Eight Autograph Letters Signed (six as "Alfred Douglas", one as "Alfred Douglas ("Bosie") and one as "Bosie") to the dancer Diana Gould [who was to marry Yehudi Menuhin in 1947].
DOUGLAS, Lord Alfred (18701945). Poet; friend of Oscar Wilde.
"THE HOME OFFICE STOLE MY MS"
Eight Autograph Letters Signed (six as "Alfred Douglas", one as "Alfred Douglas ("Bosie") and one as "Bosie") to the dancer Diana Gould [who was to marry Yehudi Menuhin in 1947].
16 pages 4to and 8vo with seven envelopes, St. Ann's Court, Hove, 22 October 1942 - 4 July 1944.
Warm letters, thanking her for presents (marmalade and figs), describing his health and activities, referring to notable contemporaries such as Shane Leslie and Martin Secker, and in particular complaining about the Home Office official Osbert Peake and the Home Secretaries Sir John Anderson and Herbert Morrison, who in in Douglas's opinion had 'stolen' the manuscript of his poem In Excelsis. Douglas had written the poem in 1924 while in prison for libelling Winston Churchill, and although he had later reconstructed and published it, the Home Office refused to return the original on the grounds that a manuscript written in prison might have sale value as a curiosity, and that an ex-prisoner should not be able to profit from the fact of his inprisonment.
". . . I had a visit from the Conservative MP's (Channon & Lennox Boyd) who have promised to tackle Sir John Anderson the Home Secretary about the In Excelsis Ms. What with you & Shane Leslie's efforts & this new note, I may really get back my "Borstal Boy" copy book! . . . (22 October 1942)
". . . So far I've heard no more about my prison copy-book MS, but there appears to be a regular barrage now directed at the Home Ofice, so I have hopes thaqt something will come of it . . . I hardly ever come to London I'm afraid, though as a matter of fact I am going up tomorrow having been invited to lunch and a matinée of the Importance of Being Earnest . . . (6 November 1942
". . . I don't think Mr Osbert Peake has covered himself with glory, but Herbert Morrison is at least equally to blame. In fact he is Peake's chief, & if any odium attaches to Peake Morrison must share it. I doesn't really matter now. I felt rather bitter about it at first, but after all nearly 20 years have gone by since the Home Office stole my ms . . ." (1 December 1942)
". . . Martin Secker who is bringing out that new 2/6 edtion of my Sonnets has a most delightful book-shop at 8 Charles Street St. James's Square, you might like to go and have a look at it if you want to order a copy . . ." (27 March 1943)
"Many thanks for your letter I didn't expect to get any letter about Olive's death [Olive Custance, Douglas's wife, from whom he had spearated in 1912 after ten years of marriage] . . . you must have a fearful shock from that beastly bomb. It was a very narrow escape indeed. We have had a few of them here but nothing like so badf as in London, as they fly over us to go for London . . ." [4 July 1944]
Together with three telegams from Alfred Douglas to Diana Gould arranging meetings; two copies of Osbert Peake's letter to Alan Lennox Boyd giving the Home Office's reasons for refusing to return Douglas's manuscript; a printed invitation card signed by Douglas admitting Diana Gould to his lecture on poetry at the Royal Society of Literature on 2 September 1943; and a Typed Lertter Signed to Douglas from Harold Nicolson, 26 November 1942, about his "admirable point about the difference between "In Excelsis" and "De Profundis" [Oscar Wilde had written De Profundis, his bitter long letter to Douglas, in Reading Gaol, and although he was not allowed to send it he was permitted to take it with him when he left].
Provenance: From the estate of Lady Menuhin.
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Autograph Letter Signed ("Alfred Douglas") to "Dear Stewart", discussing a meeting with Frank Harris.
