THE LETTERS OF RALPH VAUGHAN WILLIAMS

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

[10 April 1940]

My Dear

What lovely primroses – & so fresh.
I got the Spec¹ at once & saw you in it.
I like the one about the swans very much – though I am not sure about the word ‘Earth’ – because the whole point is that it is not ‘earth’ in the material sense – would ‘World’ be possible.
It occurs to me are you too often deca-syllabic.
Would some metrical & short line & rhyme scheme experiments be a good plan – Not that, as you know, I don’t love the long lines – But it w^d be amusing to do something light & tripping – like yourself when you dance about in those shoes
“How beautiful are thy feet with shoes,
O Princes daughter”²

Yours

RVW

 1. i.e. The Spectator
2. Song of Solomon, quoted at the head of the 5th movement of Flos Campi, see Catalogue of Works p.113.