Letter from Edward Thomas to the poet Gordon Bottomley. Sent from Berryfield Cottage, Ashford, Petersfield, Hampshire. Archival ref: 424/1/1/1/10/138
Ashton
5 X 09

My dear Gordon,
Please thank Emily for her letter & especially
for her great truth concerning parents - 'as if
we had grandchildren on a visit! Here is the
last of the book. Is it any good? Remember
that you only saw an uncorrected proof of
the first 96 pages. They had unavoidably been
sent off before & I had not duplicated the corrections.
Now the [illegible] introduction - very dull - will
follow in a week or so, & then you will be able to
enjoy a happy Christmas & prosperous New Year -
I mean a 'merry' Christmas - 'happy'
is not the canonical word. If only I could
leave my things set up in type to correct as
freely as I liked! I do see the errors &
weaknesses & must school myself to see them
at an earlier stage. But of course 'The South
Country' is impossible from the start. I tried
to be continuous at Dent's request. Hence!
I hope you are better than when Emily wrote.
Please give her my love & Helen's.
Yours ever
Edward Thomas