Letter from Edward Thomas to the poet Gordon Bottomley. Sent from Rogate, Worple Rd, Wimbledon, London. Archival ref: 424/1/1/1/10/109
Royal Commission on Ancient Monuments in Wales and Monmouthshire, 36, Great George Street, Westminster SW. 15.ix.08
Rogate, Woorple Road, Wimbledon, SW
My dear Gordon, Thank you for your letter and the first batch of proofs and corrections. I feel sorry they should have pursued you into Keighley and added to your woes there. However the corrections or suggestions were very useful and I have adopted all but two - I dod not cut out those pendent clauses which as you proposed to do in order to gird up the loins of sick and sorry sentences. No I think I must leave it clear how my writing goes to pieces when I have solid material. You should see the South Country, the portentous stiffness with (irrelevant) observation. It is likely to get finished this week; and then the copying! Borrow follows - have you
heard of another new life of him? Who is the author?
I am horribly busy and have not yet learnt to fit in the new with the old work in a satisfactory way partly because I am in a very uncomfortable room here at Wimbledon. Very likely time will bring a solution - which sounds as if my doctor had done wonders for me! Well I believe I am better: ie my ordinary moods are better, my worst remain the same.
Goodbye and thanks, love to Emily, Yours ever Edward Thomas.