Letter from Edward Thomas to the poet Gordon Bottomley. Sent from Steep, Petersfield, Hampshire. Archival ref: 424/1/1/1/10/197
Steep

13 ii 15

My dear Gordon,

Here is Morris XXIV & will you do the
same as before with it to Thomas Thorp, 93 St Martin's
Lane, W C? If you can read The Wanders & Aristomenes & Orpheus I shall believe you sham when
you say you are not a strong man.
I will get it off at once & it may reach you
on Monday.
Merwyn is sailing to America today with the
Frosts. I don't pretend to expect this or that yet
but I believe the time had come to let him see what
people were who [illegible] make him do things
as I can or a schoolmate can but who
nevertheless will expect him to give as well as take.
However, as I say, I don't know except that he could
not be worse off, even if the Germans torpedo the
St Paul (an American ship).
I am still a cripple. My ankle mends
slowly if at all, & I'm stupid, I haven't got the
doctor to say whether I am overdoing it if I tire
it at all. I haven't walked strong now for just
6 weeks. Can't even go up to my study more than
once a week.
What are the most English things you
know in English? I am making an anthology
of them. They needn't be explicitly about England
but must be rich in English landscape or character
or thought. Do tell me one thing, preferably
not by a living author.
Frost has almost bound me to go out
in the summer when he has got a farm working.
But I must see you before then.
My love to Emily
Yours ever
Edward Thomas