JULY 1935

July is a busy month. Graves and Riding continue to finish and decorate the Posada. Riding has words with the builder, who is not keeping to Riding's end-of-June deadline, nor keeping the job fully staffed.
At the same time, Graves and Riding are busy with editorial projects. Graves drafts a new poem, "On the Other Hand (Liquorice)," and devotes time to Schwarz's memoirs. He also begins reading over Tom Matthews' novel The Moon's No Fool. He is approached by Frank Richards for an opinion on his as-yet-untitled piece; Graves thinks it's very good and agrees to provide editorial help. He suggests the title Old Soldier Sahib.
Graves and Riding continue to read over A Mistake Somewhere. Graves goes over the proofs of James Reeves' poems, and considers Riding's latest additions to A Trojan Ending. The final proofs of Progress of Stories are checked, and Graves and Riding write blurbs for that, as well as for Epilogue, The Moon's No Fool, Reeves' poems and A Mistake Somewhere. Often these tasks keep Riding and Graves up until three or four o'clock in the morning.
Riding and Honor also come up with ideas for two new projects: a piece on poets and a children's university library series. Graves, Riding and Wyatt work out project plans for both of these.
The I, Claudius film is delayed due to Charles Laughton's illness, but Korda assures Graves that Graves was not chosen to write the scenario for the T. E. Lawrence film only because Arnie Lawrence preferred it that way. Graves asks Korda to consider Riding's A Trojan Ending and their co-written No Decency Left.
The household attends more bullfights in July, and Graves exercises his domestic side, making green pickle in the kitchen and experimenting with different flavours of home-made ice cream. Karl returns from Ibiza, bearing mementos for all.
Financially, the month is a good one. Graves receives £500 from Korda, and immediately sends £150 to Nancy as child support. The Hawthornden prize money also comes through. Graves indulges his predilection for buying gifts, and presents Riding with a diamond and amethyst ring.
At the end of the month, Honor, Julian and Mary return to England.

Hands Referenced

Places Mentioned

  • Posada, La

    Deyá, Majorca, Sp
    House on the Puig next to Deyá church. Originally part of the Es Molí property. It had been rented by the church for Sunday school. RG and LR bought it in February, 1935, to use as a guest house for their visitors. WG, eds.

  • Ibiza

    Balearic Islands, Sp
    One of the three larger islands in the Balearic Archipelago (with Majorca and Menorca). Popular tourist destination. eds

People Mentioned

  • Robert

    Graves, Robert
    [1st person]. (1895-1985). Poet, novelist, essayist, critic, and author of his diary. eds.

  • Laura

    Riding, Laura
    (1901-91) American poet. Laura Riding (née Reichenthal; then Laura Gottschalk).

  • Swartz

    Schwarz, Georg
    German Jew. Deyá neighbour. Antique dealer. Lived with Frau Emmy Strenge, his house keeper, in Can Caballo some hundred yards from Canellun. RG and LR translated his "Almost Forgotten Germany." WG

  • Tom

    Matthews, T.S.(Tom)
    American journalist. Took sabbatical from TIME and arrived in Deyá in 1930. Involved from then on with L.R. and R.G. WG

  • Richards

    Richards, Frank
    Author of Old Soldiers Never Die and Old Soldier Sahib which R.G. rewrote for him. Was in The Royal Welch Fusiliers, R.G.'s regiment. eds.; Birth name is Francis Phillip Woodruff eds. see Diary September 27, 1936

  • James

    Reeves, James
    Schoolmaster, writer and Poet. Friend of Jacob Bronowski. W.G./ K.G.; m. to Mary Phillips; daughter Stella born June 14, 1938 eds.

  • Honor

    Wyatt, Honor
    Journalist. Arrived in Deyá fortuitously. Married to Gordon Glover...Son Julian. W.G. First acquainted with R.G. and L.R. early in 1934; returned to visit in 1935; continued friendship in England. eds (RPG 211).

  • Laughton

    Laughton, Charles
    Actor. Was to play 'Claudius' in the film version of R.G.'s book, "I, Claudius".

  • Korda

    Korda, Alexander
    Director of the film version of I Claudius.

  • T.E.

    Lawrence, T. E.
    'Lawrence of Arabia.' Met Robert in Oxford in the early twenties. Made Robert his biographer and had him write "Lawrence and the Arabs." WG

  • Arnie

    Lawrence, A.W. (Arnie)
    T.E. Lawrence's brother and executor. WG

  • Karl/Carl

    Goldschmidt, Karl
    Karl Goldschmidt, later Kenneth Gay: Graphic artist, friend and secretary of Robert Graves and Laura Riding since 1934. R. G. spells both as Carl and Karl.

  • Nancy

    Nicholson, Nancy
    (1899-1977) First wife of Robert Graves; married 1918, separated 1927, divorced 1949. eds.

  • Julian

    Glover, Julian
    Honor & Gordon's baby. WG

  • Mary

    Phillips, Mary
    Visitor. Typed most of I, Claudius. Later married James Reeves. WG
  • Graves, William
    Son of Robert and Beryl Graves. Helped to identify names, places and titles in Deya (1935-1936) and with translations and other references in three ways. He left an annotated printout of the first six months of the diary in the Graves Trust Room at St. John's College, Oxford. He also sent Chris Petter an Excel file with a list identifying names and places, principally in the Majorcan sections of the diary, and a glossary of Spanish terms. Finally he has sent the editors answers in response to reference questions. Notes by William Graves are identified with the initials WG.

Organizations Mentioned

  • Hawthornden Prize

    A literary prize awarded to R.G. for "I, Claudius" and "Claudius the God." (RPG 224; diary May 12, 1935). Oldest of the famous British literary prizes, founded by Alice Warrender in 1919. eds.

  • Editors

    Editors of the Graves Diary Project.

Bibliography

    • Title: On the Other Hand (Licorice) [poem]
    • Author: Graves, Robert
    • Title: Moon's No Fool, The
    • Author: Matthews, Tom
    • Editor: Riding, Laura
    • PubPlace: Deyá & London
    • Publisher: Seizin & Constable
    • Date: 1936-02-13
    • Title: Old Soldier Sahib
    • Author: Richards, Frank
    • Editor: Graves, Robert
    • PubPlace: London, New York
    • Publisher: Faber & Faber; Harrison Smith & Robert Haas
    • Idno: A44
    • Date: 1936
    • Title: Mistake Somewhere, A
    • Author: Anonymous [Gordon Glover/Honor Wyatt/Molly Hare]
    • Editor: Riding, Laura
    • PubPlace: Deyá
    • Publisher: Seizin
    • Date: 1936-02-13
    • Title: Trojan Ending, A [novel]
    • Author: Riding, Laura
    • PubPlace: Deyá & London
    • Publisher: Seizin & Constable
    • Date: 1937
    • Title: Progress of Stories
    • Author: Riding, Laura
    • PubPlace: Deyá & London
    • Publisher: Seizin & Constable
    • Date: 1935
    • Title: Epilogue I: A Critical Summary
    • Editor: Riding. Laura/ Graves, Robert
    • PubPlace: Deyá & London
    • Publisher: Seizin & Constable
    • Idno: B22
    • Date: 1935
    • Title: Claudius [the film: based on I, Claudius, directed by Alexander Korda, starring Charles Laughton. It was never completed.]
    • Title: No Decency Left
    • Author: Rich, Barbara [Graves, Robert/ Riding, Laura]
    • PubPlace: London
    • Publisher: Jonathon Cape
    • Idno: A38
    • Date: 1932