Letter from Frances Hodgkins to Eardley Knollys
Date
31 Oct 1942
See transcription
Catalogue number
FHL376
Date
31 Oct 1942
Transcript
Dolaucothy Arms Hotel Pumpsaint Oct 31 42
Dear Eardley Knollys
If I may so address you I am still at the Inn, but depart in a day or so; before leaving I must send you a line to say how grateful I am to you for introducing me to Mr Morgan who has made it pleasant & easy for me to come & go about the Estate without the suspicious eye challenging me. I find the people around here, once they have placed you are friendly & helpful. I have done masses of work in between showers of torrential rain, in and about the woods & river of Dolaucothy and have even seriously made pictures of the funny chimney ornaments, which do so lend themselves to decoration. I love them – tender silly unarranged things, receptacle for old & faded letters. I always fall for them & always shall.
I think that you like them too so I am daring to send as a token of my friendship as well as a “keepsake” from Dolaucothy, forgetmenots & all, a gouache group from off the kitchen dresser in the house of Mr Morgan, who I may add is looking a sick man & more & more like the manservant in the Cherry Orchard every time I see him, which generally is Sunday, when he wears Sunday black in the true Chekov tradition.
The chopping down of the Cherry Orchard continued for some time during Mr L John’s absence: it sounded dangerous as I passed up & down the drive. Now ceased.
By the way you will find the slipper if you hunt for it.
Please let me know where to tell Styles (framer) to send the picture. It will not reach you for a little time but sometime before Christmas I hope when you will consider it no more than a card of greeting. Salut. It will make me happer if you will.
I think quite often, at least twice a week, of the chance or accident which blew me into this very green valley, green with a big G, now browning & falling to the autumn gales and so, at last, met you.
It can be gloomy & grey but not the temp gris clair of Cezanne. I am the only visitor left. No one comes, not even a commercial traveller in utility suit of clothes. It is the verge of winter.
My Dorset address is
Studio West St Corfe Castel Dorset
Let me say, once & for all, from the heart how much I thank you for all you have done for an artist friend. Never shall I forget it. Yours sincerely Frances Hodgkins
Dear Eardley Knollys
If I may so address you I am still at the Inn, but depart in a day or so; before leaving I must send you a line to say how grateful I am to you for introducing me to Mr Morgan who has made it pleasant & easy for me to come & go about the Estate without the suspicious eye challenging me. I find the people around here, once they have placed you are friendly & helpful. I have done masses of work in between showers of torrential rain, in and about the woods & river of Dolaucothy and have even seriously made pictures of the funny chimney ornaments, which do so lend themselves to decoration. I love them – tender silly unarranged things, receptacle for old & faded letters. I always fall for them & always shall.
I think that you like them too so I am daring to send as a token of my friendship as well as a “keepsake” from Dolaucothy, forgetmenots & all, a gouache group from off the kitchen dresser in the house of Mr Morgan, who I may add is looking a sick man & more & more like the manservant in the Cherry Orchard every time I see him, which generally is Sunday, when he wears Sunday black in the true Chekov tradition.
The chopping down of the Cherry Orchard continued for some time during Mr L John’s absence: it sounded dangerous as I passed up & down the drive. Now ceased.
By the way you will find the slipper if you hunt for it.
Please let me know where to tell Styles (framer) to send the picture. It will not reach you for a little time but sometime before Christmas I hope when you will consider it no more than a card of greeting. Salut. It will make me happer if you will.
I think quite often, at least twice a week, of the chance or accident which blew me into this very green valley, green with a big G, now browning & falling to the autumn gales and so, at last, met you.
It can be gloomy & grey but not the temp gris clair of Cezanne. I am the only visitor left. No one comes, not even a commercial traveller in utility suit of clothes. It is the verge of winter.
My Dorset address is
Studio West St Corfe Castel Dorset
Let me say, once & for all, from the heart how much I thank you for all you have done for an artist friend. Never shall I forget it. Yours sincerely Frances Hodgkins
Sender's address
Dolaucothy Arms Hotel, Pumpsaint
Credit Line
E
H
McCormick
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