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Updated June 2012
T. E. Lawrence to Robert Graves
Grand Continental Hotel
Cairo
Ap. 22 [1921]
Dear R.G.
A filthy pen, but a godsend since it excuses me writing much. I've just
seen a review by Squire in the Mercury of your last book:
but it's rot. I know you won't care much, but things people say about
one generally stick in a little, in spite of denials: and the man has
the face to call the book 'promise'. You know it isn't: it's fruit, ripe
and splendid and as good as you can do. And while of course it isn't
your last, yet it's easily your best to date, and something whose line
you won't pass, as with time you'll change, and this earlier feeling
will be out of your reach, backwards; so please don't try to be
dramatic, or anything else: all's well.
Note: Squire's review suggested that Graves should try writing drama.
| Source: | B:RG 13 |
| Checked: | jw/ |
| Last revised: | 8 February 2006 |
T. E. Lawrence chronology
1888 16 August: born at Tremadoc, Wales
1896-1907: City of Oxford High School for Boys
1907-9: Jesus College, Oxford, B.A., 1st Class Hons, 1909
1910-14: Magdalen College, Oxford (Senior Demy), while working at the British Museum's excavations at Carchemish
1915-16: Military Intelligence Dept, Cairo
1916-18: Liaison Officer with the Arab Revolt
1919: Attended the Paris Peace Conference
1919-22: wrote Seven Pillars of Wisdom
1921-2: Adviser on Arab Affairs to Winston Churchill at the Colonial Office
1922 August: Enlisted in the Ranks of the RAF
1923 January: discharged from the RAF
1923 March: enlisted in the Tank Corps
1923: translated a French novel, The Forest Giant
1924-6: prepared the subscribers' abridgement of Seven Pillars of Wisdom
1927-8: stationed at Karachi, then Miranshah
1927 March: Revolt in the Desert, an abridgement of Seven Pillars, published
1928: completed The Mint, began translating Homer's Odyssey
1929-33: stationed at Plymouth
1931: started working on RAF boats
1932: his translation of the Odyssey published
1933-5: attached to MAEE, Felixstowe
1935 February: retired from the RAF
1935 19 May: died from injuries received in a motor-cycle crash on 13 May
1935 21 May: buried at Moreton, Dorset