![LAWRENCE, Thomas Edward (1888-1935). Autograph letter signed (with initials, 'T.E.S.') to 'Poppet of poppets' [i.e. R.A. Guy], Karachi, 15 March 1927, 2 pages, 4to (slight discolouring and wear to folds).](https://www.christies.com/img/LotImages/2006/CSK/2006_CSK_04075_0331_000(010812).jpg?w=1)
Details
LAWRENCE, Thomas Edward (1888-1935). Autograph letter signed (with initials, 'T.E.S.') to 'Poppet of poppets' [i.e. R.A. Guy], Karachi, 15 March 1927, 2 pages, 4to (slight discolouring and wear to folds).
'NO, I AM NOT HAPPY'. The letter opens with responses to a series of questions ('Your letter reads like a revolver duel'), beginning with the publications of 'my big book' [Seven Pillars of Wisdom] and the 'little book' [Revolt in the Desert] -- he has not yet seen a copy of the latter, but 'You will be able to read about it in the press'; also giving news of the duration of his intended stay in India, his good character ('not a spot on it'), his delicacy ('I stand on no corns. There is no lighter nor more tactful A.C.H.'), of various acquaintances, and of his state of mind: 'No, I am not happy: but am contented to mark time here until the goodness of time shall let me go home again. Happiness I get only in hearing music, and looking at good pictures, & reading good books, & fizzing hard down the Great North Road on a good bike'. The letter continues with news of his financial situation ('I am bored by an excess of spare time: and for the moment the boredom is increased by a shortage of cash ... I left England £7000 in debt to my stout hearted bank: and have given them Pole Hill, my Chingford land, and the proceed's of Cape's abridgement of my war-book to try & fill the hole. Also the pictures I'd collected to illustrate the edition you have', concluding with commiserations upon the recipient's naval career compared with the 'satisfaction' of the RAF.
Robert Guy was 'a young Aircraftman with whom Lawrence developed an especially close friendship' (Malcolm Brown, ed., The Letters of T.E. Lawrence (1988), p.230n.) during his first stint with the RAF; 'Poppet' and 'Rabbit' seem to have been his service nicknames.
'NO, I AM NOT HAPPY'. The letter opens with responses to a series of questions ('Your letter reads like a revolver duel'), beginning with the publications of 'my big book' [Seven Pillars of Wisdom] and the 'little book' [Revolt in the Desert] -- he has not yet seen a copy of the latter, but 'You will be able to read about it in the press'; also giving news of the duration of his intended stay in India, his good character ('not a spot on it'), his delicacy ('I stand on no corns. There is no lighter nor more tactful A.C.H.'), of various acquaintances, and of his state of mind: 'No, I am not happy: but am contented to mark time here until the goodness of time shall let me go home again. Happiness I get only in hearing music, and looking at good pictures, & reading good books, & fizzing hard down the Great North Road on a good bike'. The letter continues with news of his financial situation ('I am bored by an excess of spare time: and for the moment the boredom is increased by a shortage of cash ... I left England £7000 in debt to my stout hearted bank: and have given them Pole Hill, my Chingford land, and the proceed's of Cape's abridgement of my war-book to try & fill the hole. Also the pictures I'd collected to illustrate the edition you have', concluding with commiserations upon the recipient's naval career compared with the 'satisfaction' of the RAF.
Robert Guy was 'a young Aircraftman with whom Lawrence developed an especially close friendship' (Malcolm Brown, ed., The Letters of T.E. Lawrence (1988), p.230n.) during his first stint with the RAF; 'Poppet' and 'Rabbit' seem to have been his service nicknames.
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