Reference
AU10/102/1/58
Title
Handwritten letter
Date free text
31 December 1953
Production date
From: 1953 To: 1953
Scope and Content
"I am shocked at your garbled version of the "Bridge of San Luis Rey" (though I am flattered to think you remember the sermon so long ago in which I referred to it)! It was not a train that crashed on the bridge (it was long before the advent of steam power), but the bridge itself! However, here is a Penguin edition of the book for you to read. I think it is cleverly brought out how the lives of those people had really ended when they fell to their deaths. But I doubt if it is true to life. Miss Eagles, for instance! Her life really ended about three years ago when Di died. Ever since then, her mental faculties have steadily declined. Now she is quite hopelessly senile, and soon I think she will be going into a Home where she will be under constant supervision. I am approaching the authorities at Roehampton Priory (quite near by) where I was Chaplain for a time, about her. The only snag is that I believe the charges are terrific (something like 20 guineas a week), and as this house could not be sold in her lifetime (she is incapable of putting her signature to a document and understanding what she is doing), it would have to be kept up, rates and taxes paid etc. and her capital would not stand the strain for an indefinite number of years. And she is quite likely to live to be 100, as her general physical health seems perfect. However, lawyers, doctors and others are all considering the question: so something will come out of it eventually.
Back to the "Bridge of San Luis Rey"! It was Wilder's first novel and like so many other writers, he never did it again! I read all his later books, but they were feeble in comparison. The same thing applied to Margaret Mitchell, who wrote "Gone with the Wind". (Don't tell me you never read that, or I shall have to send you that too!) She sever seemed ablt to produce another readable novel. Both she and Wilder are dead now.
You should tell Andrew to join the central YMCA in Tottenham Court Road. There is absolutely everything there a young man could wish for: one of the best gymnasiums in London: swimming bath, warmed in winter: debating societies, dramatic societies, restaurant, concerts: he would have no need to go to cinemas in the evening. He could even live there if he wanted! They have lots of rooms. Tell him to go along and ask for the Secretary. He will have to give the Rector's name as a reference. The subscription is not much, and once he joins, he will always have somewhere to stay whenever he comes to London (just like having a Club in town).
How sad to think old Sir Anthony's house no longer stands! What a different Ampthill from the one I first knew in 1933, when Ampthill House and Ampthill Park were both inhabited and dispensing liberal hospitality. Tomorrow is New Year's Day. Up to the time the Miss Russells left the Park, every New Year's Day they gave a luncheon party, and always the same guests went. (I have an idea it was Constance Russell's birthday): Sir Anthony, Mr.Broun, Mrs.Farrington Downes, Mrs.Lambton (from Tingrith Manor), the Hon.Guy Russell, (I think it was, or it may have been one of the other Russell brothers), and myself. Year after year we met, and now I believe Romola and I are the only survivors!
By the way, if a film called "A Day to Remember" comes your way, and you go to see it, you will see my nephew, Vernon Gray, in it. He is the son of my cousin Cynthia, who had a American father, and married an American. Vernon plays the part of an American soldier in the film, and it is his first part. He is coming out in a leading part in a film next year. As he is under contract to an English film firm (I forget which) he has a flat in London, so we see a good deal of him here. He is a very nice, quiet lad. I saw them filming the scenes with Vernon in them at Hampton Court early this year.
All good wishes for 1954.
Your sincerely"
Level of description
item