19 December 1921 – 25 December 1921

I will add a postscript, as I wait for my parcels to be wrapped up, on the nature of reviewing. “Mrs. Woolf? I want to ask you one or two questions about your Henry James article. “First (only about the right name of one of the stories). “And now you use the word ‘lewd.’ Of course, I don’t wish you to change it, but surely that is rather a strong expression to apply to anything by Henry James. I haven’t read the story lately of course—but still, my impression is—” “Well, I thought that when I read it: one has to go by one’s impressions at the time.” “But you know the usual meaning of the word? It is—ah—dirty. Now poor dear old Henry James—At any rate, think it over and ring me up in 20 minutes.” So I thought it over and came to the required conclusion in twelve minutes and a half. But what is one to do about it? He made it sufficiently clear not only that he wouldn’t stand “lewd” but that he didn’t much like anything else. I feel that this becomes more often the case, and I wonder whether to break off, with an explanation, or to pander, or to go on writing against the current. This last is probably right, but somehow the consciousness of doing that cramps one. One writes stiffly, without spontaneity. Anyhow, for the present I shall let it be, and meet my castigation with resignation. People will complain I’m sure, and poor Bruce fondling his paper like an only child dreads public criticism, is stern with me, not so much for disrespect to poor old Henry, but for bringing blame on the Supplement. And how much time I have wasted!