Evidence: | 'The more I read the book, the more wonderful it seems to me. It is really a great book. Arthur says, and I more than agree with him, that the passage about Pyramus and Thisbe will, in the future, be regarded as one of the greatest passages in English literature. As I say, I agree, but the whole book in its entirety is to me like some wonderful and unspeakably moving music. It excites one, moves one, intoxicates one to an incredible degree. The worst is, it unfits one for daily life. To have to eat one's lunch in the middle of reading it is practically impossible. And I got, literally, no sleep after it, on Friday night. I couldn't sleep after it. This isn't talent - not even great talent- not even a great gift - it is genius. You know what my pride in you is. I am most terribly proud to be your sister.' |
||||||||||
Century: | 1900-1945 | ||||||||||
Date: | 26 Oct 1926 | ||||||||||
Country: | England | ||||||||||
Time: | evening | ||||||||||
Place: | city: London specific address: 22 Pembridge Mansions, Moscow Road, W2 |
||||||||||
Type of Experience (Reader): |
|
||||||||||
Type of Experience (Listener): |
|
Reader: | Edith Sitwell |
Age | Adult (18-100+) |
Gender | Female |
Date of Birth | 7 Sep 1887 |
Socio-economic group: | Gentry |
Occupation: | Poet |
Religion: | Christian |
Country of origin: | England |
Country of experience: | England |
Listeners present if any: (e.g. family, servants,
friends, workmates) |
n/a |
Additional comments: | n/a |
Author: | Sacheverall Sitwell |
Title: | All Summer in a Day: An Autobiographical Fantasia |
Genre: | Autobiog / Diary |
Form of Text: | Print: Book |
Publication details: | 21st October 1926, Duckworth |
Provenance: | owned |
Record ID: | 19433 | |
Source - | ||
Author: | Edith Sitwell | |
Editor: | Richard Greene | |
Title: | Selected Letters of Edith Sitwell | |
Place of Publication: | London | |
Date of Publication: | 1998 | |
Vol: | n/a | |
Page: | 71 | |
Additional comments: | This is an extract from a letter to ' My darling Sach' (Sacheverall Sitwell, Edith's younger brother, 1897-1988). |
Citation: | Edith Sitwell, Richard Greene (ed.), Selected Letters of Edith Sitwell (London, 1998), p. 71, http://can-red-lec.library.dal.ca/Arts/reading/recorddetails2.php?id=19433, accessed: 29 March 2023 |
This letter is a typical example of the effusive praise with which Edith always responded to both her brothers' (Sacheverall and Osbert) work. The 'Arthur' to whom Edith refers in this letter is Arthur Waley ( 1889 1966) orientalist and translator. he was a friend of all three Sitwells but particularly close to Sacheverall. |
Reading Experience Database version 2.0. Page updated: 27th Apr 2016 3:15pm (GMT)