THE LETTERS OF RALPH VAUGHAN WILLIAMS

From R. Vaughan Williams,
The White Gates,
Westcott Road,
Dorking.

[April 4th 1940]

My Dear

I’ve not written for ages.
Thank you (1) for the primroses – I loved my little bunch
(2) Spectatators¹ – I dutifully read W. Harris² – he is rather mild and non-committal – He is coming to speak in Dorking soon – so I suppose I must go & hear him
(3) Poems on F.U.³ which I like
– otherwise I have no news – I am trying to take up some of the things I was writing in the summer – but I doubt with what success.

I won’t read G. Heard⁴ after what you say.
I must think more about Belshazzar⁵ before we get down to it.
Take care of yourself my dear
Yours

RVW

1. sic.
2. Possibly William H. Harris, at this time organist at St George’s Chapel, Windsor.
3. Federal Union [of Europe], of which VW was a supporter.
4. Gerald Heard was an American historian and writer on various subjects.
5. See VWL1556, footnote 1.VW had had an idea for an opera based on Belshazzar. UW had typed out the draft of his scenario; see R.V.W.: a biography, p. 225.