Add MS 88998/2/29

31 communications from Harry Guest.

• (1). [Exeter], 21 January 1980 (date annotated by Harwood). Autograph letter (1 sheet), with five typed poems (5 sheets).
• (2). [Exeter], 24 February 1980 (postmark, envelope not retained). Autograph letter (1 sheet). 'Let the sun blaze down on Saturday April 26th and we'll walk up the Erme Valley'.
• (3). Exeter, 15 March 1980. Typed letter (2 sheets).
• (4). [Exeter], 15 April 1980 (postmark, envelope not retained). Autograph letter (1 sheet). Arrangements for meeting and a joint reading.
• (5). [Exeter], 2 June 1980 (date annotated by Harwood). Autograph letter (1 sheet). 'Peter [Jay] is giving up Anvil [...] and it looks as though my Hugo will not have the illustrations - and who knows when it'll come out.' Guest's novel has been rejected by Quartet.
• (6). [Exeter], 4 July 1980 (postmark, envelope not retained). Autograph letter (1 sheet), with copy letter (carbon, 1 sheet) to the Editor of The Times regarding The Oxford Book of Contemporary Verse, ed. D. J. Enright, who has 'gone out of his way to select the drabbest and most incompetent writers'. Peter Jay has telephoned Guest: 'at the eleventh hour a Dutchman has baled [Anvil] out'.
• (7). [Exeter], September 1980 (date annotated by Harwood). Autograph letter (2 sheets). Discusses Japanese poetry.
• (8). [Exeter], 14 December [1980]. Autograph letter (2 sheets). Depressed about cruise missiles and 'the likelihood of a Third World War'. Also his 'Bronze Age novel' has been rejected by nine publishers. On the verso of the second sheet, an autograph poem ('A Dream of Autumn').
• (9). [Exeter], 31 December 1980 (date annotated by Harwood). Autograph letter (1 sheet). New Year greetings. 'Ric [Caddel] tells me the next Pig Press edition will be a combined work by yourself and Jud - I long to see it.'
• (10). [Exeter], 11 May 1981 (postmark). Autograph letter (2 sheets), with envelope. Guest's translations of Hugo are to appear next month. Has received Harwood's essay on Dada (South East Arts Review). Trying one more publisher for his Bronze Age novel, before sending Harwood the typescript, 'if you really like to see a copper-bottomed failure!!' About to be interviewed for Radio 3 on the Hugo translations.
• (11). [Exeter], August 1981 (date annotated by Harwood). Autograph letter (1 sheet). Pencil annotation by Harwood records that All the Wrong Notes was sent to Guest at the end of September.
• (12). [Exeter], 23 November 1981 (postmark). Autograph letter (1 sheet), with envelope. Brief comments on All the Wrong Notes, admiring 'the apparently effortless way your intelligence marshalls its materials'.
• (13). [Exeter], 18 January 1982 (postmark, envelope not retained). Autograph letter (1 sheet). Has been in correspondence with Ian Robinson and with John Ash, and has reviewed Ash, The Bed (includes 'An Introduction' by Harwood). The Radio 3 programme on Guest's Hugo is scheduled for Monday 25 January: 'There will undoubtedly be a power-cut!'
• (14). [Exeter], 1 February 1982 (postmark). Autograph letter (2 sheets), with envelope (annotated by Harwood: his reply includes 'my new mss. Faded Ribbons'). Caddel and Harwood, Wine Tales is to be published by Peter Hodgkiss.
• (15). [Exeter], 23 February 1982 (date annotated by Harwood). Autograph letter (1 sheet). Comments on 'Faded Ribbons' (post-dating All the Wrong Notes but placed within that sequence in Collected Poems).
• (16). [Exeter], 10 May 1982 (postmark, envelope not retained). Autograph letter (1 sheet). Harwood to visit at the end of June. 'Longing to hear your programme: when does it go out?' Guest has been revising poems for a new volume (Lost and Found).
• (17). [Exeter], 26 July 1982 (postmark, envelope not retained). Autograph letter (1 sheet). Has 'deeply enjoyed' Brooke, The Military Orchid. Plans for a November or December walk in Snowdonia.
• (18). [Exeter], 13 September 1982 (postmark, envelope not retained). Autograph letter (1 sheet). Has been walking in Scotland. November in Snowdonia confirmed.
• (19). [Exeter], 22 November 1982 (postmark, envelope not retained). Typed letter (1 sheet). 'This time last week we were sliding down the north face of Tryfan!'
• (20). [Exeter], February 1983 (postmark and annotated Harwood reply date). Autograph letter (1 sheet), with envelope. Refers to photographs, a 'glowing autumn record of our climb'.
• (21). [Exeter], 14 March 1983 (postmark). Autograph letter (1 sheet), with envelope.
• (22). [Exeter], 22 March 1983 (postmark, envelope not retained). Autograph letter (1 sheet).
• (23). [Exeter], 15 May 1983 (postmark, envelope not retained). Autograph letter (1 sheet).
• (24). [Exeter], 1 June 1983 (postmark, envelope not retained). Autograph letter (1 sheet), with newspaper cutting on the only military orchid growing in Britain. 'Since our discovery near Hound Tor and reading the [Jocelyn] Brooke my ambitions include seeing one of those astonishing flowers.' Harwood departing for U.S.
• (25). [Exeter], 10 November 1984 (postmark). Autograph letter (1 sheet), with envelope. 'How marvellous to know you are back this side of the herring pond!'
• (26). [Exeter], 13 June 1985 (postmark, envelope not retained). Autograph letter (1 sheet). Recovering from Snowdonia walk. 'I've been poring over [W.A.] Poucher (!) and think, when we've done the final 4 [...]'.
• (27). [Exeter], June 1985 (date annotated by Harwood). Autograph letter (1 sheet). 'I glow with joy at recollections of our climbs. The weather. The burst of pride when I actually beheld "Adam & Eve". The amazing moonscape between the Glyders.'
• (28). [Exeter], 9 August 1985 (postmark, envelope not retained). Autograph letter (1 sheet). Has received Harwood, Monster Masks. 'No "false notes" but many delicious "wrong ones" - acid harmonies, near harmonies, exciting veers from one tone to the next.'
• (29). [Exeter], 31 October 1985 (postmark, envelope not retained). Autograph letter (1 sheet). Has received Harwood, Dream Quilt.
• (30). [Exeter], 12 May 1986 (postmark, envelope not retained). Autograph letter (1 sheet). Guest is suffering from plantar fasciitis and is unable to undertake the forthcoming Welsh walk with Harwood and Paul Evans.
• (31). [Exeter] June 1986 (Harwood's reply date annotation). Birthday card. 'Thought with envy often of you last week.'