THE LETTERS OF RALPH VAUGHAN WILLIAMS

From R. Vaughan Williams,
10, Hanover Terrace,
Regents Park,
London, N.W.1.

December 26th [1953]

Thank you so much.  They are perfectly lovely, & look so much at home in the drawing room.  A wildly extravagant present, & was much appreciated.
We were sorry to hear how mis[erable] a Christmas you were having – & we feasting on Goose stuffed with tangerines!  We had a most successful carol party – 27 of us & 9 bottles of claret in the cup.  I found an excellent recipe, & much improved on it because the syphons wouldn’t work – so I left out the soda water & doubled the brandy!¹ Irmgard & Mrs B loved getting your cards.  Mrs B is away till Tuesday, & Irmgard has had a nice young man calling 3 days running – the best she has produced up to now.  She & the kitten have been very happy together, & all goes well.  We start recording again – all the week – from tomorrow.  Then they are doing Pilgrims Progress at Cambridge in Feb & all the Bach will be upon us again & so it goes on.
We do hope you are better & thank you again so very much.
Love from us both.

U.

I hadn’t opened the parcels when I spoke to Father.

1. On the carol party see R.V.W.: a biography, p.341.