Letter from Frances Hodgkins to Hannah Ritchie
Date
23 Nov 1922
See transcription
Catalogue number
FHL029
Date
23 Nov 1922
Transcript
Thursday
My Dear Hannah
I am sending you the Salon D’Automne journal to look through & I hope will exhilarate you both as it has me. Let it be a foretaste of Paris at Eastertime. You can gloat over it for a week but please send it back sometime, especially if Dorothy shows signs of mutilation with that murderous guillotine of hers. If she is in a tearing-out or cutting-up mood don’t even let her glance at it. On second thoughts better not show it to Miss Burstal.
Mark the return to a certain plysical beauty in the nudes – nothing looks out of the way far fetched and mercifully the general tendency is a sane one. If you should care to post it on to Miss Nicholls pray do so – it would be a civil little reciprocity – only remind her to return it. It is precious in a way. I’ve been entertained by yr accounts of the Caravan & Company – I wish I had been there. Poor Miss Crosse’s sister’s arm – I hope its better.
Dorothy is sweeping – not to say biased & damns them all at a venture rather like Charles Lamb did the company at Mrs Jones’ dinner party. I am afraid she will not find much practicality & horse common sense among people who deal in ideas & work (or try to) creatively – they are too busy giving freer play to other impulses & can’t be judged by ordinary business like standards. We are all “dotty” & the “dottiest” are the salt of the earth.
Thank Dorothy for the Coue paper. He is “re-affirming” an old old story with a fresh personality. I firmly believe the only real & lasting help is self help – i.e. that Frances H. can only help Frances H. & so on – for all of us.
No more now friends. I am getting in train for work. The Bryces are gone to London – to a Flat-Studio for the winter. I feel in a workified mood thanks to all the jolly paints & brushes & canvas – all spread out & appetising.
A pupil is coming for a week so I have postponed thoughts of London for the moment. Meanwhile have hung a block of passpartouts on the white wall & they look fine most effective. Write when you are in the vein as shall I. Love to you both As ever Frances Hodgkins.
I have not answered yr letters in detail but just dotted down ideas as they occur – writing by & large.
My Dear Hannah
I am sending you the Salon D’Automne journal to look through & I hope will exhilarate you both as it has me. Let it be a foretaste of Paris at Eastertime. You can gloat over it for a week but please send it back sometime, especially if Dorothy shows signs of mutilation with that murderous guillotine of hers. If she is in a tearing-out or cutting-up mood don’t even let her glance at it. On second thoughts better not show it to Miss Burstal.
Mark the return to a certain plysical beauty in the nudes – nothing looks out of the way far fetched and mercifully the general tendency is a sane one. If you should care to post it on to Miss Nicholls pray do so – it would be a civil little reciprocity – only remind her to return it. It is precious in a way. I’ve been entertained by yr accounts of the Caravan & Company – I wish I had been there. Poor Miss Crosse’s sister’s arm – I hope its better.
Dorothy is sweeping – not to say biased & damns them all at a venture rather like Charles Lamb did the company at Mrs Jones’ dinner party. I am afraid she will not find much practicality & horse common sense among people who deal in ideas & work (or try to) creatively – they are too busy giving freer play to other impulses & can’t be judged by ordinary business like standards. We are all “dotty” & the “dottiest” are the salt of the earth.
Thank Dorothy for the Coue paper. He is “re-affirming” an old old story with a fresh personality. I firmly believe the only real & lasting help is self help – i.e. that Frances H. can only help Frances H. & so on – for all of us.
No more now friends. I am getting in train for work. The Bryces are gone to London – to a Flat-Studio for the winter. I feel in a workified mood thanks to all the jolly paints & brushes & canvas – all spread out & appetising.
A pupil is coming for a week so I have postponed thoughts of London for the moment. Meanwhile have hung a block of passpartouts on the white wall & they look fine most effective. Write when you are in the vein as shall I. Love to you both As ever Frances Hodgkins.
I have not answered yr letters in detail but just dotted down ideas as they occur – writing by & large.
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