ID: 2639
Autograph signed letter.
CONRAD, Joseph
Category: Autograph Letters/Manuscripts
Place/Publisher/Date:
Pent Farm, Kent, No Publisher. Saturday [June 1903].
Description:
Autograph signed letter; two pages; 4to. To Edward [Garnett] -´My dearest Edward´. Conrad writes to his friend following the death of Garnet's mother, ´Do not ascribe my silence to callousness. Indeed it has quite another cause; for I who have now not a single soul living in my past have been profoundly touched by your loss. I heard of it in Winchelsea where I had gone to work. I went on working, thinking of you my dear fellow and nor a little of your father - thinking and saying nothing because death, you know, takes all the virtue out of the words - the best meant the truest to the feeling. And now as you see I am saying nothing, taking refuge as it were in myself before your affliction´ and further writing ´But I hope and trust that you´ll find it not utterly distasteful to come here as we had planned in the fortunate ignorance of our hearts. Verily we who remain are most tenderly treated till the very moment of execution´. Conrad adds that he had heard a little news from Ford Madox Ford about Garnett and his family, although asks for more, remarking ´For your poor Father and your sister Olive my concern is the greatest - for him because of the great shock; and of her health I´ve heard an unsatisfactory account from Ford´, and concludes by expressing his affectionate regards to Garnett´s wife, sending his love to them all, and again extending an invitation, ´And come if you can, if you care to come´. Edward Garnett (1868-1937) English writer and critic was a reader for Unwins the publishers in 1894 when he met Conrad for the first time having been impressed by Almayer's Folly, the two became instantly friends. Garnet was later to introduce Conrad to Ford Madox Ford. Very good.
Price £6250.00
