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Letters from Walter de la Mare to Michael Sadler and Mary Ann Harvey Sadler (Lady Sadler)

 Fonds
Identifier: Coll-2917

Scope and Contents

This fonds consists of three autographed letters signed from Walter de la Mare to Sir Michael Sadler and Mary Ann Harvey Sadler (Lady Sadler), all dated 1921.

  1. Autograph letter signed from Walter de la Mare to Michael Sadler, London, 10 March 1921: “I think perhaps John Keats would be the best title for the lecture: it would give the most freedom, & I could centralise on any particular aspect of the subject, if this course suggested itself. May I say what a pleasure it is to me to hear the praises that are greeting your son’s novel. I have not read it yet but am anxious to do so and wish it every possible success...”, 2 sides 8vo..
  2. Autograph letter signed from Walter de la Mare to Michael Sadler, London, 29 April 1921: "It is exceedingly kind of Lady Sadler & yourself to invite me to say a second night. But is a rather important that I shall be in London on Saturday... if there is a night train on Friday I think I had better go by that. But I am most grateful. I will enquire nearer the day about the morning train to Leeds & send you word, but with your clear directions any one with even less sense of direction than myself could find their way so please let me make my way to the University & do not trouble about the taxi or to meet me. I wish a little less stupid self had been preparing this lecture... It is good to hear that you approve of the English Asscn lecture...". 4 sides 8vo.
  3. Autograph letter signed from Walter de la Mare to Lady Sadler, no place, 8 May 1921: he "reached home about 8 o’clock yesterday morning after a fairly comfortable journey thanks chiefly to those delicious buns. It had been such a very pleasant visit; & I am more grateful than I can say, to you & to Sir Michael for all your kindness. Indeed ‘The Return’...if you should find the time & patience to read it, it will be giving real pleasure to its author. I am wondering from what dreadful raw & overweening... the interviewer has put into the Yorkshire Post a craving for the lecturer! Now I can boast that my life’s sum of happiness has suddenly been increased by about thirty honors - and I have not yet begun to console myself with the Bottle! I am sending ‘China’... and also an ancient copy of an ancient novel, who hasn’t yet recovered from his astonishment at that immense audience. If Keats could have caught a glimpse of it a hundred years ago, he would, perhaps, have thought a little better of the Public..." with a postscript that he has left behind his "old leather toilet case for razors etc., would the maid, if she finds it, very kindly send this on...", 4 sides 8vo.

Dates

  • Creation: March - May 1921

Creator

Language of Materials

English

Conditions Governing Access

Open. Please contact the repository in advance.

Full Extent

3 letters

Immediate Source of Acquisition

Purchased in July 2025. Accession no. SC-Acc-2026-0035.

Processing Information

Catalogued in April 2026 by Aline Brodin, using information provided by the seller.

Title
Letters from Walter de la Mare to Michael Sadler and Mary Ann Harvey Sadler (Lady Sadler), 1921
Author
Aline Brodin
Date
April 2026
Description rules
Isad(g)2
Language of description
English
Script of description
Latin

Repository Details

Part of the University of Edinburgh Library Heritage Collections Repository

Contact:
Centre for Research Collections
University of Edinburgh Main Library
George Square
Edinburgh EH8 9LJ Scotland
+44(0)131 650 8379