Letter from Thomas MacGreevy to George Yeats. 30 December 1926.

[p.1 recto]

at 15 Cheyne Gdns,,
London, S.W. 3.
30th December, 1926

Dearest George

You opined right. It was in pure gaiety of temper you came in for a small solitary mention. I'm sorry it led to complications and you may be sure it won't happen again. I suppose nothing will ever put an end to this parents business. Here's Dolly wanting to go to Dublin for rehearsals of the "Emperor Jones" and on Lennox's suggestion, and the detouring we all did in order to avoid tempers from Hester on the subject though comic in one way was a damned nuisance too. However its all smoothened. Hester thinks Dolly is really going to save her decorative schemes So a happy time should be had by all. I spent £12 on my Mother this X-mas but she will ask in her next letter as likely as not whether I have seen any Catholic friends recently meaning that she'd like to hear I had been to confession and Communion. I shall not report my visit to S. MacK — which was most blessedly happy — because of his "apostasy". [p.1 verso]Oh dear. I was interrupted there. The auditor came in to reckon up my income tax and tells me I'll have to pay at least £12.10.s. Isn't it iniquitous? I must go to France where nobody pays any taxes. Seriously I think I am right to try and go. I can't spend 6½ hours in the office and then do reviews and then turn round and try and get things out of my myself — at least not really well. I'm going however to try and get a short play done for you before I go. It's title will be The Woman Taken in Adultery by Giorgione. Or if it isn't, it ought to be. But its not going to be facetious if I can help it. If I could get the first phase of it written I wouldn't mind. The scenario is done these weeks past, and I think I ought to be able to get what I want out of it. It will be only one scene but the one after it will be three. It will be about St. John Chrysostom. Both should have music and possibly, but not certainly dance. Constant Lambert is in Paris seeing Nijinska. I got Vertumnus and Pomona really freshly I think at the end. At first it was a mere straightforward projection of the legend but (tho' I shall be kept in the background) he came to me before he went to know whether I had any more ideas and I gave it a few twists that should take it out of itself. I do hope he'll get it done and that I shan't get left out of the financial side of any arrangements that are made as I might easily be with him. He remarked that of course there was so little of the librettist in any ballet based on an old legend. Curious the impertinences people allow themselves.

I was at a party at the Fowler's. Two Brahmns sextets and Mrs. Shakespear in the most magnificent dress and shoes. I hear you have a gramophone. Do say whether you play it for yourself and whether[p.1 recto] you'd be interested to hear of records we've found successful and what new ones you have found. Stephen had grand records. He had a story of Pearse W.B. mayn't know about. All three of them were on a Gaelic League platform. W.B. spoke and Pearse was to follow. As W.B. sat down Pearse turned to Stephen and said "How can I talk after that. I shall be like a dog barking."

Love to you all.

Tom