Philip Larkin
Page 45
Maeve is off with a bad cold. She says people at work were treating her like a leper.
I haven’t heard from Monica yet: she returned on Monday.
I am rather snowed under with work, and am missing Betty terribly. She is, as you know, staying with her married brother for a week. The architect called today & we had dinner together, discussing our plans. The present cost is £1,000,000! No doubt the government will step in and clip chanticleer’s comb close. It all seems terribly unreal, lifts going 150ft per ¼ minute, and so on.
Well, once again I send my love, old creature: I hope you have a happy day with nothing to make you gibber. I shall be with you in spirit, and hope you will join me in a glass
to celebrate.
All love, Philip.
1 Eva’s seventy-eighth birthday was on 10 January.
2 Hammonds was the largest department store in Hull at the time.
3 See Appendix for Eva’s response on 12 January 1964.
12 January 1964
32 Pearson Park, Hull
My dear old creature,
[…] When I was in London, I bought 4 “beer goblets” at Harrods – reduced to 15/- each – and they came yesterday. They are huge, holding over a pint each. I don’t suppose I shall use them for beer. They make even one of my large gin & tonics look pretty insignificant.
Well, I am beginning to get hungry again (2.45 p.m.). I do hope you are going along peacefully. If you don’t want the shopping basket on wheels, what wd you like?
Very best love. P.
18 January 1964
32 Pearson Park, Hull
My very dear old creature,
I expect having folded this paper in this way will lead to trouble when it comes to putting it in the envelope! It’s easier to handle it this way, though
Well, I am writing this on Saturday as Sunday may well be occupied, wch means I haven’t gone into town for my shopping. For lunch I had a tinned s. & k. pie, & pretty horrible it was – I had one many years ago, & must have hated it then, as I never had one since. Strange flesh! (You remember Mark Antony – I think – said that as a soldier he was freed to feed on ‘strange flesh’.)1
I’m glad to say my cough shows signs of departing. I must have caught it in London, & it has been really troublesome. I still cough early in the morning and have been taking Gee’s.2
Lloyds Executor & Trustee Department has put my NALGO money into Dowty Group (machinery), Shell, and Scottish & Newcastle Breweries. They say “first class equity shares are the best medium for safeguarding capital against inflation.” Don’t ask me what equity shares are! This kind of thing, I suppose.
This has been quite a busy week, though I haven’t been out except to dinner with a lecturer in American History & his wife. They have a little adopted coloured girl of 4½ who seemed extremely intelligent & pretty.3 I had lamb & a nice sweet, but suffered through lack of water.
Bunny must have gone to sleep for the winter. “Immers’d in furs Doze the gross race” – Thomson, about the Eskimos,4 but it sounds like rabbits, doesn’t it? I was touched by your account of Beauty gazing at Kitty as if he understood what she said – I can’t pretend I’m very fond of Beauty, but anything that loves & is loved is worth preserving. I hope his other abscess heals.5
The BH’s continue noisy – they were playing the piano last night so noisily that I thought they had moved it into their bedroom under my sitting room – but when I went into my bedroom I felt as if I was in the piano, it was so clear! – and noisy! How the Phillipses stand it I don’t know.6
Have you told me about the men lodgers next door? They are new to me. Today is very clear and frosty. The article you read by me provoked several letters of agreement and I shall try to get the record companies to do something.7 I have been writing for the D.T. now for three whole years – never a month missed! I have to do 2 in Feb Ogh ogh!!
Would it be all right if I were to come home next Friday? I think I should spend Sat. in Leics. Sunday in L’boro, as I haven’t seen M since before Xmas.
Sunday. I have just a little spare time, so I add a line or two.8 It is a dull, slightly misty morning. I thought you might have heard from Alice’s sister and Uncle, sorry Cousin, Walter, but the former may be busy & the latter too worried.
I am using the beer goblets for gin & tonics – I can put plenty of ice in without fear of overflowing, In fact I can see why they didn’t sell – they are far too large to hold comfortably, even with my size of hand, but I like them because they are so outrageously large.9
The BH’s have woken up down below – I thought I heard a strange note on a pipe. In addition to their horns & the piano, they have some kind of pipe, or clarinet. How I suffer!
Monica has been very busy & consequently tired. I don’t know why she doesn’t get organised more – it’s easy to talk I know, but she could surely have written her lectures over Christmas, instead of leaving them till the night before. All these holidays lecturers have …
Well, I must do a little tidying and shoe-cleaning. I hope you are keeping yourself well & warm. Have you any flowers in your garden yet?
With best love
Philip
1 Shakespeare, Antony and Cleopatra, 1. iv.
2 Cough linctus or pastilles.
3 P. A. M. (Philip) and Miriam Taylor. Philip Taylor later became Professor of American History in the Department of American Studies at Hull.
4 James Thomson, Winter, 943–4, The Seasons (1730).
5 In a letter of 14 January Eva had written: ‘I am glad to say that Beauty is much better and is eating his food again. I don’t know whether the abscesses will heal permanently. […] “Poor Beauty”, but how he does love Kitty. When she speaks to him he gazes at her in dumb devotion. I’m sure he knows what she says.’
6 Ground floor neighbours. See Moira Phillips, ‘Larkin Recollected’, About Larkin 33 (2012), 11.
7 The Daily Telegraph article was ‘The Billy Banks Sides’ (11 January 1964; All What Jazz, revised edition, 103–4). An LP of Billy Banks’s recordings was made in 1970. See Richard Palmer and John White (eds), Larkin: Jazz Writings, Essays and Reviews 1940–84 (Continuum, 2004), 168.
8 On a larger sheet of paper.
9 See Booth, Philip Larkin: Life, Art and Love, Plate 18.
2 February 1964
32 Pearson Park, Hull
My very dear old creature,
How profoundly thankful I am that the weather is mild & fine! When I think of the appalling time we had last year – the worst winter since 1740 – I think how nice it is now.
I had a big surprise this week on Friday, in that some advance copies of The Whitsun Weddings came. Now to save myself work – lazy creature – I have asked Fabers to send out copies in my name to people who live out of Hull (that small minority), & so you will be getting yours by post from them: however, it is not to be published until 28 Feb (why not 29th), so it may not arrive till nearer that date. I’m sorry for the delay. It is a thin book with an extremely ugly jacket: however, it’s exciting to have it. The poems seem different in mood. Its motto might be: if you don’t like it, turn over, the next one is quite different. But on the whole it’s an unimpressive lot. I dread the reviews. There’s no news of Jill so far – expect it won’t be far behind. […]
What are they all doing at Bunny? Much love Philip
1 March 1964
Hull
My very dear old creature,
My journey back was prompt, for once! We got in at 8.55 – there was no waiting at Derby at all.
You will be amused to know that a girl invaded my compartment with a copy of my book to autograph! Also, after Rotherham a young man I know slightly did the same! It all sounds very famous, but I expect the girl was a Hull student & knew me by sight. Still, she had the book.1
When I got in I ate the pork pie – very nice. Also had some Horlicks. There was an invitation waiting for me to the reception after Bob’s wedding on 4 April, in the wilds of C. Durham or somewhere.2
Can’t think how I shall get there, if I go.
Thank you for all your kindness – that meat was really quite nice, wasn’t it?
Love,
Philip
1 In her letter of 3 March Eva related that a Mrs Stubbs had suddenly asked at a meeting of the Circle of Silent Ministry: ‘“Have you brought the book of poems with you?” We were quite a small gathering, only five, so therefore more cosy and intimate. Miss Unwin, our Leader was very thrilled and interested, and would like me to take the poems for her to read.’
2 After two divorces Conquest married Caroleen MacFarlane, his third wife, in 1964. They divorced in 1978.
5 March 1964
32 Pearson Park, Hull
My dear old creature,
Thank you for your letter that arrived first post today as usual. I’m glad you found the weekend exciting – it was, really, wasn’t it? Old poet-creature. The shops here have quite sold out – the university branch had 50! It was a very nice weekend & I did like my lunch. I’m sorry the meat doesn’t look so nice. I have found a kind of frozen rissole called “porklet” or something – I do eat strange flesh!1
You’ll be surprised to hear that on Tuesday I bought a car! I don’t suppose I shall use it much, but it will be very useful getting about in Hull & exploring the country. It is a Singer with an automatic gearbox wch makes it very easy & (I hope) safe to drive. I must confess that I told K. & W.2 last Sunday that I had ordered one as they knew I had learned to drive but it only came on Tuesday. I didn’t want to have you worrying until I felt fairly confident about it: as long as I don’t do anything rash I think it will be all right. So don’t worry! Please!
The B-H’s3 have asked me to dinner on Sunday! and they have stopped playing their horns, at least for the moment, so that is good. I had a nice letter from Mary4 that said Helen like[d] going down to the bottom of the orchard where there was a mass of snowdrops. Doesn’t that sound nice?
Very best love P
1 See note to letter of 18 January 1964.
2 Kitty and Walter.
3 Burnett Halls.
4 Mary Judd, formerly Wrench. Philip and Betty Mackereth were godparents to Helen, Mary’s infant daughter.
5 Eva wrote (3 March 1964) that, after the meeting of the Circle of Silent Ministry, ‘Miss Mee (spiritualist) walked along with me for a short distance coming home and during our conversation, which was mainly about your writing I remarked that I wished your Father could know and she replied “He does know. There is no death, you know, we live in another body.”’
24 May 1964
32 Pearson Park, Hull
My very dear old creature,
[…] Reading about Whitsun makes me think I was lucky to get back alive! I think what the roads need is (a) a speed limit (b) plenty of patrolling police with power to fine on the spot. I drove out a little yesterday afternoon, as far as Brough, a place I have never been to.1 It wasn’t very interesting, but the sight of the river was nice. It is queer to feel I can “go anywhere” now!
I went to London & saw the TV man: he took me to Ealing where the famous Comedies were made, & showed me some films made of Ezra Pound, Robert Graves, & John Betjeman. They weren’t very good. I also handed over “to the nation” one of my poetry notebooks – one of Auden’s has just been bought for £600, so I thought as I gave it I was probably doing myself damage.2 Mine covered 1944 to 1950, or Wellington & Leicester – curious unfocused years. It will go to the British Museum. Of course, the Americans have been doing this for years.
[…] I can hear a rook calling – ark, ark, ark. Go & clean the car, it seems to be saying.
Very much love, Philip
1 A small town on the Humber estuary twelve miles to the west of Hull; site of the Roman Petuaria.
2 On 26 May Eva wrote: ‘By the way, what did you mean when you wrote that you thought by handing your poetry notebook over you might be doing yourself damage?’ He replied on 31 May: ‘I meant that in presenting my ms to the BM I was giving away something that might have fetched a lot of money. It doesn’t show me as a v. good poet either. It’s amazing how all through 1944–1950, or nearly, I wrote absolutely badly in quite the wrong way. There is absolutely no evidence that I should ever write anything worth reading – assuming I ever have, of course.’
6 June 19641
32 Pearson Park, Hull
My very dear old creature,
I am just snatching a moment before they “come for” me at 10, if they do come for me – all arrangements are liable to sudden change. This whole affair is proving one of the most exhausting undertakings I have ever agreed to2 – there is far too much to tell you: on Wednesday I was filmed in the Library, on Thursday in the fishdock (up at 6!) & a ruined chapel, & recorded in my flat, on Friday in a church over the river at Barton, on Saturday in my flat talking to Betjeman, who is here for a few days (he was much taken with Virginia!)3 Today there are supposed to be further conversations with B. on the ferry, but the trouble is the weather. It has been dull & rainy all the time & is quite spoiling the whole project. When I think of all the fine weather in May I feel quite disappointed.
I’m not doing it at all well, but I suppose they will edit it till it looks better.
Betjeman was also much excited by the picture I have that Uncle Alf left me, & says it is a De Wint.4 I doubt this!
I was interested to hear abt the Sunnyville5 – it sounds a shade homely but no doubt they will be friendly. I feel like coming home myself for a rest! but alas, there’s no chance of this.
The BBC stood Betty a special hair-do so that she could appear as my “loaf-haired secretary”. Betjeman has brought his Teddy-bear Archie, also a girl called Lady Elizabeth Cavendish.
I shall be relieved to get back to normal!
Love d.o.c. Philip
1 Larkin wrote ‘6 June (is it?) 1964’. The postmark is 7 June (Sunday).
2 Filming of the BBC Monitor feature ‘Down Cemetery Road’ took place between 3 and 10 June.
3 Larkin’s wickerwork rabbit. See Plate 16A & B. Betjeman was deeply attached to his battered teddy-bear, Archie, mentioned later in this letter.
4 Uncle Alf had possessed a collection of fine china and glass. Peter De Wint (1784–1849) was a celebrated English landscape painter.
5 Eva had written to hotels and boarding houses in Southport, where she and Nellie were intending to take a holiday.
10 June 1964
My very dear old creature,
I have a few minutes before “they” come at 10 a.m. for what is promised to be the last session of all – just one of me looking down into the park. Oh dear, what a week it has been. Yesterday Betjeman & I did our final conversation in my burial ground – what it will sound like I can’t imagine: one just blurts out anything that comes into one’s head. Funnily enough, the man in charge of the whole programme “Monitor” has resigned, or left, or something: it will be funny if the new man (not yet appointed) decides to scrap the whole thing! Towards the end it began to seem more like a programme about Hull introduced by Betjeman. I suggested they should call it “To Hull with John Betjeman.”
Thank you very much for the letter that arrived on Monday. I’m afraid you are being sadly bothered by the weather. Dear old creature, remember that you have gone unharmed through so many years, it’s unlikely that you’ll be hurt now. Think more about crossing roads.
Last night I had dinner with the producer1 (I paid) & we then went to a funny sort of music hall where you can sit at tables & have drinks & watch 3rd rate acts. They are interested in making a film of it, it strikes them as interesting. I must say it wasn’t bad. Daddy might have liked it: it’s rather in the German style.
Had better end now. Much love P
1 Patrick Garland.
14 June 1964
32 Pearson Park, Hull
&nb
sp; My very dear old creature,
This is the kind of day I don’t particularly care for – dull & still & warm. One is awfully hot at night – almost nothing is bearable. On the whole I feel rather low – physically as the result of a party last night, quite a nice one & I left well before the end, but fatiguing none the less; spiritually by reason of the feeling that what little of my life that isn’t irrevocably over I am WASTING. I had one or two bad reviews recently, which I don’t really mind but there they are. Some Australian paper thinks I embody everything bad in poetry at present! I don’t think I do. Actually I don’t embody anything at present, good or bad, since I don’t write anything.
On Friday I fulfilled a longstanding promise and allowed Betty to drive me out into the country for dinner in my car. We went to the place at Holme where I went once before with the architects: I had duck again. It was very nice. Betty is an odd person: under, or alongside, her stern secretary manner is a completely frivolous, almost skittish person, a kind of schoolgirl that giggles at the back of the class. She was telling me how at 18 she was directed into industry (that wd be about 1942) and trained as a factory inspector. She even learnt how to weld! This threw her into a pretty rough world and I sometimes suspect nothing since has ever made much impression on her. Of course, I may be wrong. She’ll be 40 this month, and is much looking forward to her TV appearance.1 […]
My salary has gone up to £3950! Far more than I am worth. I expect everybody else is paid more, wch will be more than they are worth, too.
Thank you for the cuttings – I saw the Yorks. Post one. Bunny United have been in a bad way before.2 I don’t suppose they are very conscientious about gate-money! […]