This must be a brave letter. No exotic quotations; no miserable, ignominious echoes of Swinburne, no trace of silvery, erotic decadence; no Musset; no motif of Delius - nothing but lucidity ... There's a programme of insouciant, lilting French cabaret songs on the radio as I write and I have just lit a cigarette. Try and see me.

LRB 26 January 1995 | PDF Download