Ashley MS A2283, A2284, A2285, A2287, 2288, B2290*, A4677, B5658

Letters (13) from W. B. Yeats to C. K. Shorter; after March 1896-30 Oct. 1918. One of the letters (A4677) is in the hand of an amanuensis. The letter of 17 May 1918 is accompanied by an envelope (2288, f. 14). The letters chiefly concern Yeats's refusal to write a poem on a subject suggested by Shorter (2288, ff. 1, 2), an invitation to one of Yeats's 'Monday evenings' (B5658), the agreement with his publisher Unwin (2288, ff. 3-6), The Shadowy Waters (2288, ff. 3-6), the 'Irish Literary Theatre' (2288, ff. 3-6; A2285), George Moore's play The Bending of the Bough and 'a theatrical project with Sturge Moore and some others' (A2287), Captain John Shawe-Taylor (A4677), the Abbey Theatre (2288, ff. 17, 17b), An Alphabet (published Jan. 1918) and The Wild Swans at Coole (published Nov. 1917) (A2284), a proposed lecture on War Poetry (2288, f. 11), Dora Sigerson's work, and the political situation in Ireland (2288, ff. 12-13), Thoor Ballylee (2288, ff. 15-16), Shorter's private printing of Yeats's Nine Poems, 1918 (A2283; 2288, ff. 15-16; B2290*), and the fact that Yeats is 'writing . . . much philosophy a new attempt for [him]' (B2290).

Also included are two letters from Yeats to Mrs Shorter [Dora Sigerson], one, 21 June 1899, discussing her Ballads and Poems, 1899 and his Shadowy Waters (2288, ff. 7-10b), the other, [1902-1903?], concerning a lecture by Yeats on 'New Methods of Speaking Verse' (A2284, ff. 38, 39).

A2285, 2288, ff. 3-6, 2288, f. 11, and 2288, ff. 12-13, are printed in The Letters of W. B. Yeats, 1954, pp. 334, 320-321, 648, and 648-649, respectively. The earlier letter to Mrs Shorter is printed in ibid., pp. 321-323. Ashley Library Catalogue, ix, pp. 159-162; [x, p. 223].

2288, which contains several letters, is octavo; ff. i+17.