Evelyn Blackett
aan
E. du Perron

Sunderland, 7 oktober 1929

14 Ashby Street -

Monday -

October 7th 1929

10 a.m. -

Dear Mr. du Perron, -

The lovely little books were waiting for me when I awoke this morning. Being a sensible sort of person I opened first a letter that I thought might contain bad news - & having got the bad news, I philosophically went to you for sympathy. Thank you so much. Do you know, I have rarely experienced such pleasure on opening a parcel that contained books. After the bad news they sounded like - a fairy-tale. You see I didn't understand a word to begin with: I felt rather like a small boy who has just wakened up & to whom a grown-up person begins to tell in very serious tones a beautiful tale all about giants & witches & princesses & gentlemen who come to rescue the latter. But as I got more wakened up, I called up my knowledge of Old English, compared the Dutch version of the ‘historiettes’ with your French one - & behold I'm almost beginning to understand. I shall steadily compare your French & Dutch versions as often as I can - & probably I shall get the hang of your mother tongue soon. - Thank you so much again. -

The great thing about life is to look for the things that make for equilibrium. Thus, against the bad news, your sympathy, etc. etc. I am really a wretched sort of person, born a prey to spleen - but do you know I'm conquering the old devil very slowly but surely. I've had rather a rotten time while working things out - but heaven knows I will complete the working out before giving my final decision on life. I'm strong & I must play the game.

- I've been writing a good deal this last week & shall try & publish the results. For they are in free verse - & hitherto I have published no free verse. Only a very few revues go in for it, for poetry in England is not in the same state of independence as on the continent. -

I have a lecture to prepare for tonight (which is leaving things rather late - however...) & packing & visits & other such nuisances to attend to. So I'll say goodbye for the moment. I am indeed sorry that I may not go over to Belgium this week. Perhaps it is just as well as I might have hugged you because of the fairy-tales! - & that is a thing which grown-up persons must really not do. -

Thank you so much again.

I am,

Yours very sincerely,

Eveline -

P.S. Anthologies usually publish the wrong things - so I shall look out for a good selection of some favourite poet - as Yeats or Brooke or Clarke.

P.P.S. I am sending two of our best known weekly literary revues. The ‘Everyman’ is the one in which I hope to see your ‘historiettes’. -

Origineel: Den Haag, Letterkundig Museum