THE LETTERS OF RALPH VAUGHAN WILLIAMS

[3 Jul 1907]

Dear Randolph
It was nice to get your letter – I haven’t written because I had nothing particular to chronicle and because I knew you were happy. How jolly your country seat sounds – Maurice told me you had said something about it in a letter to him. Whereabouts is it? Is it near Howick – I’m afriad we’re not going to Howick this summer – next Tuesday we go to Meldreth near Royston  till the beginning of August – it would be jolly to be near you then – but plans are necessarily vague for us – I hear Maurice & Lucy¹ are coming to you some time.
I’ve seen a lot of Maurice – indeed he comes round most mornings and smokes a cigarette while I am “working”!
Most of my time lately has been taken up getting my magnum opus² ready for Cardiff & Leeds – it does take a long time getting things from the nearly ready to the quite ready stage. I had a most amusing time at Leeds the other day – I went to take the chorus through it – first I was introduced in a little speech by the secretary and afterwards I was interviewed by the “Yorkshire Evening Post” – the young man begged me to tell him what my hobby was – when I assured him there was nothing interesting about me he said “except your face”.
Finally I was taken to a hotel to wait for my train – and on the threshold I suddenly heard “Hello Master Williams” and found myself clapped on the back by two burly Yorkshire men – they turned out to be members of the chorus – they insisted on standing me drinks and one of them wanted to take me home with him – promising me a spare bed and a “Yorkshire steak” cooked by his wife!
Give my love to Iris – I like to think of the trailer but it would suit the flats of Cambridge better than the hills of Northumberland
Yrs vy affectionately
R Vaughan Williams

1. Maurice and Lucy Amos.
2. Toward the unknown region.