Letter from Frances Hodgkins to Ree Gorer
Date
26 Jan 1937
See transcription
Catalogue number
FHL242
Date
26 Jan 1937
Transcript
Studio West St Corfe Castle Dorset Jan 26th
My Dearest Rée
Many thanks for your most welcome messages & news. I am glad all goes well, or at least better, with life more bearable than during the black patch of afflictions which seemed to swamp you on all sides no matter in which direction you moved but your great care has steered the barque through safely & happily. Your letter ends on the finale act of Richard’s rescue from nursing home and all is well. I hope you are nursing & taking care of yourself. Strength comes back slowly as you know. I have been knocked out by bronchitis but am recovering – dodging pneumonia is what it amounts to. You really need to be very single minded about these colds & watch yourself. Such a wicked waste of good time. I quite agreed on the diagnosis – 3 parts bronchitis 1 part temper.
I have hardly done an honest stroke of work this awful month : take out my brushes, look at the little brutes, give them an airing & put them away again – that is about the note of it.
I have been thinking how pleasant it would be to run over to Bradford & stay at The Croft for a few weeks, with yours, & of course, Geoffrey’s approval but now comes the news of poor old Mrs Trask’s painless & sudden death, a terrible upset & shock for them, coming after her marvellous recovery.
From one point of view it is a most merciful release before real old age got hold of her.
I have been scouring the village for flowers but all I find are a few drenched violets, the only other bloom within reach is my flowering cactus, hardly the thing, so I have wired & written.
I will give the Coggan Family time to recover from the funeral & bereavement & then, if you consent & the coast is otherwise all clear, I will snatch at a brief little rest & change. I feel like a blob of my own paint & it would be nice to get a fresh angle on the scene & Geoffrey’s garden, with the Spring slowly coming in will be a good place.
I hope you have good news from Tibet & he is sustaining all the rigours well & as toughly as ever. Much love & I’ll hope for a p.c from you. I beg you not to bother to write. Frances
My Dearest Rée
Many thanks for your most welcome messages & news. I am glad all goes well, or at least better, with life more bearable than during the black patch of afflictions which seemed to swamp you on all sides no matter in which direction you moved but your great care has steered the barque through safely & happily. Your letter ends on the finale act of Richard’s rescue from nursing home and all is well. I hope you are nursing & taking care of yourself. Strength comes back slowly as you know. I have been knocked out by bronchitis but am recovering – dodging pneumonia is what it amounts to. You really need to be very single minded about these colds & watch yourself. Such a wicked waste of good time. I quite agreed on the diagnosis – 3 parts bronchitis 1 part temper.
I have hardly done an honest stroke of work this awful month : take out my brushes, look at the little brutes, give them an airing & put them away again – that is about the note of it.
I have been thinking how pleasant it would be to run over to Bradford & stay at The Croft for a few weeks, with yours, & of course, Geoffrey’s approval but now comes the news of poor old Mrs Trask’s painless & sudden death, a terrible upset & shock for them, coming after her marvellous recovery.
From one point of view it is a most merciful release before real old age got hold of her.
I have been scouring the village for flowers but all I find are a few drenched violets, the only other bloom within reach is my flowering cactus, hardly the thing, so I have wired & written.
I will give the Coggan Family time to recover from the funeral & bereavement & then, if you consent & the coast is otherwise all clear, I will snatch at a brief little rest & change. I feel like a blob of my own paint & it would be nice to get a fresh angle on the scene & Geoffrey’s garden, with the Spring slowly coming in will be a good place.
I hope you have good news from Tibet & he is sustaining all the rigours well & as toughly as ever. Much love & I’ll hope for a p.c from you. I beg you not to bother to write. Frances
Sender's address
Studio, West St, Corfe Castle, Dorset
Credit Line
E
H
McCormick
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