THOMAS HARDY (1840-1928)

細節

THOMAS HARDY (1840-1928)
A 2pp. a.l.s. by Hardy, dated Max Gate, Dorchester, 15.2.1921, to Hugh Massingham, editor of the Nation, discussing its amalgamation with the Athenaeum: 'I suppose the result will be like an egg with a double yolk? ... I did write a poem, I remember for the Nation when it began. But I was a trifle younger then!' and sadly admitting that 'I have lately been obliged to give up undertaking to write anything for anybody. I have two such engagements on my conscience now, & they trouble me, till I say, Never again'; a 4pp. a.l.s. by Florence Hardy, dated Max Gate, Dorchester, 7th Dec.'24: 'T.H. thanks you so much for all that you tell him about the harpsichord ... he much regrets that he never made a collection of old musical intstruments ...'; and 3 other a.l.s. by Florence Hardy; a privately printed card 'Any Little Old Song; Christmas 1934' (4½ x 3 in.), printed in red and black, with wood-engraved borders and vignette, containing Hardy's poem, inscribed on inside of upper cover: 'with affectionate greeting from Florence Hardy'; and another inscribed Christmas card. (7)

拍品專文

After the war, literary journalism in London was intensely active, with the Nation, edited by H.W. Massingham and H.M. Tomlinson, and the Athenaeum, under J. Middleton Murry, attracting particular attention. The two journals were merged in 1921 to become The Nation and Athenaeum before amalgamating with the New Statesman in 1931.

This letter to Massingham is not included in The Collected Letters of Thomas Hardy(ed. Purdy and Millgate, 1978). In Massingham, Hardy clearly recognised a kindred spirit. Following the latter's review of Tess of the D'Urbervilles, Hardy congratulated him and his paper 'for frankly recognising that the development of a more virile type of novel is not incompatible with sound morality' (cf. Michael Millhouse Thomas Hardy; a Biography, 1982, p. 318.)