Laura (Riding) Jackson
Letters January-December 1973
Provenance: To Mark Jacobs
Box Two
34 Letters
Referenced 0037-71
References
[Note: letters of more than two pages are indicated, e.g., ‘12pp’]
2008/02/0037/ 4 January George Fraser, Joyce Wexler, Burns-Sproats correspondences
2008/02/0038/ 15 January George Fraser, The New Criticism, Ransom, The Survey, Empson, Robert Graves, Shakespeare sonnet, The Telling, T. Philip Martin
Advice on intentions towards L(R)J’s work
2008/02/0039/ 26 April Copy of letter to George Fraser – expressing interest in MJ and Joyce Wexler writings
2008/02/0040/ 6 May Burns-Sproat-Jackson correspondences, Auden, I.A. Richards poem TLS 30 March, Roy Fuller, TLS review
2008/02/0041/ 13 May MJ in reply to L(R)J
2008/02/0042/ 17 May Sproat, Joyce Wexler, Guggenheim commitments, the Fugitives, Michael Kirkham ‘The Question of Laura Riding and Robert Graves’ read at the Modern Language Ass. in December
Richard Ellman, Roy Fuller, I.A. Richards; Collected Poems 1938-9, Robert Fitzgerald and Collected Poems, ‘explanation’ of ‘Laddery Street’
2008/02/0043/ 21 May Burns-Jackson correspondence, ‘Lilith Outcome’, Experts are Puzzled; Sproat
2008/02/0044/ 22 May Birth of Joyce Wexler’s baby
2008/02/0045/ 8 June American Annual of Bibliography – Proof – advertised in TLS on Robert Graves; ‘Madeleine Vara’ in Convalescent Conversations, F.H. Higginson and Epilogue. Revelation that M.V. is L(R)J. Treatise for Proof 1974. Alan Clark to write L(R)J bibliography, invitation for MJ and JW to assist.
2008/02/0046/ 14 June L(R)J’s notes on a trip to Egypt; extract from a letter to James Reeves
2008/02/0047/Undated The Collected Poems of Laura Riding, Robert Fitzgerald in the ‘Kenyon Review’
2008/02/0048/ 8 July Copy of Profession 1 : Forgiveness for George Fraser
2008/02/0049/ 21 June. 3pp. Extracts from L(R)J’s past writings on her poems. References made to George Fraser, Edwin Arlington Robinson, Collected Poems, ‘The Sad Boy’, ‘Lucrece And Nara’, ‘The Quids’.
Elaboration on what was meant by ‘crisis-point’ alluded to in previous letter and reference to MJ’s personal report.
2008/02/0050/ 23 June Harvard copy-recording; reference to Robert Fitzgerald’s writing in ‘Kenyon Review’; George Fraser, Lilith Outcome, Experts are Puzzled. Robert Graves as ‘fraud’ and Martin Seymour-Smith. Bibliography by Alan Clark.
2008/02/0051/ 17 July George Fraser, Alan Clark. Request for MJ and Joyce Wexler to provide critical annotation for bibliography. Reference to L(R)J’s letter to G Fraser alluding to Simone Weil, Wittgenstein, De Chardin.
‘Categorical literature’, advice on MJ’s dissertation.
2008/02/0052/ 22 July Continuation of previous letter, advising on MJ’s dissertation. Alan Clark; reference to Robert Graves.
2008/02/0053/ 7 August Reference to birth of MJ’s son
2008/02/0054/ 8 August Writes of ‘comparison’ to other poets; reference to Martin Seymour-Smith, Shakespeare, Coleridge, Cornell University.
2008/02/0055/ 22 August Reference to MJ’s dissertation and the notion of ‘simplicity’ with mention of George Fraser.
2008/02/0056/ 24 September. 3pp. Reference to George Fraser’s letter to L(R)J. Mention of Harry Kemp and Mrs. Jackson, Graves’ ‘poison-pen’, Alan Clark, Epilogue, Ian Hamilton and ‘nasty article’ in The Review, Norman Cameron, Michael Kirkham, TLS, The Survey, Reeves review ‘Poems and Paraphrases’.
2008/02/00357/ 5 September. 3pp. Reference to L(R)J’s letter to George Fraser regarding problems in his relationship with MJ. Reference to Harry Kemp, Alan Clark, Epilogue, Robert Graves, Reeves, Hodge, Martin Seymour-Smith.
2008/02/0058/ 26 September Reference to ‘friendship’ between MJ, Harry Kemp and Graves, The Review, Fuller, Seymour-Smith, George Fraser. Expresses deep concern about the possibility of broken confidentiality and what MJ has shown to Kemp.
2008/02/0059/ 5 October. 3pp. MJ in reply to L(R)J
2008/02/0060/ 9 October. 3pp. Continuation of 26 September letter with reference to George Fraser and concern over MJ’s relationship with Harry Kemp, James Reeves and Martin Seymour-Smith. Mention of L(R)J being ill and reference to ‘breakdowns’.
2008/02/0061/ 27 October. 4pp. L(R)J’s in reply to MJ. Reference to Robert Graves, Harry Kemp, exposure of L(R)J in The Telling; TLS, James Reeves, Norman Cameron, A Survey, The Left Heresy book; Michael Kirkham, Sonia Raiziss, The Denver Quarterly,
2008/02/0062/ 28 October MJ in reply to L(R)J
2008/02/0063/ 3 November. 4pp. Reference to MJ’s correspondence with James Reeves, Alan Hodge, Martin Seymour-Smith and Kemp as ‘disloyal’ and L(R)J’s feelings towards them. Reference to Robert Graves, World Literature Contemporary Poets of the English Language; George Fraser; Majorca.
2008/02/0064/ 5 November Seymour-Smith, George Fraser.
2008/02/0065/ Undated Minnesota Review essay Harry Kemp, George Fraser, Martin Seymour-Smith.
2008/02/0066/ 9 November Reference to MJ’s letter of 5 October. George Fraser, Harry Kemp.
2008/02/0067/ 14 November. 5pp. Continuation of 3 November letter. Reference to Harry Kemp, George Fraser, Robert Graves; Omens; MJ’s 5 November. letter, The Review.
2008/02/0068/ 18 November Harry Kemp, George Fraser, the Harvard recording.
2008/02/0069/ 23 November George Fraser, Thwaite, The Quids, Martin Seymour-Smith, Harry Kemp.
2008/02/0070/ 5 December Short poem from L(R)J
2008/02/0071/ 27 December. 3pp. Mention of MJ’s son, reference to G. S Fraser, reiterating offer of ‘help’ with MJ’s dissertation.