Letter from Edward Thomas to the poet Gordon Bottomley. Sent from Steep, Petersfield, Hampshire. Archival ref: 424/1/1/1/10/185
Steep
Petersfield

2 viii 13

My dear Gordon
I am only very sorry you weren't
able to write. Even had you been well my
letters invited a return but didn't exactly
provoke or inspire or facilitate one. I will
not be such a nuisance again perhaps, as
I am last realising I had better fight my
battles instead of sending out lists of the opposing
forces etc. Things have gone ill & better again -
no work, no unusual strength, but a
better equilibrium & a certain amount of gain
from various studies in mysticism & mental
science & browsing, not studies. We have
moved & are now fairly fitted into my narrow
quarters to everyone's satisfaction. The children
are home for 8 weeks holidays, we have begun
with bicycle rides, an excursion to Goodwood
Races & so on. I go away tomorrow for a
few days riding west. Then from 16th to 23rd
Mervyn & I are guests at a houseboat in the
Broads. The end of the month the two
elder children & I will be near Guthrie probably,
the cottage shut up & Helen in Switzerland with
Irene. I was to have done a book in
Homes & Haunts of writers but didn't want to
& the terms were atrocious & I refused: it
could hardly be well done. My fiction appears
early in Autumn & might help me . . .
I don't want you to buy Aglevaine but
to keep it. And I am pleased to have given you
Kuno Meyer.
Perhaps September will see us together. If
not I shall ride up to the Shiffolds gladly
some Autumn day.
I sent on the letter to de la Mare. He
was very much run down & fine drawn
when I last saw him a fortnight ago &
will have been glad of a greeting from you.
Helen & I send our love to you both & hope
you can enjoy the sun. Yours ever Edward Thomas