T. E. Lawrence to Edward Garnett

Friday. [Postmarked 1 Dec. 1922]

I liked M. Grubbe so much that I've got her in Danish, and am reading her slowly: (v. slowly): with the help of your crib.

I didn't call Shakespeare 2nd rate: only his intellect. He's the most consummate master of vowels and consonants: and the greatest poet. As a philosopher and moralist I have no abnormal respect for him: but the Elizabethan age was tempered rather than forged steel.

The best sculptor of my generation is a man of 30, called Frank Dobson, who lives at 14 Trafalgar Studios, Manresa Road, Chelsea: but he is not cheap: and I don't know if he would do a posthumous head, you might try him. He's Cornish, and so might do for Hudson what he would not for another.

Mention the book to Cape, by all means: but tell him that it will be a costly production, and that I am making Curtis Brown my agent in disposing of it. Of course I'd be very glad if he got it: but it seems to me a speculation unjustifiably large for his resources. The thing may be a complete frost, and will cost £3,000 to produce: and I reckon that would about bust him.

I liked one of R's drawings of H. He had the just-about-to-thaw-frostiness perfectly hit off, so that it made an independent and likeable old head. Others, I agree, weren't up to the mark: but H. was a very restless sitter.

E.L.

Notes:
R - William Rothenstein
H - W.H. Hudson