Our first lessons were from Ford Madox Ford's 'English Review' which was publishing some of the best young writers of the time. We discussed Bridges and Masefield... For myself the suger-bag blue of the 'English Review' was decisive. One had thought literature was in books written by dead people who had been oppressively over-educated. Here was writing by people who were alive and probably writing at this moment...
Century: 1900-1945 Reader/Listener/Group: Victor Sawdon Pritchett Print: Book, Serial / periodical
'her main intellectual interests were always literary, and as a novelist she was predominantly engaged in the business of reading and writing, with a keen critical interest in the works of other writers. She read avidly, modern poets such as T.S. Eliot, Roy Fuller, Auden and Cecil Day Lewis, and contemporary novelists, admiring in particular the work of Faulkner and Ford Madox Ford, Virginia Woolf, Ivy Compton Burnett, Sylvia Townsend Warner, Jean Rhys and Elizabeth Bowen. Jean Rhys's bleak, beautiful novel "Voyage in the Dark", published in the same month as [Lehmann's] "Invitation to the Waltz", had much impressed Rosamond, who invited its author to tea'.
Century: 1900-1945 Reader/Listener/Group: Rosamond Lehmann Print: Book
Virginia Woolf to Hugh Walpole, 8 November 1931:
'I'm reading Middlemarch with even greater pleasure than I remembered: and Ford M. Ford's
memoirs [Thus to Revisit] -- fascinating, and even endearing; but I long to know the truth
about him'.
Century: 1900-1945 Reader/Listener/Group: Virginia Woolf Print: Book
'I have read "Shifting of the Fire". I have read it several times looking for your "inside" in that book; the first impression being that there is a considerable "inside" in you. The book is delightfully young.' [thereafter 30 lines of critical comment for what was Ford Madox Ford's first novel, written in his teens and later adapted by Edward Garnett.]
Century: 1850-1899 Reader/Listener/Group: Joseph Conrad Print: Book
'Many thanks for the "Cinque Ports" which came today as a most agreeable surprise. In the matter of outward characteristics the book has substance, appearance an air of sober finish which to me is very pleasing. [...] Hueffer's talent has been from the first sympathetic to me. Throughout his feeling is true and his expression genuine with ease and moderation.'
Hence follow nine lines of restrained praise.
Century: 1900-1945 Reader/Listener/Group: Joseph Conrad Print: Book
'Your paper in the "Academy" mutilated as it is by the mystic mind illustrates my meaning.'
Century: 1900-1945 Reader/Listener/Group: Joseph Conrad Print: Serial / periodical
'Thanks for the "Rossetti". My opinion of it you know but I am reading it carefully. It is good.'
Century: 1900-1945 Reader/Listener/Group: Joseph Conrad Print: Book
'I have just got my French article in print: it reads quite nicely'.
Century: 1900-1945 Reader/Listener/Group: Ford Madox Ford Print: Serial / periodical
'The [underlined] whole [end underlining] trouble [in Bowen's relationships with her friends Phyllis and Clifford] is that Clifford doesn't admire your poetry!! so that somehow there is something lacking in their personal sympathy with me!!! And [underlined] I [end underlining] don't admire Clifford's, - tho' I try and dissemble a little - so you [underlined] see [end underlining]!! And this morning relations with P. were a trifle strained becaused she read me some poetry she'd written, for criticism, I said I thought there were always too many Stars & Pools & Buds in what she wrote, & she said I was so dreadfully sophisticated and affected!'
Century: 1900-1945 Reader/Listener/Group: Clifford Bax Print: Unknown
'P.'s roving eye fell upon your letter of today, & read the beginning of the sentence about "Poor old Phyllis & her poems!" Which led to demands to know how it ended. Which led to strenuous refusals on my part & denials of her right to ask, and assurances of the trviality of the reference. Which led to really violent hysteria.'
Century: 1900-1945 Reader/Listener/Group: Phyllis Reid Manuscript: Letter
'I have been interrupted [in finishing a play] by getting back the m.s. of [underlined] Mr. Bosphorus [end underlining] which I have just gone through again, cutting it a little. I shall send it off again this afternoon.'
Century: 1900-1945 Reader/Listener/Group: Ford Madox Ford Manuscript: Unknown
'I had a long conversation in the tram yesterday with an old maid who had just come back from Florence & talked about pictures, & when I said that I thought Giotto was more decorative than Holbein she... quoted my own "Holbein" against me, without knowing my name... But I think she had a shrewd suspicion that I was... Maurice Hewlett. For she said that someone in the Hotel Montfleuris had pointed me out as "writing" & immediately began to rave about [underlined] "Little Novels from Italy" [end underlining]. So I got off at the next stopping place - at little Africa.'
Century: 1900-1945 Reader/Listener/Group: anon Print: Book
'I am rather dithered after writing nearly all night & [underlined] then [end underlining] reading the [underlined] Marsden Case [end underlining] - not without satisfaction.'
Unknown
Century: 1900-1945 Reader/Listener/Group: Ford Madox Ford
'I read "The Old Houses of Flanders" & "Clair de Lune", first half, & "Thank Goodness the Moving is Over" last night after my speech... & I was signing copies of my books for an hour an a half afterwards!'
Unknown
Century: 1900-1945 Reader/Listener/Group: Ford Madox Ford
'I was lately forced into the rather close examination of this book, for I had to translate it into French, that forcing me to give it much closer attention than would be the case in any reading however minute. And I will permit myself to say that I was astounded at the work I must have put into the construction of the book, at the intricate tangle of references and cross-references.'
Century: 1900-1945 Reader/Listener/Group: Ford Madox Ford Print: Book
'a fervent young admirer exclaimed: "By Jove, the [underlined] Good Soldier [end underlining] is the finest novel in the English Language!" whereupon my friend Mr John Rodker who has always had a properly tempered admiration for my work remarked in his clear, slow drawl: "Ah yes, it is, but you have left out a word. It is the finest French novel in the English language!"'
Century: 1900-1945 Reader/Listener/Group: anon Print: Book
'a fervent young admirer exclaimed: "By Jove, the [underlined] Good Soldier [end underlining] is the finest novel in the English Language!" whereupon my friend Mr John Rodker who has always had a properly tempered admiration for my work remarked in his clear, slow drawl: "Ah yes, it is, but you have left out a word. It is the finest French novel in the English language!"'
Century: 1900-1945 Reader/Listener/Group: John Rodker Print: Book
'The last mail brought me your Dedicatory letter. I am [underlined] so [end underlining] touched & so very very proud. I don't know how to tell you how proud it makes me.
It is lovely of you to want to pay me such a tribute. Of course I don't deserve a quarter of it. Some day I shall begin to tell you what [underlined] you [end underlining] have done for [underlined] me [end underlining]!
I suppose you know me well enough however to guess that at the idea of your letter being [underlined] published [end italics] I am overcome by feelings of really awful - shyness, I suppose it is.'
Century: 1900-1945 Reader/Listener/Group: Esther Gwendolyn, 'Stella' Bowen Manuscript: Letter
'I read about your earlier dinner quite by accident in "Books" - & by the way I have never had the copy with your Stephen Crane article. I liked [underlined] very [end underlining] much the article about Ezra -
I have read Hemingway's book - It seems pretty good. I like that hard clean sort of effect - but I think it gives also the effect of brittleness - or is that nonsense? It is also rather dazzling & tiring. He has touched me off rather nastily - rather on Jean's lines - So I feel very discouraged! Even you don't quite escape. Still its all of no consequence.
Jenny had Violet's book lying about yesterday, which really [underlined] did [end underlining] rather upset me - The Envoi appears to say, that with someone who has had so [underlined] many [end underlining] final grand Passions there will [underlined] never [end underlining] be [underlined] any [end underlining] means of knowing who was really "the" one!
Century: 1900-1945 Reader/Listener/Group: Esther Gwendolyn, 'Stella' Bowen Print: Serial / periodical
'I have inspected all the work the binder has done for you and as far as I can rember it seems to be what you ordered. He has put 'Hueffer' on the back of 'Thus to Revisit' having copied the jacket - but I suppose that is of no great consequence.'
Century: 1900-1945 Reader/Listener/Group: Esther Gwendolyn, 'Stella' Bowen Print: Book
'first let me say how splendid I think the "Last Post" is. (By the way, Duckworth has acknowledged receipt of MSS, so that's all safe). Mark's death is a lovely poem. And poor Valentine! But all that is a bit too near the knuckle. Still I'm the only person who is going to feel that, and it doesn't make it less wonderful art. I'm glad you didn't have a scene betwen Helen Luther and Valentine.
I let Bradley read the MSS before sending it to Duckworth and he is awfully enthusiastic. He thinks it is a wonderfully sustained finish to the whole series. Only he expected a tragic denouement and was taken aback by the capitulation of Sylvia! So was I, rather. But I don't think you've ever in your life done anything better than you've done in this book. There is nothing better anywhere in Literature than Marie Leonie, Mark on Women, and the boy, and even Valentine's agonies even if she [underlined] is [end underlining] so beastly normal! Anyway that is my opinion.'
Century: 1900-1945 Reader/Listener/Group: Esther Gwendolyn, 'Stella' Bowen Manuscript: Unknown
'first let me say how splendid I think the "Last Post" is. (By the way, Duckworth has acknowledged receipt of MSS, so that's all safe). Mark's death is a lovely poem. And poor Valentine! But all that is a bit too near the knuckle. Still I'm the only person who is going to feel that, and it doesn't make it less wonderful art. I'm glad you didn't have a scene betwen Helen Luther and Valentine.
I let Bradley read the MSS before sending it to Duckworth and he is awfully enthusiastic. He thinks it is a wonderfully sustained finish to the whole series. Only he expected a tragic denouement and was taken aback by the capitulation of Sylvia! So was I, rather. But I don't think you've ever in your life done anything better than you've done in this book. There is nothing better anywhere in Literature than Marie Leonie, Mark on Women, and the boy, and even Valentine's agonies even if she [underlined] is [end underlining] so beastly normal! Anyway that is my opinion.'
Century: 1900-1945 Reader/Listener/Group: Bradley Manuscript: Unknown
'I am not half so pleased [as with "The Last Post"] with "New York is not America", the American proofs of which I am now wading through. The sentences seem to be so dreadfully long.'
Century: 1900-1945 Reader/Listener/Group: Ford Madox Ford Print: page proofs for American edition
'on Saturday the English proofs of Last Post descended on me and on Monday the American one's and I literally could do nothing else as Boni's wanted the proofs back on Monday night. That however was impossible, but I got them finished yesterday and then was too exhausted to do anything. In addition I have any amount of reading to do for the Collier's serial'.
Century: 1900-1945 Reader/Listener/Group: Ford Madox Ford Print: page proofs for American edition
'on Saturday the English proofs of Last Post descended on me and on Monday the American one's and I literally could do nothing else as Boni's wanted the proofs back on Monday night. That however was impossible, but I got them finished yesterday and then was too exhausted to do anything. In addition I have any amount of reading to do for the Collier's serial'.
Century: 1900-1945 Reader/Listener/Group: Ford Madox Ford Print: page proofs for English edition
'I am very touched by all the tributes in your New Year's letter, & enormously pleased with The Last Post. I don't believe you have any last idea how much I admire your genius, & how proud it makes me of my association with you [Stella then talks about her own painting] But your letter, & the "Last Post" together, seem to mark the end of our long intimacy, which did have a great deal of happiness in it for me, & which did involve us in a great deal of decent effort.'
Century: 1900-1945 Reader/Listener/Group: Esther Gwendolyn, 'Stella' Bowen Print: Book
'Many thanks for the 3 chapters - they look entrancing, but I haven't had time to do more than glance at them as I've had a sitter all day'.
Century: 1900-1945 Reader/Listener/Group: Esther Gwendolyn, 'Stella' Bowen Manuscript: Unknown
'Cape has seen the first 4 chapters [of what Stella calls 'Towards Tomorrow']. He finds them full of charm but says he could not make a better offer than Gollancz's, nor indeed such a good one.'
Century: 1900-1945 Reader/Listener/Group: Cape Manuscript: Unknown
'I've just received "The Great Trade Route" this morning, and there's a gentleman on the cover who tells me that it is "bland, ironic humurous [sic] discursive, always amusing, throughly convincing" & I've been trying to find the place where I left off in the proofs but have just realized how futile such a search is & have gone back to the beginning.'
Century: 1900-1945 Reader/Listener/Group: Esther Julia Ford Print: Book
'I am loving your book [The March of Literature]: in fact I'm enjoying it even more than Great Trade Route. I do hope it's doing as well as it deserves'.
Century: 1900-1945 Reader/Listener/Group: Esther Julia Ford Print: Book
'The blessed vol: ["The Fifth Queen"] arrived about 4 days ago - or is it a week? I've read it twice - thats all.[...] Here I'll add one more phrase bearing upon the most "sensible" general effect.[...] The pictorial impression of the whole is positively overwhelming.'
Century: 1900-1945 Reader/Listener/Group: Joseph Conrad Print: Book
'[Ford's] "The Heart of the Country" is out today and a very charming piece of writing it is.'
Century: 1900-1945 Reader/Listener/Group: Joseph Conrad Print: Book
'I've read Hueffer's portrait of Mr John Galsworthy several times. It is interesting mostly as a portrait of Mr Hueffer himself. I have my own strong conception of J.G. I can't say I've been greatly edified. Looked upon abstractedly the thing is distinctly good.'
Century: 1900-1945 Reader/Listener/Group: Joseph Conrad Print: Serial / periodical
'In many respects and from an absolute point of judgement - the book ["An English Girl"] is simply magnificent.' Hence follows a page of almost unqualified praise.
Century: 1900-1945 Reader/Listener/Group: Joseph Conrad Print: Book
'And of all the men who write today it is only Hueffer who writes for love[...]. I took up the "H[eart]of [the]C[ountry]" which was lying there and opening it at hazard I showed sentences here and there asking whether they could have been written from any other conceivable motive.'
Century: 1900-1945 Reader/Listener/Group: Joseph Conrad Print: Book
'Thanks for the book. You know what I think of it in so far as I have been able to express it. I did not do it very well. There is a singular fascination about this last volume of the trilogy. I've been dropping into it ever since it came and I am as far as ever from discovering a particularly precise formula of my admiration.'
Century: 1900-1945 Reader/Listener/Group: Joseph Conrad
' I have just finished the book ["Mr. Apollo"] which reached me this morning [...].It comes off magnificently.'
Hence follow 14 lines of almost unqualified praise.
Century: 1900-1945 Reader/Listener/Group: Joseph Conrad Print: BookManuscript: proofs
'If we had telephonic communication I would call you up and hear me thump my chest and cry mea culpa for not having written to him [Ford Madox Ford] about the [Henry] James book for which the precise word is: delightful.'
Hence follow 6 lines of praise for Ford's new book.
Century: 1900-1945 Reader/Listener/Group: Joseph Conrad Print: Book
'Many thanks for the book which is excellent and super excellent; even to the point of making me uneasy lest its true and vibrating notes be lost in the beating of the pans and (more or less) savage yowling of the market place.'
Century: 1900-1945 Reader/Listener/Group: Joseph Conrad Print: Book
'I was writing something so I refrained from looking at "The Good Soldier" (according to my time-honoured practice) till I got a few pages out of the way.'
Hence follow six lines of praise for the novel.
Century: 1900-1945 Reader/Listener/Group: Joseph Conrad Print: Book
'As to the novel I think that between us two, if I tell you that I consider it "tout à fait chic" you will understand perfectly how much that "phrase de l'atelier" means to the initiated.'
Century: 1900-1945 Reader/Listener/Group: Joseph Conrad Print: Book
'He [Henry Tippett] read us a great mixture of things, from history (in which he was steeped) and historical romances such as Ford Madox Ford's "Lady with Bright Eyes" [sic] to Tennyson's "Idylls of the King" and Edgar Wallace's stories of African colonial and tribal life, in "Sanders of the River".'
Century: 1900-1945 Reader/Listener/Group: Michael Tippett Print: Book
'The writer [Ford Madox Ford] sat in the grandfather's chair,his back to the window, beside the fireplace, reading, his manuscript held up to the light: Conrad sat forward on a rush-bottomed armchair listening intently. (For how many years did the writer and Conrad not sit there like that!). We began reading after lunch of a shortish day; the lamps were brought in along with the tea.'
[Thence follows a page and a half describing Conrad's reaction as a listener.]
Century: 1850-1899 Reader/Listener/Group: Ford Madox Ford Manuscript: Unknown
'By the same post with the ordered copy of the E[nglish] R[eview]arrived the charming cahier
des vers ["High Germany"] inscribed to us both. I have been turning over its pages ever since, in
a manner of speaking, perfectly fascinated with its feeling and music. It's you--very
characteristic-- and yet with a difference--how shall we say it? A sort of deeper vibration.'
Century: 1900-1945 Reader/Listener/Group: Joseph Conrad Print: Book
