ALS, London

"I wrote Rothenstein ... that I could not sit as it was a kind of picture I disbelieved in, good as his intention undoubtedly was. I guessed that you and most of the others would have a similar feeling about it."

TLS, Santa Fe

Sends his latest book of poetry to Housman "even though I guess before hand that you will care little for it."

TLS, Santa Fe

"Years ago Laurence gave me copies of a most enchanting ... set of nonsense verses written by you in your early years ... I cannot lay hands on them and am wondering if you will not be so gracious as to let me have new copies."

ALS, Herts

Informs Housman that the verse he has sought - "O that I was where I would be, Then would I be where I am not; But where I am I must be, And where I would be I cannot" - can be found in several sources

TLS, Buckinghamshire

Discusses the delayed publication of the Eighteen-eighties, a collection of literary essays edited by De la Mare

ALS, Birmingham

"Will you accept the enclosed from one of the 'Shropshire Lad's' warmest friends?"

ALS, Strathaird

Brings to Housman's attention a Plato passage that he came upon while leafing through Ritter & Preller's Historia philosophiae. "Tell me some time whether it shakes your opinion."

ALS, Bangor, Wales

Writes to inform Housman that he is being nominated to receive an honorary literary degree from the University of Wales. Asks Housman to reply as soon as possible as to whether he will allow his name to go forward

ALS, n.p.

Thanks Housman for publishing Last Poems which "crossed the line that divides a book from a companion," as did A Shropshire Lad.

ALS, Dorking

Forster sends a volume of short stories to Housman. "I don't know whether there is such a thing as impersonal affection, but the words best express the feeling I have had towards you, through your poems, for the last thirty years."

ALS, Bedford (2 photocopied pages of)

Frazer thanks Housman for sending him a copy of his Last Poems, expresses the fervent wish that they will not be his last and compares them to Heine and Goethe.

ALS, London (photocopy)

"How charming of you to send me your Latest (not Last!) Poems." writes a reviewer for The Sunday Times.

ALS, France

"M. Devos, the curé of the village in which we are billeted, happened to find in my room my copy of 'A Shropshire Lad' and this evening brought me 'as a small souvenir' a translation of one of the numbers." Included is a translation of one of Housman's poems, beginning "Lorsque j'avais vingt ans," written on the back of Denis Devos's card

TLS, Oxford

Asks Housman if he will permit his poems to be anthologized.

ALS, Dorchester

Hardy thanks Housman for sending Montague Rhodes James's Ghost-stories of an antiquary. "Two or three of them have been read aloud ... and I was agreeably sensible of their eeriness, even though the precaution was taken of keeping them at a safe distance from bed-time."

ALS, Cambridge (photocopy)

"This is only a line to say what a great pleasure and something more than a pleasure it has been to acquire my copy of the poems."

ALS, Kent

Writes Housman "to report NO GO in the Shelley MSS as far as I am informed by careful enquirers particularly Mr. Peck of Exeter as per letters enclosed which have been given to me by Mr. O. Doughty."

AL, London

From publisher or bookseller "We will send the remaining volume (or vols.) as published."

ALS, London

Housman's friend and former co-worker at the Patent Office congratulates him heartily on being appointed Professor of Latin at London University. "It is funny to think how I used to chaff you about your work producing no money, and all the time you were working silently on with that strength of purpose which I can admire but can't imitate ... Dear old pal I'm as pleased as if I'd done something good myself."

ALS, London

"Pray find room among your collection of pamphlets for this" [The Progress of Poesy].

Mackail sends Housman another book: "I don't suppose that you will find the enclosed little piece of connoisseurship either very interesting or very valuable. Still I should like you to have it from me."

ALS, Oxford

At the bottom of a typed French translation of No. XLVIII of A Shropshire lad, MacLaren writes: "May I once more ask your permission to publish this translation (which I have revised) of your poem, in a French journal?"

Sends greetings to Housman on his seventy-fifth birthday. Martin includes quotations on the genius of Housman from Edwin Arlington Robinson, Robert Frost, Allen Tate, Louis Untermeyer, Robinson Jeffers, and William Rose Benét

Typescript copy, n.p.

"You, Mr. Housman, are to me the greatest living poet. I fear coming ages will judge you too negative to sit on high with the Olympians, not knowing that in your negation you have read our times aright. May there be more to live for and less to weep for in the better times to come."

Folder also includes AL fragment 1970 Nov 15 "Dear Adele" (See Box 2: 11)

ALS, Cirencester

Thanks Housman for his kind letter

ALS, "near Reading"

Writing for his ill brother-in-law, Sir Henry Head, Mayhew sends an extract of an article published in Brain in 1908 in which Head and a colleague refer to "tests of the nervous sensibility of the hairs of the human body." Having read Housman's lecture on Leslie Stephens, Head "thinks that you might like to know that the physical experience which you have found aesthetically so significant has been scientifically recorded. It seems to be an example of the longstanding association between
Medicine and Letters which has meant personally so very much to Sir Henry."

ALS, Oxford (photocopy)

"I c May 25, 2007

ALS, Bromsgrove

The Headmaster of Bromsgrove School thanks Housman for a gift. "I accept it with true gratitude & Sainsbury shall do his best to set it [into] song."

TLS, Cambridge (photocopy)

Oldham writes to say how much she admires Housman's "new" poems.

ALS, London

"Even if you do not see eye to eye with us on our Anti Govt-Coalition Policy there is no reason that I can see why you should not give us one of your delightful speeches on the general question"

ALS, London

"I fear our talk must stand over until next week... My daughter is dealing with some of the points you raise in The Suffragette this week. It seems to me that to support Mr. Lansbury in his efforts to make the Labour Party do its duty to women as a party is the essential preliminary to giving them individual support in elections."

ALS, London

Platt writes enthusiastically about the newly published Last Poems: "I read you through three times on end ... today I find that what I didn't much care about at first so grows on me that I give up any selection as hopeless." Also discusses the reactions of critics and colleagues. Encloses "a sonnet to amuse" Housman entitled "To William Shakespeare of Stratford who did not write his own plays."

ALS, Wimbledom Common

Pollard writes regarding Last Poems. He praises the volume, writing: "I can't think of anyone else who says as much in eight lines as you can."

TLS, London

"My dear Housman, Shall I give this man the usual permission?" Initialed by Housman with the reply "Yes" and the date of 1917 Jun 2.

Removed from RBR PR 4809 H15 A68 1936b

TLS, London

Richards responds to H.'s proofreading of Double Life.

ALS, London

Richards discusses a review which appeared in The Daily Mail.

ALS (initials only), London

Richards gives Housman advice on where to dine while in Paris.

ALS, London

Richards gives Housman advice on where to dine while in Paris.

ALS, London

Richards is sending manuscripts to Housman.

ALS, London

Sends to Housman for his approval, references made to Last
Poems, which are to appear in Richards' second book of memoirs.

Folder also includes empty envelope in Grant Richard's hand: "2 photographs of AEH taken by Mrs. Grant Richards."

TLS, London

Response to Housman's query regarding the number of copies of Last poems in stock

Thanks Housman for his copy of Last Poems. "Hardy long ago prepared me for this sheaf. But we are never prepared for either excellence or stupidity. Stupidity is the commoner commodity. And though I have never been moved by the doctrine of Christ taking the sins of man upon himself that men may be saved, it looks as though a few men do actually preserve a generation from damnation by futurity. I doubt whether you have looked on yourself in the light of a savior: I imagine you rather scornful of the role."

ALS, Cambridge

Thanks Housman for commenting on his book Louis Napoleon and the recovery of France, 1848-1856. "Very many thanks for the corrigenda ... I am very glad to have these now as they may just save me from stereotyping my errors."

ALS, n.p.

Folder of 12 poems (See reply in 3: 13). Folder also contains separate handwritten poem Atlas by Stevens and ALS from Binyon, Lawrence to Stevens thanking Stevens for the poem.

In regards to Housman's poem, "For my Funeral," which he apparently gave to Stewart so that it could be used at the appropriate time.

TLS, Cambridge

Informs Housman that "the edition of Dryden is a Clarendon Press one ... edited by C.H. Firth ... The note is on page 231."

Herbert Warren

Warren thanks Housman for a copy of his Last Poems "with the author's complements."

ALS, Cambridge

"A letter, written by Edmund Burke to Lord Rockingham, is dated 'Beconsfield, Tuesday, December 5th, 1769.'"

ALS, Woods Hole, MA

An American collector recounts tales of the effects of A Shropshire Lad on various acquaintances. He also asks Housman the favor of copying out 2 verses

ALS, Godalming (photocopy)

"I can't tell you how kind I think it of you to have remembered me and sent me your beautiful book, which everyone is running to get..."

fragments of ALsS and ALsS photocopies