THE LETTERS OF RALPH VAUGHAN WILLIAMS

Villa Cristobella, Forio d’Ischia, Italy

2 May, 1958

This harbour is what you make out of old volcano craters!  Its the port & the shopping town, full of little holes & corner shops & wonderful Italian fashions in expensive boutiques.  We have a lovely home just like Herculaneum, & after 10 days of horrible weather its summer.  Everything is flora, & lizards running under every stone.
Ralph is very well & into Act III – I feel he’s like a porpoise close behind me … we both send all of you our love
Ursula.

Mrs Lefanu
Shottesbrook
Boreham
Essex
Inghilterra

1.  VW was writing Thomas the Rhymer to a libretto by UVW.  The work remained unfinished at his death.  On the writing see R.V.W.: a biography, pp. 392-94.