Letter from Edward Thomas to his wife, Helen Thomas. Archival reference: 424/1/1/1/1/182
Lincoln College
Oxford
17.6.1900
My dearest friend,
As I cannot walk so far as Blackwell’s nowadays, I am unlikely to meet Miss Lucas; and I am in form too poor to invite her to lunch. As for [illegible] I can not find it. You see my packing is very considerable and will take some days. Besides, my purse is empty. Also I have yet to see Edwards and

Doing that were to fill my remaining days at Oxford.
If I am better or have anything [illegible] I write soon [illegible] again.
Only don’t worry. It is not really dangerous and it does me to live an abstemious simple life.
With love, and kisses to Merfyn. I am ever and wholly, my sweet little one,
Edward.
Arrange for a course of work before the vivas. In fact I am inclined to accept Morgan’s invitation to stay up at Herdington - The air is so good, and it is within a distance that would not fatigue me. By the way, you must not tell anyone about my illness. As a matter of fact my disease

Is a painful and lingering one, and I shall not be freed of it for a month:
So think I ought to keep under the same doctors hands. It has ruined my schools already, and now I find making it easier by walking backwards and forwards to college when I ought to be in bed, and so far I have not begun. [illegible]