Begun January 24t ended January 28t -- 1919
It was my very wedding day 46 years ago.
Dear Miss Addams,
I have quite a litter of letters begun to you -- for I often & often think of you -- & wish I could get some sort of reply to the letters of enquiries I have launched across the Atlantic. But last Sunday I had the great pleasure of seeing Miss McDowell, & she told me you were well again. [page 2] I am so glad & grateful to God.
A while back I sent you my book on my husband. I do hope you got it. It had no inscription in it, as the ridiculous censor forbade it, but it was forwarded by the firm of ↑the↓ publisher. I also gave one to Miss McDowell, & sent a copy to Mr Woods. He had written to me on the kind proposal of American Settlements to aid English Settlements in their [labors] towards reconstruction, & since then Miss McDowell has seen some of the Settlement heads and discussed their hopes with them. [page 3] I recommended her to work the Settlement aid plan through Barnett House, Oxford, & got Professor Adams to see her. There is also her other hope that the Carnegie Trust, on your side, might give substantially towards the lectureships on modern economic (& social progress) conditions, wh we are very desirous to start in Sept at Barnett House -- so as to catch the men of all sorts who, of all ages, in their now broken careers will begin again then to study in Oxford. What [page 4] is wanted there is £25.000. towards wh a friend has given £2.000 -- & my £500 will show you I think the scheme sound and needed.
It wld be nice if the America Carnegie wld send us £10.000. for that. After all clear thinking, & up to date [true] knowledge, are the two basic rocks on which reconstruction must be founded.
Will you say what you [page 5] think -- & soon dear lady please.
Then I want to gain your advice about getting my book taken up in U.S.A. Here it is having a very wonderful reception -- over 60 reviews, many of them over a col. long -- & though I have only had the courage to read a few, Miss Paterson & others tell me they are warmly appreciative. The publisher who is old, crabbed, & indifferent to social reform of our sort, has been most difficult (He took over all Smith Elders firms work as it was when Mr. P. Smith lost his life ↑& as this book was not undertaken by his firm at his wish↓) & I have had to pay many hundreds of pounds to get the book out at all! -- But it is worth while to judge from the host of "thank you" letters I get -- I enclose a few -- But now how is it to get to America? The publisher refuses terms wh will allow a firm to produce it. I suggested to Mr Woods that part of the money he planned to raise might be used in giving my book to American Settlements. If so, as I need not tell you I wld send it at cost price -- or below if you [should wish]. I have [page 6] reserved 756 copies for public service uses -- but some of those of course have already gone.
Will you dictate a letter to me on these three matters, & dear will you add a [tiny] line in your own writing to tell me you still remember me & still care for me. I have had to keep a very [un-fed?] faith since I last saw you from the door of the Cadbury's house at Northfield Manor. [page 7] Of the news, such as it is, of my life, I will not write. I am nearly 70 years old, & very well, but rather badly over-worked by big schemes. I am now a "pivotal man" but my friends are very very good to me, & I have loved living with my husbands spirit as I wrote his life, & painted his character. Dear -- I love you --
Henrietta O Barnett
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