Letter from Thomas MacGreevy to George Yeats. 22 September 1926.
[p.1 recto]
at 15 Cheyne Gardens,
London S.W. 3.
22nd Sept., 1926
Dearest George
I'm very glad — to have a letter and that you are coming to London.In her letter of 19 September 1926, Yeats wrote that she planned to be in London in two weeks.note Yes I shall be at your disposal on the Sunday afternoon. I have not been to the new wing of the Tate Gallery.Yeats and MacGreevy did probably spend 3 October visiting the Tate Gallery. Funded by Joseph Duveen, and designed by architects W.H. Romaine-Walker, Gilbert Jenkins and Charles Holden, the new galleries were opened on 26 June 1926 by King George V.note I went once but my feet refused to put themselves inside the door. However I don't suppose that that need happen again. Anyhow I am not voluntarily going to hand you over to anyone else for the afternoon.
It is a blessing The Big
House made money.See Yeats's letter of 19 September 1926
for her interpretation of the Dublin reception of
Lennox Robinson's play
The Big House.note Yes, of course,
Mrs OBrienMabel O'Brien, wife of Dermod O'Briennote would like the Black and
Tan part toned down. But I'm afraid I'm not wrong about the play as a whole.
And I'm sorry for more reasons than one — for instance —
Lennox has I believe been in
London — at least he mentioned in two
letters to
??
Hester while she
was in the French Alps that he was coming here on the 7th — and he
did not try to see me.In her reply to this letter on 24
September 1926, Yeats would
reassure MacGreevy that
Robinson never visited
London in September but instead was in
Cork.note I presume it was because I said
to him I thought the play needed more work put into it if it was to be
artistically a success. I was at pains to discount — I think I do
discount — the fact that I frankly did not sympathise with its
"back to the Parish Priest and Squireen" motif. However as I have always
begged him not to trouble about fitting me in if he had much to do in London
it was no matter his not trying to[p.1 verso] see me. What is matter
— assuming of course that he has actually been in
London — is that he wrote the day he
got back and mentioned that he had been away from
Dublin for a couple of days but not saying he had
been here.
A favour to ask — could I say How d'you do to Dulac with you if possible? The particular reason is this — Constant Lambert asked me to do a libretto for a ballet for him. I thought of a theme Vertumnus and Pomona and have now worked it out to the music. He is very pleased with it and is going to try for a production with décor by Dulac and choreography by Massine, both of whom he knows a bit.Yeats writes to MacGreevy in response that she was already planning on introducing him to Edmond Dulac. The ballet theme MacGreevy mentions, Pomona: Theme for a Ballet in One Act by Constant Lambert, was published in 1928. Dulac had introduced Lambert to Diaghilev earlier, resulting in Lambert's being the first English composer to write a ballet for the Russian impresario.note But I should prefer to have met Dulac independently of Constant Lambert who is merely a clever climber — a combination of Sylvia Lynd and Lady Hazel in the guise of a boy of twenty. The whole thing may come to nothing so don't say anything of it. And if it should be in any way awkward don't trouble about Dulac. I have an idea for another ballet but it should be done by Antheil or nobody.No collaboration between MacGreevy and Antheil is known.note And for all I know Antheil mayn't be interested in ballet. I have also three short — Nohish — plays in my mind. If I can get a translating job to do with money down I shall go away in December to a village above the Mediterranean where I know I can get lodgings for 30s a week, and maybe get something done.MacGreevy would spend Christmas with Stephen McKenna. Other than that, he appears not to have travelled during December.note Three months there by myself and I might have something to bring back. Anyhow I'm going to try. But I'm expected at home first — My mother has been getting presented to Cosgrave, "Timmy" Lynch, Batt O'Connor, Professor Sullivan &c.These were probably politicians visiting MacGreevy's home county.note It took her out of herself and that is the main thing. Don't tell me your mother is like — I won't have it.
Love
Tom.
Beatrice, Kevin & the forbidden fruit. No, he'll never be Adam to her Eve.