T. E. Lawrence Correspondence – Page 651

To Mrs.Mitchell, Glasgow 22/3/28 Dear Mrs.Hamilton I'm sorry your parcel was returned to you. I had not known of its coming. My pay is very small, and I have no other means. There are heavy import duties into India upon all sorts of goods. One of the misfortunes of having published a book is that all sorts of people send one all sorts of gifts. & books is that all sorts of people send one all sorts of gifts. If I paid the duty on x all of these (and often excess postage upon their forwarding from England etc) I'd be presented a debt; or rather broke! So I told the Post Office that I would not accept delivery of any parcel. None of them, of course, are sent at my request. I suppose they are all sent back, if there is a sender's name attached. I'm sorry you too, didn't believe that any discourtesy was intended. I do it only in self-defence. My friends all know of this.... but I couldn't very well warn you, because I never suspected you would try to do me the kindness. That's the way of the world, isn't it? Yours sincerely T E Shaw