Letter from Edward Thomas to the poet Gordon Bottomley. Sent from Elses Farm, The Weald, Kent. Archival ref: 424/1/1/1/10/17
Elses Farm
The Weald
Sevenoaks

1.vii.1904

My dear Gordon,

Why didn't you let me
know that you went to be in London again?
I was up for a few hours on Wednesday,
& if I hadn't been so hesitant, I should
certainly have called at 95, for I
thought of it twice in my wanderings.
I am very sorry to hear of the
misfortunes of your book & hope they
are over. Still the nasty little Unicorn
is dead. Crosland seems to have been kind.
Elkin Mathews should be all right. He
is not only poor but honest - a wonderful
combination of virtues especially in a publisher.
But what does he know about me?
I will think about sending the story
of Philaster to Baillie. But to copy
out such a thing will require much
vanity or much self-denial.
Yes, what of Ransome? I asked
him to come here, but have not heard
from him for 5 weeks, tho I heard he was
in the North. Whose reader is he?
Also, why does he want to publish a
book, & a book of essays, above
all of essays written out of malice
aforethought?
I am again rather busy with a
long article on county books to be written
for the 'World' etc. But I am also
much puzzled by Yeats's 'Tables of
the Law'. Does he see the point
(if any) of the two storks? Or
are they records of experiences to which
he hopes that the reader may discover a
point? I like them especially the
'Adoration of the Magi', but they
seem to me full of gaps, unless of
course they are simply records of
experiences. Tell me what you think-
Bt I have 9 volumes of
verse at my elbow - two dramas etc-
and must work.
I shall not easily forgive you for
not giving me a chance of seeing you
here or in town.
With Helen's love Yours ever
Edward thomas

Did you see the 'Saturday's'
attack on my hysterics, forced humour & imitation
of Chesterton? Another case of constipation, I suppose.