Letter from Thomas MacGreevy to George Yeats. 17 June 1927.

[p.1 recto]

Ecole Normale Superieure
45 rue d'Ulm
Paris Vme
17th June, 1927

DearestGeorge,

I was very glad to get your letter. I dont know which book Lennox brought you. One on Loches was for yourself, Cocteau's Orphée was with an eye on the Drama League but I think you'd have pleasure in it yourself too. If you think it would interest Dublin — and here it was touching as well as grotesque, the death scene and the loosing of the doves being particularly fine — and it was looking for a translator not otherwise. I could go and see Stock about it and some publisher in England might take it from me. What with Cocteau's conversion and its own charm I think Dublin would probably be interested. I hope that the Drama League will really do The Powers of Darkness next year too. As a compensation for The Constant Nymph Dublin is entitled to it. That must have been a nice business. Yes I saw the London production too and thought it as low as low. Hester took me and then took Dolly again. Lewis Dodd reminded her so of Lennox.

I have not much news. I am working very hard at a few things none of them any great account yet but which will bring in dineros later. I offered the dentist to Constant Lambert but [p.1 verso]he did not reply. I am not sufficiently the young man about town to be encouraged by Constant. I could probably get in touch with Auric here and that would be better. He seems rather a big pet and nearly everything in Constant derives from him. Antheil is looking for a theme for a ballet of which the sketches have to be with Diaghileff by August 1st and he seems to take it for granted that I can supply him with one. I thought of the Resurrection which treated in the style of Mantegna could be terrific. He likes the idea too but is more taken with a story of St John Chrysostom — & the Emperor's Daughter which I have thought of for him since long before I knew him. Lennox was shocked by it but then he is becoming such an old maid. ^nymph!. I think it very beautiful and I saved it specially for Antheil because I thought he'd have no wish to do anything facetious with it as Constant Lambert for instance would. ^{And I was right.} The Vertumnus goes on in October. I am also hammering away at the Valéry translation and hope to get it off to a publisher before I go away in mid-July. I am asked to go to Naples Rome Florence Venice, Milan, Lucerne and Paris with 4 Americans for Lunns, doing the whole thing in a fortnight. It's obscene and an insult to Italy and I'd much rather not but I'll be paid at the rate of ½5 a week. I don't know yet how much I'll get for the Valery but if Benn take it I'll be all right up to Xmas even if I don't stay on here, and then there may be something arriving from ballets etc. Eliot is also looking for something long for me he says I suppose there is no likelihood of your being in Paris soon? I wish there was a chance of a talk.[p.1 recto] And if I do get home you'll probably be away. Try to come over sometime. Love to all at 82. I have a p.c. of Lindbergh for Michael. The Prince's nose must be pretty well out of joint over Lindbergh. He has had the rêve de jeune fille field to himself ever since Valentino died.

Adiòs

Tom.

I am pleased to find I can read a novel again — for the first time in 3 years I am beginning to feel like a normal human being. But what a nightmare. Made it for myself quite miserably I suppose. I read "The Lover" by Conrad, the first thing of his I ever finished.