23 January 1953

Dear Mamma,

I still have a rather poor cold, and I do not know if I can ever get rid of it. The English remedy is to drink rum in hot milk.

I have eaten all the dates and the candied walnuts. You are a darling mamma. They were very good. I am going to save the fruit cake, or I hope so. It is grand. I gave a piece to my little Danish girl friend the other night.

I am interested in two things. (1) Does Daddy have Partridge, Eric, A Dictionary of Slang yet? If not I shall send it, as I now have a copy. It is lots of fun. (2) I want those chair measurements. I have now found a joker to make them. I need the angles & lengths and the iron diameter. And a couple of seats. Can you get them sent to me from New York.? If leather were nice & cheap, I might get a leather one here. But it is not.

I am still mad at Rothschild's. Not a word. I was thinking about writing a letter in the Boswell-Eghiton fashion, but I guess it is a no go. I am not sure quite what to do.

I am dickering for an overcoat. I have a duffle coat, but am looking for an overcoat. I hope to be successfull.

I am quite happy with my lamb skin lined boots. The look very nice & are warm. The wool socks I bought in September are now shrunk so I cannot get them on. There is no way to get my wool things washed. I'll have to do it myself.

I love you,

Peter

XX

Sunday 23^rdI think

of January

[Actually 25 January 1953]

Dear Mamma and Daddy,

I have to go to work pretty soon, but prefer to listen to some stuff & write. I am taking the readings for the absolute intensity of some [steel?] reflections.

I have sent letters & cheques to 1. J. dyman Eng.

2. The Penaday Society

3. People's Books

I received an excellent letter from Mariette. Sounds like a fine girl. She might be completely grown up at the present rate continues by the time I am grown up, the rate of which is rather uncertain. I must write a letter to her.

Mamma, you darling, my package came. Thank you very much. I have probably already written you about it. The [Springers?] are superb. They arrived excellent. The dates are very good; I had had some dates a little while ago; and the nuts I like. They disappeared to quickly. I like the sweater. It is a lonely color. For indoor wear.

Is Linda coming to see me?

The Daffodils are now blooming furiously. There are immense quantities in the market. Wild wood daffodil, are 9d a dozen. It has become very cold. I wear my duffel coat and my lambskin boots. I also have a cold, which I expect will last until summer.

I wish Jim Watson were here. It is rather dull now. Nothing to do. No interesting girls, just young affected little things only interested in sex, I am in direct manner.

I think I shall go hear the professor's inaugural speech at the R.I. I shall visit the 5 [?] I guess for the weekend.

I enclose a couple of reprints from The Tatler.

Much love,

Peter