LAWRENCE, T.E.
Als to Henry Williamson. 3pp. folding densely written in ink, signed TES, from 13 Birmingham Street, Southampton and dated 14.v.34.
| Estimate: | £2,000 - £3,000 |
Lawrence expresses his joy that Williamson is back from America earlier than he thought: “the excellent nuts (I eat one per week, ritually, as I visit my cottage where they are all stored) had all confirmed me in that feeling of your being gone”… he is pleased because “I feel that contact with plain men, one’s equals, is a necessity for mental health.”
Lawrence refers to Williamson’s book ‘The Gold Falcon’ and reverentially Williamson praises Williamson’s writing “you have the gift of twisting surprises out of ordinary words and situations and happenings” but he is worried that “your writing costs you too much”.
He writes about using all his free time to go to Clouds Hill “for that half ruin and wholly unfinished place must be cleaned up enough, by this writer, to act “home” to me in the spring.” Sad about leaving the R.A.F. the following March, Lawrence is convinced that the cottage will give him comfort “I have never had any sort of house of my own before.”
The isolation does not bother him “I’m not, I think, a lonely person; though often and generally alone”, describing himself as “ordinary company, but bright and sensible. Almost I would say popular!”
With the original envelope in Lawrence’s hand
Provenance: Property from the library of a Dorset Gentleman.
Bibliography: T.E. Lawrence, Correspondence with Henry Williamson, ed. Peter Wilson, p.172; Genius of Friendship, ‘T.E. Lawrence’ by Henry Williamson p.66
After T.E. Lawrence wrote to Henry Williamson from India in January 1928 about his book Tarka the Otter which had been published in 1927, the two men began a correspondence and friendship which lasted until Lawrence’s death. They were both very unusual, sensitive men who Williamson himself described as having twin psyches. Their letters were frank, honest and very illuminating and most of their friendship was conducted through their correspondence (they only met twice and very briefly). We have nine of these important letters from T.E. Lawrence to Williamson which date between August 1928 and December 1934, thus documenting most of their relationship. Lawrence died on 19th May 1935.
