Add MS 88998/2/20

26 communications from Paul Evans.

• (1). Liverpool, 5 January 1981. Autograph postcard. Quick reply to Harwood's questions regarding World War I literature. 'Very impressed by your breeches & Brecon socks.'
• (2). Liverpool, 29 January 1981. Autograph letter (4 sheets), with envelope. 'I'm glad you've fought your way free (more or less) of the Dada jungle: and look forward to seeing the result' (i.e. Harwood, 'dada: My Heart Belongs to Dada', South East Arts Review, 17, Spring 1981). Planning 'our second British expedition [...] ascending the double peaks of Aran Fawddwy & Aran Benllyn (2971 & 2901 feet high respectively) - so start polishing your crampons, grinding your pemmican and oiling your knees.' (Planned provisionally for 20-22 March.)
• (3). [Liverpool], 27 February 1981. Autograph letter (1 sheet).
• (4). Liverpool, 23 March 1981. Autograph letter (1 sheet). 'Assault on the Welsh Pole now finally and definitely settled for Friday, May 1st - Monday, May 4, inc. Synchronise watches and re-launder mountaineering plus-fours. To: Captain Harwood. From: Captain Evans.'
• (5). [Liverpool], 14 May [1981]. Autograph letter (2 sheets). 'I enclose a small "memoir" of the weekend and "hommage" to my fellow-mountaineers, in the form of yet another instalment of my interminable and will-he-ever-finish-his-exercises? work in hand.' With further comments on the 'instalment' (poems not present).
• (6). [Liverpool], 19 June 1981. Autograph postcard. Refers to Cadell and Harwood, Wine Tales (1984): 'Thanks for the final label, which I enjoyed (I think I agree with you about the Suzuki quote - it doesn't seem necessary. I also feel that the end of that piece should read: "distant murmuring of an unseen river in the black velvet night" - but perhaps that's just the schooolmaster in me speaking).' (See Harwood, Collected Poems, p. 257.)
• (7). [Liverpool], 7 July [1981]. Autograph letter (1 sheet, Polytechnic of Central London paper). Refers to 'the smoking ruins of Toxteth'.
• (8). Liverpool, 10 July [1981]. Typed letter (1 sheet). Re-reading Harry Guest. Letter includes a rhymed fragment written on the train home ('trying to push my interest in rhyme etc. into a slightly more extended form').
• (9). Liverpool, 3 September 1981. Autograph letter (1 sheet).
• (10). Liverpool, 1 October 1981. Autograph letter (3 sheets). 'I'm just, today, sending off a ms. to Pig Press for their consideration, not including the enclosed here' (enclosed not present).
• (11). [Liverpool], 25 October 1981. Autograph letter (2 sheets). Robert Vas Dias is to run a feature on Evans's work, 'in new Paris/Atlantic mag (old Transatlantic Review) together with Robert Sheppard's expanded review of my Manual' [for the Perfect Organization of Tournets].
• (12). [Liverpool], 27 November 1981. Autograph postcard (Jargon Society postcard No. 12). Meeting Harwood on Friday at Lime St. Station.
• (13). [Liverpool], 15-16 February [1982 - year added by Harwood]. Autograph letter (3 sheets). Recommends, amongst other reading (and music), Jocelyn Brooke, The Orchid Trilogy.
• (14). Liverpool, 2 March 1982 (postmark). Autograph postcard.
• (15). Liverpool, 15 April 1982 (postmark). Autograph postcard, with envelope. Rhyming poem ('this squib') 'On Seeing the Fleet Leave Portsmouth Harbour, En Route to the Falkland Isles'.
• (16). Liverpool, 14 May 1982 (postmark). Autograph letter (2 sheets), with envelope. 'I spent a pleasant evening with the Montgomerys recently' (Stuart Mongomery, Fulcrum Press). Has recently sold to Alan Halsey 'all my collection of the works of the Cambridge School of Punk-Marxist Fun and Obscurity, which I find a perfectly adequate exchange for my new grey-blue lightweight all-polyvinyl summer suit'.
• (17). Liverpool, 22 May [1982]. Autograph postcard. 'Lucy and I will see you on Saturday, June 5.'
• (18). [Liverpool], 10 June 1982. Autograph letter (1 sheet).
• (19). Liverpool, 29 August [1982]. Autograph letter (1 sheet), with typed poem ('For Sally: An Old Song with New Words' - 1 sheet).
• (20). Lios Duin Bhearna, Ireland, [?summer] 1982 (postmark). Autograph postcard.
• (21). [Liverpool], [October 1982 - Harwood's reply date]. Autograph postcard. 'Someone up here is publishing The Mountain Suite (my 5-liners about our Aran walk) with some illustrations by Peter [Bailey]'. See item 2 above.
• (22). [Liverpool], 10 November [1982]. Autograph letter (1 sheet), enclosing Showell Styles, 'Tryfan: The Ideal Mountain' (3 photocopy sheets). 'I hope this vital information reaches you before you leave for Tryfan' (Harwood climbing with Harry Guest).
• (23). [Liverpool], 12 November [1982]. Autograph letter (2 sheets), with envelope.
• (24). 17 November 1982. Autograph compliment slip (Polytechnic Central London). 'Hope you conquered Tryfan and planted the flag of the Brighton School of Poetry on the summit! Enclosed the next instalment of 100 lines in the ongoing saga of an ordinary bloke' (poems not present).
• (25). [November 1982]. Autograph exhibition card (Henri Gaudier-Brzeska, 'The Hieratic Head of Ezra Pound'). 'That Selborne quote is marvellous: what a picture it conjures up - to be placed next to that of Erasmus Darwin playing the trombone to his marrows!'
• (26). 1 December 1982. Autograph letter (1 sheet, Polytechnic Central London paper). 'Help! I need a rhyme for O'Hara... (see enc. dose of couplets, which breaks off in mid-section, I'm afraid).' (Couplets not present.)