Letter from Edward Thomas to the poet Gordon Bottomley. Sent from Elses Farm, The Weald, Kent. Archival ref: 424/1/1/1/10/62
THE WEALD NR SEVENOAKS
18.iii.06
My dear Gordon, Here is Dalman's poem. He has altered it I see, but for heaven's sake don't tell me it is not good enough will you? He says he wants a proof.
Do help me with my open air anthology. I want 200 good poems (if possible out of the way, whether new or old, so as not to overlap other similar collections0 suitable for the open air and as a rule suggesting it - you can guess what I mean. Another 80 or so are to be printed with airs, and if you can. Tell me anything specially beautiful in Chappell or elsewhere I hope you will - the songs must have moderately good words. By the way I may include your 'Maids if Glamorgan'. Shall I put your name to it? Or shall I have the 'Maid of Llandybie'? Probably I shall print one or two poems of yours if I might if I can find room.
Will you return my books as soon as any you can and send with them Beddoes and anything else I can search for good things?
Is Sturge Moore uppish? He was answering request for leave to print.
one or two of his pieces. Not will Gerald Guild. Give my love to Emily. I am still in the shades but the Weald is better than the museum. Yours ever Edward Thomas.