a s a c r i f i c e of the other f o r the.time being. 

Yes, the phoenix clapped i t s wings a l l r i g h t a l l r i g h t , i n f a c t gave such a 
bloody great resounding clap that the poor b i r d nearly broke i t s heck and had to 
be immolated a l l over again. As you know we went east a f t e r Che f i r e . The grave 
preceded us however. The interminable golden bittersweet awful b e a u t i f u l eastern 
autumn (which I'd never experienced) restored Margie, whose childhood was i n Mich-
igan, to. .soinetextent, but me i t almost slew. I t had a worse e f f e c t upon me than 
on Henry Adams, though the Noxons Niagara-on-the-Lake i s something to see: r e a l l y 
I was i n shocking bad form, and worse company so a l l i n a l l , though-1 was very 
disappointed not to see you - a l b e i t I heard you - i t was perhaps j u s t as wall I 
didn't. How the Noxons put up with me - i f they r e a l l y d i d - I don't know. 
Actually the business of the f i r e seemed to drive us both s l i g h t l y cuckoo. Its 
traumatic r e s u l t alone was shattering. We had to l i v e through the f i r e a l l over 
again every night, I would wake to f i n d Margie screaming or she would wake to 
f i n d me y e l l i n g and gnashing my teeth. Apart from these diversions (fortunately 
the Noxons are sound sleepers but when we moved to a house of our own i t grew 
much worse) f i r e i t s e l f seemed to follow us around i n a fashion nothing short of 
d i a b o l i c a l , 

Betty had painted a picture of a house i n O a k v i l l e , that Margie and I had 
thought of renting,because i t vaguely resembled our o l d one, f o r the winter, and 
one day when everyone was out I sat i n the a t t i c studying the picture which I l i k e d 
very much, % concentration on the picture was somewhat marred by the f a c t that 
i n my imagination the house kept bursting i n t o flame and sure enough, about a week 
l a t e r , that's p r e c i s e l y what the house d i d j they couldn't get the f i r e engines 
through the woods, nothing of the kind had happened f o r f i f t y years i n that r u r a l 
route, and there was a t e r r i f i c to-do, through a l l of which Margie and I , f o r once, 
calmly s l e p t . 

Then when we went to Niagara-on-the-JEake the house next door to ours, one 
night while we were over at the Noxons, went up i n a blaze. We heard the shouts 
and b e l l s and saw the awful sun (E.D. again - I don't know why so much Snily 
Dickenson today) and of course thought i t was our house and ran over i n a panic, 
so much so that Margie was not even convinced i t was not out house by the trae vre 
got there and took a l l our manuscripts out i n t o the s t r e e t . And to cap everything, 
when we returned here, i t turned out that the house where someone had been good 
enough to l e t us store our bedding and some few things we had l e f t after our f i r e , 
had i n our absence i t s e l f been burned down, t o t a l l y demolished, and our bedding 
and s t u f f with i t , the house mysteriously bursting i n t o flame f o r no reason at a l l 
apparently one calm m i l d evening when the owners weren't even there. Margie and I 
had invented, i n a horror story, a murderer, a black magician one of whose special-
t i e s was the s t a r t i n g of f i r e s by means of incomprehensible talismans. This f i a t i o n a l 
gent's name was P a l l , and the mss concerning him I had happened to rescue from out 
f i r e . S'Welp me bob i f the owners of t h i s house didn't turn out to be c a l l e d Ball 
too, though there had been no connection at a l l o r i g i n a l l y . And so f o r t h , Altogethei 
about f i f t y odd senseless sad t e r r i f y i n g and curiously related things that make me 
sometimes think (taking i t a l l i n a l l ! ) that maybe I am the chap chosen of God or 
the d e v i l to elucidate the Law of Series, Unfortunately i t would seem to involve 
one i n such rotten bad a r t . At a l l events, I have been reading Kant's Critique of 
Pure Reason to see i f that would help. 



491 

, . e l l , we returned and began to rejimild our l i t t l e shack, ourselves, I mean, with 
our own hands and the help of two xishermen. Margie ran a four inch spike through 
her foot the f i r s t day we got the lumber i n - c e l l u l i t i s set i n , bloodpoisoning, 
shortage of doctors, f i n a l l y h o s p i t a l , and probings and she nearly died, and a hor-
r i b l e anxious time that was. Meanwhile she received the f i r s t part of her proofs 
f o r her novel but we are s t i l l waiting f o r the promised copy, of the second part1, 
Scribner's,haying heLjf her f i r s t novel now f o r four years without publishing i t and 
although they signed a contract f o r a second navel with a time l i m i t set f o r p u b l i -
cation date t h i s f a l l i t i s already t h i s f a l l and s t i l l Margie hasn't had so much as 
a smell of the proofs of her second novel, which.was supposed;to be at the printers 
last.Christmas, so i t looks as though a breach of contract looms with what small 
comfort that i s f o r the t poor author. Scribners have proved the world's most undepen-
deble and unscrupulous people to deal with and you are certainly well r i d of t h e i r 
new o u t f i t . Granted they dared not behave l i k e that with someone l i k e you, but what 
the h e l l . . . . 

I then proceeded to cut o f f the end of my thumb while doing some rlpsawing with 
an ordinary saw, which set us back with the b u i l d i n g , what with Margie s t i l l hobbling 
with a cane> and f o r the l a s t two months I have been i n bed p r a c t i c a l l y unable to 
move with a toxaemia caused by osteomyelitis due, they say, to an abscessed tooth , 
that became abscessed and had to be removed owing to malpractice. There i s a shortage 
of dentists - they w i l l not take new patients, even i f you are hopping with agony as 
I was, and on V.J, day too, with the drugstores a l l shut. But on the other hand 
there i s apparently a surplus of dentists: they are threatening to open o f f i c e s on the 
s t r e e t , because of the housing shortage. But I myself have not been able to f i n d a 
trace of these dentists. Meantime there has been an ^verage of two murders a week 
here, most of them by or of children: a pet slayer likewise i s at large who has 
disembowelled t h i r t e e n goats, several s a i l o r ' s monkeys, twelve pet rabbits, and i s 
doubtless also somewise responsible f o r the apparition of half a cocker spaniel i n a 
lane near West Vancouver, Just the same we have b u i l t our house and p a radise has 
been regained. I forgot to say that no sooner had paradise been regained than we 
received the notice that a new law had gone through and that a l l our l o v e l y forest 
was to be torn down and ourselves with i t w i t h i n a year and turned i n t o "Autocamps 
of the Better Class." This placed our new house - which, by the way, has the d i s -
t i n c t i o n of being the l a s t example of such pioneer a c t i v i t y on the Vancouver water-
front property - under a sentence of death that was f i n a l l y too much f o r our sense of 
humour and my temperature went up within a quarter of an hour to loh, A sad story, 
you say, almost as poignant as The Triumph of the % g ? Not a b i t of i t . Reprieve 
has come. There w i l l be no autocamps of the better c l a s s , and no neighbours either, 
of the worst c l a s s . We may l i v e here f o r three years at l e a s t as we are doing without 
molestation, and may even have a chance to buy the land, that i s the part we want, 
at a reasonable p r i c e . Thus does your old Male, i f s t i l l a conservative-Christian-
anarchist, at heart, at l a s t j o i n the ranks of the petty bourgeoisie. I f e e l somewhat 
l i k e a Prometheus who became interested i n r e a l estate and decided to buy up his 
Caucasian ravine. 

At the moment we are l i v i n g i n the house, without any inside w a l l s , i t ' s pouring 
with r a i n , and i t doesn't leak. What triumph, herewith our handiwork - also the 
p i e r we" b u i l t ourselves, a l l that was l e f t of our o l d house. 

My novel, Under the Volcano, seems to have gone smack i n t o the void - no i n t e l l i -
gent comments eo f a r , or encouragement. I think i t i s r e a l l y good, though the Lost 
Week End may have deprived i t of some of i t s impact - alack - prosaic justice? - i f 
not to be confused with The Last Week End, by J . Summerfield, i n which i t actually i s 
old Male who goes a l l too recognizably down the drain, and pretty feeble too. I was 
planning to send you the Volcano with some trepidation but with some pride too but I 
don't l i k e to saddle you with the oaly copy i n my possession at present and I don't 



4 9 2 

i ... - 3. 

see how ^ can get back the only available other one before you s a i l . So please 
take the w i l l for the deed for the time being. I ' l l learn 'em eventually, as Mr. 
Wolfe once said, I f e e l . 

The only difference i n my present status since ^ wrote the above i s that 
while we are l i v i n g i n the house without inside walls the roof i s leaking i n six 
different places. But now your l e t t e r about the Collected Poems has arrived and 
I hasten to make some reply i n time, .though please forgive me i f what I say seems 
hastily digested. In brief, these are the ideas which immediately occur to me and 
I hope they are not merely confusing. 1 think the idea of reversing the chrono-
l o g i c a l order i s a very good one, i n fact as good as can be - though l think perhap: 
The Soldier might p r o f i t by being dislocated out of the new order and being placed, 
i f not actually among the symphonies, somewhere near them i n the second volume. 
What I mean i s , i f i t doesn't belong to the symphonies, The Soldier does to the 
notion of the Divine Pilgrim. Houston Peterson or somebody once put the possibly 
erroneous idea i n my head that you had once thought of including Tetelestai also 
under the Divine Pilgrim heading and even, i f this i s erroneous and Tetelestai not 
a symphony this i s worth thinking of i f you haven't already rejected i t . As for 
the early peems I would certainly put i n every thing that can possibly be of use 
to the fellow-poet and student of your work,"Discordants with Youth that's now so 
bravely spending" and as many of the actual Cats and Rats turns and movies as you 
have space for. The l a t t e r l y certainly stay with me as unique and powerful work, 
whatever you may think of them. I would also take the opportunity of exhuming from 
undeserved limbo such pieces as Red petals i n the dust under a tree, Asphalt 
"tossing our tortured hands to no escape" (though not very early,l°25 model?) 



4 9 3 

but very f i n e , and even the "succubus you kissed" lampoon you wrote agin the Imagists 
which has a h i s t o r i c a l i n t e r e s t , and giving the ;dates>;of allathese;leJtdonLBrkhow 
SbDu't S selection from Earth Triumphant, but I would be i n c l i n e d to make a short one: 
possibly you are right to disown i t , but x myself cannot forget the "unaccustomed 
wetness i n my trousers" with which I read i t at your Uncle Potters. The only other 
departure that comes to me would be to s t a r t the whole c o l l e c t e d poems with The Morn-
i n g Song of Senlin and end them with The Coming Forth by Day of O s i r i s Jones, I must j 
say I l i k e t h i s notion per se exceedingly, i f i t would not play too much hob with your 
reversed chronology. Whatever you do, I am very glad a Collected Poems i s coming out 
and the very best of luck with them. 

I f by the way you have any old Harper's Bazaars, Vice Versas, Southern Reviews or 
what not you are thinking of throwing away - no old D i a l s , alack? - we would be im-
mensely beholden i f you would wrap a paper around them and shoot them i n this d i r e c t i o i 
C.O.D, or something f o r we are absolutely stuck here f o r such reading matter, a l l i n -
t e l l i g e n t American magazines having been unprocurable f o r donkey's years: on the other 
hand i t occurs to me i t i s probably a poor time to ask with you packing and a l l : so 
i f i t ' s too much touble, j u s t foeget i t . 

Well, bon voyage, o l d f e l l o w , and our very best love to you both and best wishes 
for* Mary's success and our very best again to her and you and also to Jeakes 

Male 



73; From LOWRY t o AIKEN 

• 1 " 



4 9 5 

7 9 : From AIKEN to LOWRY 



496 

82; From MARY AIKEN t o LOWRY 



497 

99; From LOWRY t o AIKEN ( m a n u s c r i p t d r a f t ) 



Appendix I I : L e t t e r f r o n MARGERIE BONNER t o MARY AIKEN 
( J a n u a r y 12, 1940) 

L e t t e r from MARGERIE BONNER t o MARY AIKEN 
( J a n u a r y 29, 1940) 



From MARGERIE BONNER t o MARY AIKEN 

January 12, 1940 
Dear Mary: 

F i r s t of all I want to add my thanks and deepest gratitude 
to Malcolm's. I wanted to write and t e l l you how much I appreciate 
a l l you*ve done and offered to do before this. Perhaps I can realize 
even more keenly than Malcolm does just how much your kindness means 
to us now, for I assure you, were I i n your position, I should be 
dubious indeed about taking some strange woman into my home - par-
t i c u l a r l y one who has apparently deliberately put herself i n a posi-
t i o n that for a l l you know i s invidious. Please, Mary, believe me, 
I shall do everything I can to see that you never regret i t should 
things work out as we hope they w i l l . 

I f e e l that more explanation i s due you as to why we are 
situated as we are, for surely, to an unbiased observer* i t must 
seem insane, unwise and unnecessary, but I almost despair of trying 
to make clear, by l e t t e r , a complexity such as this - I can only 
trust to your generosity and tolerance u n t i l we can r e a l l y s i t down 
and talk i t out. Under ordinary circumstances we should, of course, 
never be here as we are, but these were, and are, not ordinary c i r -
cumstances and there was no other way out i f Malcolm and I were to 
ever see each other again. I t seems to b o i l down to this: i t was a 
fight for our very existence. Presuming that you know the whole 
story i n more or less detail, I should add that I thought long and 
hard before I gave up my position i n Hollywood, thereby cutting off 
my only source of income at the moment, means of retreat, etc., but 
I considered a l l this of less importance than Malcolm. Well, a l l 
this i s as maybe, but i t does mean that I have no sheet anchor else 
where, no "home". I lived by myself there, had a job with Penny 
Singleton - of course I have friends, but none sufficiently immobil-
ized for me to return on them for any length of time. I t was a time 
of c r i s i s , a matter of burning bridges. I was quite aware of the 
l a t t e r , but I don rt know i f Malcolm has managed to convey to you 
just how much of a fcimeiof c r i s i s i t was for him. Anyhow, he des-
perately needed me, his work, i f any of i t was to survive, needed 
me, I came and that was that. I could have gone back within a 
fortnight and held my job, but, seeing the circumstances, stayed 
and am glad I did. I am only deeply thankful, f i n a l l y ? that I was 
able to get here and to stay with him - under any conditions. 

You may think, from what you have gathered, that he had no 
right to l e t me stay - to take on the responsibility of my support 
with his a f f a i r s so apparently hopelessly tangled. In a certain 
sense you may be right, but i t i s not entirely his f a u l t that he 
cannot support me by his own efforts at present. He was dumped by 
h i s trustees i n a place where he couldn't get work, a trap i f I ever 
saw one, and i t was a case of now or never, too v i t a l l y important 
to bicker over the normal conventionalities. Of course, since I 
have supported myself for many years, I am quite able and w i l l i n g to 
continue to do so but cannot take a job i n Canada for the same reason 
that Malcolm cannot. I f we can get back to the States I'm sure I 
can f i n d something to do where ever we are. Also, I do help Malcolm 
with his work and save the expense of a typist - which his trustees 
do not see f i t to allow him. With the war hanging over our heads 
i t may be that we w i l l only have these few months together and i f we 



500 

-2-
have to remain here i n Vancouver i t may be only a few more weeks. 
I f the war continues on into the spring, and I can see no hope at 
present that i t w i l l net, there i s a very large chance that Malcolm 
w i l l be forced into i t . That i s a fear that I must l i v e with 24 
hours a day. How he feels I'm not sure as we seldom discuss i t by 
mutual consent. 

I know that many of our descriptions of how we are l i v i n g 
must have sounded like some intermediate stage i n a record breaking 
bender but so help me, we have been l i v i n g i n the greatest state of 
sobriety I have experienced for many years. Of course w4 have had 
l i t e r a l l y no money to get tight on even i f .we wished to (which I ' l l 
admit from time to time has seemed l i k e a good idea) but Maurice 
Carey has been on a bender which i f i t didn't break any records 
certainly made a few. We have"had, bottles waved under our hoses 
pretty consistently and have l a i n shivering i n our room many an icy 
day and night listening to cheery sounds downstairs around the f i r e 
place, so i t was not for lack of opportunity that we stayed cold and 
sober and wondered whether we were being hypocritical. There are 
occasions oh which i t i s good to get tight, but the only way to meet 
the severity of these conditions, we decided, was with an equal 
severity of mind. 

-And right here I want to say that I can imagine what was 
i n whatever reports Conrad has had from Parks. There i s sometimes, 
when i t suits him, something genuinely well-meaning about the man, 
but I am sure that at least half of them are that kind of lying 
which i s a l l the purer for having i t s basis i n remote truth, and a 
good deal of the rest colored by cynical indifference, under whatever 
guise of watchfulness and anxiety. I know because I was there 
exactly what the situation was i n Hollywood - I was with Malcolm 
pretty constantly the last months before he l e f t and I know how 
unfairly he was treated, even from an impartial standpoint at f i r s t , 
and with what truly masterly misunderstanding and misapplication 
his a f f a i r s were handled. From a psycplogical standpoint everything 
that was supposed to be for his good was having the opposite effect 
and there was nobody who gave a damn what happened to him. And as 
for that cheerful hypocrite Parks - I suppose he i s about an average 
sort of chap but certainly he was not the one to cope with'Malcolm's 
problems even i f he had sincerely t r i e d - which he did not. As an 
instance of this, when Parks brought Malcolm to Vancouver and l e f t 
him here, he said that Colonel McLean was a man whom he had known 
a long time and had had many business dealings with. McLean, not 
having been primed, or, possibly, just being honest, said later that 
he had never seen Parks before i n his l i f e and knew nothing »f i t 
u n t i l Parks arrived with a letter from some business acquaintance. 
McLean, i n turn, passed Malcolm on to a mere acquaintance of his, 
this Oxford Grouper, who i s a nasty old man and a homosexual i n the 
bargain, with a l l the endearing t r a i t s and tolerance usual to a 
reformed roue\ With much obvious enjoyment and smacking of lips he 
recounted his own juicy past and then talked g l i b l y of reforming 
Malcolm for the "sin" of being i n love with me, while being divorced 
from his wife, who i n the f i r s t place deserted him. Between them 
they made i t neatly impossible for Malcolm to have a normal l i f e 
and spent their time either praying over his soul or blacking every 
attempt on his part to work, thus driving him to the very thing they 
piously protested they were trying to stop. Then the Oxford Grouper 
had the temerity to say they'd l e t him spend a few days i s the 
d i r t i e s t flophouse i n town without a cent and maybe that would teach 
him a lessonj 



501 

- 3 -
That a l l this sounds impossible among c i v i l i z e d people, or 

at least among the c i v i l i z e d people one associates with oneself, 
Malcolm well knows and I know also that he feels that Conrad, who i s 
aware of Malcolm's more or less •ex'-wildness, may have said "me— 
thinks he doth protest too much." But a l l this i s a fact. And a 
definite fact also i s i t that everything has been done to discourage 
him and deter him from his work, because Carey has evidently been 
given to understand that i t i s too obs/essed with sex and drink and 
that'his father doesn*t want that. 1 That his father merely wants him 
to be successful i n the prosecution of his work seems to me to be 
demonstrated by the fact that as soon as some 'personal' contact was 
established with him by Conrad he suddenly^began to do everything i n 
his power to bring about the state, of a f f i e r s which would allow him 
to f i n i s h i t . Meantime, however, I have my own eyes and ears as 
absolute witnesses of the fact that the only encouragement he got 
with i t was to "be finished with a l l that stuff" - and i n this regard 
and also i n the regard of the personal responsibility for his exis-
tance i t ought to be said right here -and now that the only person 
who Jias done anything to safoe i t , before he managed to contact you " 
both again, was himself. I am glad to think that I too have helped. 
But, to be absolutely honest about the whole matter, by an ironic 
twist, everything that Parks has done seems to have run counter to 
what I presume was the object of the arrangement - distasteful and 
ruinous to his i n i t i a t i v e as i t was - i n the f i r s t place. 

In a l l this you may think i t queer that there i s l i t t l e to 
be said on the other side. There i s l i t t l e , save perhaps this: 
Parks, of course, was not a friend of Malcolm's , i t was a purely 
business arrangement to him, so, basically, what did he care what 
happened to Malcolm so long as he himself was apparently doing his 
best? And, at the beginning, Parks was disposed to treat him more 
f a i r l y , but he was never trusted and the very hotel clerks were told 
to report on his movements and watch him and a l l the saloon keepers 
told not to serve him. He was continually 'watched' and reported 
on, which nearly drove him out of his mind. While at the same time 
Parks was establishing contact with his wife which he was unable to 
establish himself. He therefore deceived Parks to begin with simply 
because he regarded him as an enemy: he found his own way of rebribigg 
servants, saloon keepers, etc., and when I met him was drinking very 
heavily indeed on apparently less than nothing. On the other hand, 
he seems to have made no secret of the fact that he would continue to 
do what he pleased, so long as he was treated i n the way he was by 
Parks, his argument being that, anyhow, there was nothing to live 
for. A l l this gradually changed after we met, but the damage had 
been done, not only to his own integrity so far as Parks was concer-
ned, but to the integrity of any relationship he formed. Parks i n -
sisted that Malcolm should have no freedom, that he should legislate 
even on his friends. Small wonder that when I met him his acquain-
tanceship was composed of crooks and people of every description 
from the nether regions and small wonder that I too might be con-
sidered to belong i n the same category as the Dostievsky-like harpies 
with whom he associated, - and I don't blame him! There was v i r -
t u a l l y no hope, a l l this being considered, of his putting over our 
own relationship on an accepted basis, so long as he lived as he did. 
This was roughly my argument, and although I never subjected him to 
exhortations on his iaay of l i v i n g , i t seems that he must have agreed 
with me, judging by the way he changed and ordered his l i f e t only to 



502 
-4-

f i n d that so far as any freedom was concerned i t was a l l to no avail. 
The more constructively he lived the tougher things were made for 
him and when I came up here he was v i r t u a l l y on the point of suicide. 
For the past six months even these Oxford Groupers have had to ac-
knowledge that they had nothing to c r i t i c i z e (outside of his effort 
to get back to me i n Hollywood l a s t September) and have even written 
Parks that he was leading an exemplary l i f e . But s t i l l he i s re-
s t r i c t e d to the point of having to give receipts for toothpaste and 
shoeshines. What kind of existance do they think he i s leading i n 
this barren and dreary town? The answer i s , of course, that they 
don't care. I t makes me i l l to think of what he'd be doing i f I 
weren't here to give him some companionship. 1 asked him i f I could 
mention what he c a l l s this " s i l l i n e s s " and he says he sees no reason 
why not. I think i t should be eited just to show what a l l these 
people have done for him. 

I t i s because of a l l these things, and I have only mentioned 
a few of the many, that Malcolm f e l t no disloyalty to anyone i n 
suggesting that we go to Montreal where we could l i v e by ourselves 
witqsome dignity and privacy. I f e e l that even Malcolm's father, 
i f the true facts were sympathetically presented, would realize how 
essential i t i s that Malcolm be given some freedom now i f he. i s to 
preserve his s e l f respect and pride and what w i l l happen to him i f 
his application to reenter the States i s turned down and we are lef© 
here i n the hands of these people I don't know. The kind of fight 
he has been putting up for the l a s t few months may be a good thing 
for him up to a point, but i f he i s utterly frustrated and defeated 
at every turn for too lonff when he i s trying so hard, the result 
may be a b i t t e r one. 

I'm not going into the kind of l i f e we're l i v i n g here now, 
Mary, but l e t me t e l l you as woman to woman, i t ' s a nightmare. It's 
not just boredom - though of course there i s certainly no mental 
stimulation here and we can't even go to a movie - i t ' s r e a l l y 
horrible. We have no heat i n our room and there i s usually such 
pandemonium going on downstairs that even slowly freezing seems the 
better alternative. Of course i t doesn't help Malcolm i n his work 
to have to stamp up and down the floor bundled up l i k e an Eskimo, or 
to type wrapped up i n our one blanket with his fingers blue and s t i f f 
But he does i t . A l l this may sound l i k e p i l i n g on the agony, but 
very well, i t i s agony. He's been writing articles for the l o c a l 
pp.per i n an effort to earn my fare back east but they don't pay much 
and we had to get his overcoat out (which Maurice had pawned) and we 
have to rent a typewriter (Maurice @bmed or sold Malcolm's tyep-
writer too) so we haven't saved much - only $8.00 - but i t ' s a 
start and we hope to have more before permission arrives for Malcolm 
to go to the States. I think i t might be well for Malcolm to go to 
you f i r s t and we have arranged for me to remain here for two weeks 
i f necessary after he leaves. I t would' cost too much for me to go 
back to Hollywood and doesn't seem practical. 

But now we come to the serious stumbling block: Malcolm 
thinks there's only a f i f t y - f i f t y chance that he w i l l be allowed to 
reenter America. When he f i r s t wrote Conrad he thought i t was .only 
a matter of cash but i t now seems that due to the war and his divorce 
that i t i s not quite so simple. In that event, what are we to do? 
I know i t i s of paramount importance to Malcolm that he see Conrad. 
He talks of i t constantly and I know how much i t i s on his mind. He 
feels that he has wronged Conrad i n some way i n the past, or that he 
has not s u f f i c i e n t l y acknowledged how right Conrad was i n certain 
matters important to him, that his f i r s t wife poisened something 
between them from the outset, that t h e r e a r e manv t/hino-s "ha ™ H o h Q e 



505 
-2-

future together i n such surroundings. Well, so much for that. 
I'm sure I s h a l l l i k e Boston, I haven't been there since I was a 

c h i l d but I have some cousins there, pretty s t i f f necked as I r e c a l l 
them, who rather cast us off when my sister and myself became ACTRESSES 
i n the MOVIES. I l e f t Hollywood i n such a hurry and f l u r r y that I 
brought no references with me, besides, I r e a l l y l e f t on a two weeks 
leave of absence and expected to go back to my job, but I'm sure I ' l l 
have no trouble i n writing back for any I need. I t i s more than kind 
of you to offer to help me get a job there as I appreciate the d i f f i -
culties involved i n hunting for any kind of a position i n a strange 
c i t y , but that i s a problem that can be solved when we get there. 
South Dennis sounds heavenly to me but I'm sure wherever we are I s h a l l 
be happy with you. — 

Now about Malcolm's trouble over his application; When Parks 
brought him to Canada i t was, supposedly, only for the business of ob-
taining a visa. This done he was to return to Los Angeles. As soon as 
he had the visa he wrote Parks, saying that he was ready to return. I 
wonrt go into their altercations i n d e t a i l , but Parks f l a t l y told him 
he was to stay here with that damned Oxford Grouper and said i t was 
too expensive for him to come back. This was s i l l y because he needn't 
have gone i n the f i r s t place, he could have gotten an extension on his 
visa right there i n Los Angeles. Anyhow, after many pros and cons 
Malcolm asked me for the money to return, which I sent him. Hoping to 
make the t r i p as cheaply as possible, he started back on the bus and 
was stopped at the border. He had h i s visa which he believed was a l l 
that was necessary, but had no papers to prove that he had an income, 
and the authorities at the border, thinking I suppose, that he wouldn't 
be traveling on a bus i f he had any money, and he couldn't prove that 
he had, turned him down. They kept him there for hours while they went 
through a l l his baggage, letters, etc., cross questioned him minutely 
and I gather gave him a pretty bad time. The American immigration laws 
say that i f you are refused at the border for any reason at a l l that 
you cannot even make application for readmission for one year, so what 
he has had to do was to apply to have his case reopened on the grounds 
that they were mistaken i n saying that he would become a public charge 
since he i s now i n a position to prove that he w i l l not. I t i s a ques-
t i o n whether they w i l l see f i t to reopen the case or not and the whole 
thing had to be referred to our Secretary of Labor, Madam Perkins, at 
Washington. Who w i l l actually pass on the case we don't know. Malcolm 
feels that the fact of his having been divorced i n the meantime and the 
fact that they may havr read some of my letters at the border may be 
held against him and perhaps i t w i l l , I suppose i t a l l depends on who 
has the f i n a l decision to make and the sort of mood they happen to be 
i n that day. The letters for his reapplication were a l l made out for 
him by Parks, a l l i n his "very best legal form, and sent here for Mal-
colm to sign and forward. 

And f i n a l l y we come to the last problem - how am I to get to you, 
I w i l l of course come the cheapest way possible, which i s by bus and 
w i l l cost $45, When I arrived here I had sufficient funds to get me 
back to Hollywood but Maurice got that almost immediately on one pre-
text and another and there Was nothing to do about i t since we were and 
are completely at his mercy. Part of i t was to pay some b i l l s for 
Malcolm, which we found out later Maurice hadn't paid at a l l , and the 
rest he simply held me up for, I cannot borrow any more money from 
Penny, since I sent Malcolm a l l I had to get back to Los Angeles and 
had to borrow the money from Penny for my t r i p here, which needless to 
say has not been repaid but w i l l be. There are a limited number of 



506 

-3-
people from whom I can borrow money and I am trying to locate them and 
see how much I can get. Malcolm i s also trying everybody he can think 
of or locate so perhaps between us we'll dig i t up. We were trying to 
write articles for the l o c a l newspaper and earn my fare that way but the 
pay i s very small, the subjects are very limited, Malcolm i s not a 
journalist and he had a titanic struggle to produce the ones he did. 
Malcolm feels that i f he could get a job reviewing that v/ould be a 
swifter compromise but that i s impossible i n Canada. There i s apparent-
l y no literature. He also thought he might be able to s e l l what he" 
calls* 1 some of the less bloody poe;$jis"to Poetry Magazine or some such. 
Some of them have already rung quite loud bells i n England "among them 
wbtt are a l i t t l e less stern than Conrad and think himTtne Young Idea." 
He also thought The Last Address, i f the dialogue chapter Conrad spoke 
of were rewritten, could be sold,Whit Burnett having already virtually 
accepted i t . We are now up to our ears i n the Volcano and working like 
mad to get i t done. We wake up i n the morning talking about i t and go 
to sleep s t i l l s i t t i n g up i n bed writing. We are right i n the mood and 
swing of i t , Malcolm i s writing with f l y i n g pen and a gleam i n his eye 
and turning out work that anybody would be proud of and I think i t 
would be criminal for him to have to stop i n the middle of the book to 
write some articles which would take weeks of struggle. Not that he 
minds writing them or anything but i t took him four s o l i d weeks to pro-
duce two of them, one on Hollywood and the war, the other on Mr. Chips, 
more time than i t has taken to accomplish 30,000 words of ebb and 
flood of stark narrative, as different as chalk from cheese to anything 
Malcolm has done and I think far better. He might never re-achieve the 
feeling and enthusiasm and flow that he has now were he to be interrup-
ted and I can't l e t that happen since I f e e l that his work i s the most 
important thing i n his l i f e . Especially do I f e e l that to be true nov/, 
when he may only have a few more months and there i s so much he wants 
to accomplish. I help a l l I can, which he i s nice enough to say i s a 
l o t , but which i s r e a l l y very l i t t l e of course. He i s trying to aisrange 
a contract with the editor of the paper here for a series of articles 
to be written later, when the book i s finished, but to be paid for i n 
afvance and which would cover my fare. I f a l l else f a i l s we thought 
perhaps Conrad could come to the rescue i n this manner: we understand 
that Parks has a lump sum which i s drawn against as needed and which 
w i l l be turned over to Conrad on Malcolm's a r r i v a l . We thought that 
from this he might advance us just enough money for my fare, to be paid 
back later, but definitely paid back, says Malcolm, not, as i n days of 
yore, just chalked on the wall and later confused with the ping-pong 
score. I f he doesn't f e e l that he can do that we'll just have to stay 
here u n t i l we can raise or earn the money somehow else, 

Maurice, i n a burst of generosity, or conscience, said that I 
could stay here for two weeks after Malcolm l e f t without paying so that 
gives us that much leeway, which isn't very much but every l i t t l e helps. 
In a reaction from his gleam of sublimity the other day Maurice has 
gone on one of his recurrent rampages and i s threatening to throw us 
both out of the house and bring down a l l sorts of dire dooms on our 
heads. We think he i s about half crazy due to injuries received i n the 
l a s t war and he i s an almost unbelievable character who i s capable of 
doing very nearly anything, Phyllis i s wonderful, she has been so good 
to us that we almost welcome these rampages because when he takes i t 
out on us he stops beating her - she hasn't had a black eye now for 
a week. Well, i f he's i n a good mood when Malcolm leaves h e ' l l probably-
l e t me stay for a couple of weeks and we'll just have to hope for that. 



508 

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