Letter from Edward Thomas to the poet Gordon Bottomley. Sent from Elses Farm, The Weald, Kent. Archival ref: 424/1/1/1/10/66
11.viii.06
My dear Gordon, I have just got 5 minutes to spare and will do a little thanking to you - first for the letter itself, the books returned and the enclosures.
The Yvette song will do well. But may I use it and how am I to find out, I wonder. I have a hundred similar inquiries and really they are too much trouble for my fat head. Some must be dropped. And people ask fees - eg Elkin Mathews for anything and Marefield or Yeats or you (I suppose) - and I can't pay them.
Here I send the only volume of verse Belloc published. His 'Smith Country' is in 'The Open Row' and Lucas 'Sunex', also a fine drinking song in 'Book of Horace Club ' (Oxford).
The little tune I sent is a Greek folk song, and the way in which I wrote it out was quite correct, I believe - at least Freeman says the time is something strange. Four verses are perhaps too mysterious. How terse I can be!
Our elevation in Hampshire is about 400 feet and you can get 900 near.
I fear I must not include any foreign poetry except with music and of an early singing kind - eg
THE WEALD NR SEVENOAKS
Ca ira, Malbrooke sevarten guere, la fille du roi, Retour de Marin, Quand le feuille etait verte.
I am going to.try for 'O what if an fowler my blackbird have taken'.
Thanks for the suggestion's from Morris, Selwyn [illegible] Tennyson, O Shaughnessy. I will use them. I already had O Shaugnessy's 'Song of the Youths' - which you know. How can I get 'Hesperides'?
I shall use 'Gather ye Rosebuds' but I only want the airs. Again thanks.
I like 'The Woman of Chius' but doubt if I can find room for it. I will try and am glad to have it.
'Tobacco is an Indian Weed' I shall almost certainly use, though I think it is well known and rather weak.
I expect to get the words of 'Love me little, love me long' and then I shall be very glad of your time. Thanks and good bye.
Can you tell me if 'True Hollow Land' is out of copyright? I want to use a song from it.
19.viii.06
My dear Gordon, I have kept this by me for a week hoping to send it, but as I am busier than ever with an old schoolfriend who has to be fished, walked with all day, I can't.
Your card came yesterday.
About Noyes - a poem of his beginning 'Sherwood in the Twilight - is Robin Hood awake' has been anthologies already and much praised. I don't think a lot of it, but it is nearly his best and I am pleased with lines like:
'In Sherwood, in Sherwood, about the break of day'. It is in his 'Poems'.
He says in his fairy later are moderate: I can't recommend em.
I saved my proofs soon and now I am asked for 'particulars concerning the above' so that the publishers may send out a prospectus. Now is your chance as a romantic poet - a prospectus of [illegible] of England. You shall certainly see proofs and work at them.
Eheu! The lamp glass broken best one good custom should corrupt the world into the great a trust in the perdurableness of lamp glasses.
Goodbye, yours and Emily's ever, Edward THomas