T. E. Lawrence Correspondence – Page 290

LH 4/13/42 Tgt. Lieut.Robin White, R.N. Hm. Cmy 839171 A/C Shaw R.A.F Stn Mount Batten Plymouth 17. X. 39 Dear White I was up in London a while ago, finishing off my 1939 leave and Pilion told me of you. I had thought of you in yore in Malta. Unfortunately my screen on motor boats was cut short by a Sunday Newspaper article and I am returned here - for duty with motor boats. Only thing is all the difference between looking after one, and embodying one's ideas in new types. I've been at the building job for 31 months, and we have got out a new dinghy (speed 21 m.p.h. instead of the 5 of our old type) and a new sheer ... (57 footer, speed 30 m.p.h. instead of 12 m.p.h., the old type) I had in mind a new patrolling boat; and then a new "limited" 80 foot to do 60 m.p.h. and be an all-weather boat, instead of our present ..."... Zland"-carved thing)". You are more interested in books than boats, I expect, simplelte as you are on a dicturnery, which is one of the worst designs ever passed ! But I have read little the last year, and that only flimsy stuff. A tired man cannot read big stuff. Now that I am in Plymouth I shall try to pick up arrears and poet forward a bit. There is an interesting new poet called Auden, who publishes through Faber's. I don't know, yet. My Odyssey is only pot-boiling stuff, Poor. I don't think any Odyssey is very good - not even the original! Yours ever T E Shaw Are you a Commanler yet ?