T. E. Lawrence to his father

Le Clos Briant
Dinard

Monday evening, 6 August, 1906

Dear Father

I have decided to give Mother a rest now from writing letters, so I am writing to you; but please don't answer this; letter-writing is a bore. I posted Mother's letter so late that I fear she will not get it till Thursday, although there is just a chance of its catching the boat, since it was so foggy this morning that it could not start. This afternoon I have paid a succession of visits. I went to Mrs. Clark, and took my washing, giving her one list and keeping another myself (this item is for Mother). Mrs. Clark knew me at once from my likeness to Bob. She is very anxious to be remembered to you, and would like you to come to Dinard: she offers you all her house, and will sleep herself in the shed: at present Dinard is rather empty: prices have risen too much I suppose: she said that it was twice as dear as it was when you were here. Her "baby" who was ill when you were here is now 13 and quite strong: she has another of eleven, also a boy. From Mrs. Clark I went on to the Chalet du Vallon, which appeared the same, only I did not go in, but proceeded instead to the Frères School at the door of which I met Frère Fabel. The recognition was mutual. He asked dozens of questions about all of you, and was quite distressed to hear that you had given up photography. He told me that you were a Tory, and that you did not like Mr. Gladstone; he also said that you were the best neighbour he ever had. He would be quite intoxicated with joy if he could see you again; I invited him to Oxford, and he seems inclined to come. His school was sold on Wednesday, and next Saturday they will know whether the Abbé or another man will get it. If the Abbé wins, Frère Fabel will remain in Dinard. He was very interested in the state of affairs (religious) in England. He is well up in the High Church Movement, and knows Father Maturin (A Cowley Father) who is now a Roman Catholic, and at Dinard, I think. He considers the High Church Party as too High for the Church of England, and said that his opinions differed from theirs in no way, except that they were Catholics and he was a Roman Catholic. He was hugely amused at their calling themselves Catholic. He was much interested at hearing of the Benedictine Abbey lately inaugurated in Yorkshire by the Ritualists, (which is not Mirfield), and was anxious to know the relative strengths of the different sects. He was very interested in the Education Bill of which I gave him a history and an abstract, and was very specially inquisitive as to the probable action of the Lords in connection with it. He was also interested in Mr. Burns, and so I gave him a history of that individual, and my comments upon the probable influence of the Labour Party on the future history of the Parliament. In fact we discussed the political situation of the present, with special bearing on the Church of England, and its disestablishment. He also asked for an account of Oxford, University, customs, manners, etc., and I gave him a mighty account. He has a St. John's pupil at Dinard, I think he called him Cameron: I imagine he would like a photograph of an undergraduate, and one of St. John's if he has not had one already.  He also wished to be remembered to all of you. From him I went to Mrs. White at the Villa Nahant, and saw her: she thought I was Bob at first: but we soon cleared matters up between us. The Villa is let to the Nobels, the builders of the Kashima, the new Japanese battleship. The White's were interested in the Unemployed so I gave them a history of the movement, for it is undoubtedly engineered. Mr. White has no sympathy with them. He comes from near High Wycombe, and was very surprised to hear we were at Oxford. They offer you a little house down near their gate. They say that Dinard has changed greatly. The Hotel des Terraces has been burnt down and rebuilt; a new large hotel The Royal has been made just beyond the old Casino, and the Third Casino is being built. The Vicomté has many houses on it. Do you remember the mysterious death of Mlle. Rochard in England in a tunnel, some months ago? The cause of her falling from the train was never found out. She was the only daughter of the Count Dada, whom you have mentioned to me. The Count is nearly out of his mind. Mrs. Hopkins is dead; the Whites say you knew her. They wish to be remembered to you, they also asked about Kate. They say that Toby Purvis is quite white-haired, and looks as old as his mother, who is getting very frail. After the Whites I visited Mr. Lewis: he remembered you, but not me, of course. He will have finished a painting in 15 days and wants me to go up and see it; he looks just the same, and enquired after you, and your bicycle with great affection. When 49 he took to cycle-racing, and holds the 12 hours championship of Brittany: I have verified this. He also asked several questions about my bicycle and was decidedly interesting. He would not shew me the unfinished painting, but remembered the sea-weed-gathering picture perfectly. The one of the forge which you will remember he promised to show us, if it was successful, was hung at the Salon; but he did not seem quite satisfied with it. Frère Fabel told me that Mme. Fécélier was quite well in the evening, but during the night woke up and died in a minute, almost instantaneously. I will get more details from the housekeeper when I have an opportunity. I see M. Fécélier nearly every day, but have of course not done much in the way of talking. The road to St. Briac is vile; a cart-track.

Tuesday afternoon I hope to visit Corseul, where there are very interesting remains of a Temple of Mars, and also Gallo-Roman sub-structures. It was the Capital of the Curiosolites whom Chimp will remember in Caesar. Mr. Kempshead advised us most strongly to go to Montcontour. The old manor-house is now the hotel, and the landlady told Mr. Kempshead that she could not charge him less than 100 francs per month, but that would include everything. After dinner there he declared that he had no wish to explore Montcontour, although it contains no house more modern than the sixteenth century. We will if possible go there, as it is on our route. Mrs. Kempshead declares that those cider jugs frequently run out, and she has advised me to make certain of the glaze before buying them.

Your next letter if any should be sent "Poste Restante, Paimpol", where we will stay Saturday and Sunday. I will send a post-card off each night from our stopping place, but on many occasions these will be blank. It is not worth paying 1½d. extra to say "all well", that is to be understood from the card. This is my last letter to Oxford: the next will go to The Rossett. The weather out here is beautiful; there has been no rain for six months, but they expect a break up soon. I have not written to either Bob or Will, since I did not know how to describe their situation: but I have sent a p.c. to Ruby Strong and have begun a letter to Elsie. Scroggs starts tonight, but you need not be uneasy about us; I have had no difficulty at all in understanding what is said, and people have no difficulty in understanding me. I was given a bad 5 franc piece at the Bank but they will have to take it back today. I hope you are feeling less stiff from your fall, and that the other two are quite right.

Love to all.

Ned