J M Barrie to Sylvia Llewelyn Davies - 1906

Description

Letter from Barrie to Sylvia, 5 July 1906

[No original available]

Transcription

Black Lake Cottage,
Nr. Farnham, Surrey.
5 July 1905.

Dearest Jocelyn,
I am conceiving you both in London today and I fear Arthur is having a bad time. If they put something into his mouth what I am afraid of is that it may seem pretty right at the time, and gradually become unendurable after he is home. There is a great deal of human nature in Gerald’s standpoint which I think is this, that after surgeons and the like have been working their will, we should be allowed to butt at them with our heads.
I shall depend on one of you writing tomorrow to let me know what happened today. I seem so far away from you now, and feel that you are not so safe as when I am by. That is the feeling that makes you in your heart hate all of us who propose to take a few of the Five away for a "season" (as Jack puts it), and it is strange that I should feel so now about Arthur, but I do. When I was in the garden I had no fears, but now I see that gate pushed open softly and rows of operators trying to steal ln. I love Roughton, but there are six of us prepared to receive him with cries of Duck and a hard butt on the head. So do write a line often.
It has been a terrible month to yourself. I had so hoped that Jocelyn would always be spared such a time. "Sylvia in her blue dress."
My love to Arthur and his brown patch, and to dear Jocelyn.
Your
J.M.B.

Peter's brief comment:

The brown patch must refer to the patch Arthur now wore over his eye.