THE LETTERS OF RALPH VAUGHAN WILLIAMS

Friday smorn [15 July 1938]

Dear one

We had a very good Pag¹ last evening. Hon² placed me the further side near the band – The smuse fitted wonderfully well – & was bufe³ – It was better heard for it was a still evening – mostly grey & a bit chilly later on. There was a great body of schoolboys from London who were camping – very attentive near me. Our family party sat together – Mrs  Buck & Joan⁴ – Mrs Fryer & sister & Brett⁵. They were very happy – and the crowd there was satisfactory – all seats taken except the 2 front rows! G & H & Daphne there but I had no speech with them. Hon enjoyed herself – & we were back soon after 9.30. The time was brisker.
I’ll now write answers according to yr instructions – Nothing suitable for you today! but 2^nd proofs of Serenade⁶ have just come in. All very well here – So hope you are getting refreshment of spiriwig⁷. That is the main thing?
A

1.  i.e. Pageant. See R.V.W.: a biography, p.222.
2.  Honorine WIlliamson
3.  beautiful. The music was England’s Pleasant Land, Catalogue of Works 1938/1.
4.  Mrs Buckton was the daily help at White Gates and Joan one of her daughters.
5.  The gardener at White Gates.
6.  VW’s Serenade to Music.
7.  spirit or inspiration? VW was staying at a cottage in Wiltshire ‘on retreat’ and beginning to compose after a period of writer’s block.