T. E. Lawrence to Lord Lloyd

Hythe

23.VI.32

Dear G.L.,

This is, you know, immensely distinguished. Most kings, some Presidents, (the best, like Lincoln, and some of the not-best, like Garfield and Doumer) but very few private persons... off-hand I can remember only Rathenau. It is magnificent, and I congratulate you heartily.

Of course it was only a miss, for which those of us who like you
are personally grateful - and misses do not live in history, like hits. Some mean and incompetent Egyptian, I should guess. The poor boobs. Explosives aren't really difficult at all, you know. Only this afternoon I was getting results out of a smoke candle with some of Payn's firework detonators... little spitty things that a volt or so will fire. I can see the practitioner of the future making use of a telephone connection to fire his bomb.

Or do we flatter you, and is the Bishop of Carlisle really a runnable stag? I cannot stomach the notion. Four and sixty Bishops have I met, and not one of them worth powder. No, I think it was you. The lower fourth had a brain-storm perhaps, and hoped to cut short a speech.

Here is the Lady, very moved over your danger. I write her cheerfully, saying you have been in worse places and run greater risks. But what a scoop: O most fortunate of politicians, what a scoop!

Yours ever

T E S.

I lose my character, here in Southampton Water, for I run by every yacht, large and small, and scrutinise it for proconsular bodies. They think me very curious.