Letter from Edward Thomas to his wife, Helen Thomas. Archival reference: 424/1/1/1/1/174
17 Worcester Place
26.v.1900
My dearest Friend
I am very sorry that I expressed myself brutally in my last letter. But always remember that if I seem to be troubling about nothings or trivialities that I have reduced myself by drinking and to a very morbid habit of mind, in which these things are as terrible as harmless beetles to a victim of delirium tremens.

to be amusing.

Excuse me but my head is quite empty and I don't even
feel equal to working, let alone writing a letter

But kiss me & forget that my language was unkind. Kiss
Merrymaking for me, and now goodnight my own sweet little
one

I am ever & wholly yours

Edward

I am very weary, and as rest is impossible, only excitement will relieve me. The unfortunate thing is that my surroundings at Lincoln give the excitement in hideous form. Lincoln by the way is getting a name for immorality. It would indeed be funny if my name were handed about as a fearful reprobate, as very probably it will - though any kind of fame is unlikely for such as I. My hard drinking, blasphemy, and ingenious obscenity are
strangely incompatible with my really meek, harmless
character.

It is now near 2pm. I have just lunched, & must now go out and post this letter in time for tonight. I shall work this afternoon for I had a slack morning drinking soda water.

Morgan comes up tonight and Marie and I are to lunch
with him tomorrow. The meeting ought