Letter from Edward Thomas to the poet Gordon Bottomley. Sent from Elses Farm, The Weald, Kent. Archival ref: 424/1/1/1/10/24
Elses Farm
2.xii.04

My dear Gordon,
Please thanks for that stupid
F.. R. S on Wales for book & [illegible], for
your letter. They reached me while I was
in London, doing 9 days at the British Museum
& the letter was therefore most welcome. But
as I have now begun 'Wales' & moreover, have
a column 'on a light subject' to do in a
few minutes for The World at a day's notice
I have no time.
But Wales. I suffer as Jonah
did.
I have written 3 or 4 thousand
words & have done nothing but enumerate my
disqualifications and give a list of places I
haven't been to and don't want to go to or have
been to and am to be silent about - all
the famous places. 'But if I laugh, 'tis
that I may not weep' Do suggest something
or send me some instigation or ridicule. I
want to please you: & perhaps I shall, if
you help. I wish I could tell you how
good your letters are to me. I believe
that you would go on writing for ever, even
if you didn't love me as you do.
Isn't this a rotten book. I see some
misprints & yards of the unnecessary.
But it honestly is Ransome's fault. He said
he wanted a book & (incredible as it may seem)
I obliged him.
With love from Helen & me &
Merfyn ( (who remembered our walk with
you through that rickyard with the pond
& the walnut tree, yesterday ) to all
of you at Wellknowe
Every yours
Edward Thomas

P. S. I got a copy of 'The Venture" from
Baillie but have only read your things which
perhaps I admired more than I liked. Which
is simply old Toryism on my part. I don't
admire 'The Skeleton' but I like it a little:
which is more reasonable.
N. B. I read even your things in haste,
as you have already guessed.