Box 1

"Thank you so much for this wonderful map. If the taxi man can't find the hotel after one glance at it he is not fit to drive. I'll time myself to arrive in the afternoon..."

"The Sandringham won't have me for the 26th. I can either stay in some central caravanserie, or postpone coming until March or April or May- I must confess I hate to postpone..."

"I'm so glad you're recovering from the demon's attack. It seems to be a horrid and insidious sort of flu. Take care now..."

"You must let me tell you- and I can't find words to do it well enough- how deep deep in your debt I am for my happy hours in your company and your house..."

"Thank you so much for this train pamphlet. I'll certainly look into it [...] I do hope and hope you've found the missing pocket of drawings, or remembered something you did with them..."

"How splendid to see your writing on an envelope. I thought of you and your family gathering after I left London and hoped it would not be in ways a strain, as family gatherings almost always are..."

"Thank you for the photographs. You must have had to work awfully hard during the Congress. I was exasperated by the article in the New Statesman and even more by an article in the Sunday Times..."

"It was so nice seeing you, and good of you to come so far. Here is your nail file, I found it in the bathroom long after you had gone. This nonsense about my having said that I am all for continuing flirtations with the Russians..."

"This isn't a letter, to be answered, it is only to beg you never to tell anyone, especially any PEN character (no names, no pack drill), that I am fit to be visited..."

"Thank you so much for writing to your friends in Sydney on my behalf. Unfortunately, they had had two bereavements in the family and we could not meet..."