Letter from Edward Thomas to his wife, Helen Thomas. Archival reference: 424/1/1/1/1/141
LINCOLN COLLEGE
OXFORD

28.1.1900

My dearest friend,

I am about to start on
a walk with Mugaw, but I certainly
must write first. Your letter was very
welcome & no less a surprise because
I expected it ! Still I could not help
being a little disturbed at what you
call the 'disturbed night' of yourself
& the boy; & I only hope that the least
unfavourable interpretation is to be put
upon your words. Irene's case can
not but trouble you. In fact it is
a pity you know anything about it,
for your worry is bound to have an
evil effect upon the boy. The loss of

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portrait of O'Brian from the Group in
our room. Let it be as near the
first as possible. I myself will put
in the mottoes. If he sends
it to me when completed I will
make suggestions if necessary & then
return it for him to take copies,
of which three are already wanted.

The price should be 2/- or 2/6; & he
ought to prepare one in time to
enclose it with the shirt Mother is
sending. The vest by the way I do not
see, but also do not need ; neither do I
need another nightshirt.

Did you write to Haynes?

Here I am the rain is spitting.
I am my own sweet little one, write lines for
PMAT Ever & wholly Yours Edwy.

worse was greater than I supposed. But,
really, the indifference of Kyrle Road is
wonderful. He certainly ought to have
gone out yesterday for even in misty
Oxford the weather was clear and
sunny. By the way, you certainly
ought early to harden the boy to
cold baths. Now that you have begun
the ridiculous practice of hot baths,
I suppose you must proceed by
reducing the temperature gradually
right down to its natural level,
morning by morning ; but for
heaven's sake! manage it somehow,
that the "child" in after life should

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not continually be a prey to
slight shocks of weather. This is
a reform you can carry with
quite by yourself.

I sat up very late on Thursday
day & did, besides a solid piece
of History, a page or two of
my article on 'Books of Childhood'
and a little reading. In spite of
a good deal of work (for I now rarely
do less than 6 or 7 hours of History
a day) I don't seem to advance,
& the Schools are ony four
months ahead - moreover I
have to take Divinity in less
than a month.

Please ask Ernest to do another