"I am always glad when one can go about with light clothes on, and feet in sandals, and not bother about anything."
In a letter to Earl Brewster, Lawrence’s Buddhist friend, he concedes that ‘one needs a bho tree, but one doesn’t want to be tied to it by the leg, like a chicken on a string.’
He’s found a balance of sorts in his current home in Scandicci as he can easily pop into Florence to see ‘men friends’ when he’s had enough of the rural tranquillity.
One such excursion leads him to the castle of Sir George and Lady Ida Sitwell, parents of ‘the writing Sitwell trio.’ Sir George is an eccentric who collects four poster beds, which perplexes Lawrence.
"I said ‘but do you put your guests in them?" "Oh!" He said, "They’re not to sleep in. They’re museum pieces." Also gilt and wiggly-carved chairs. I sat on one. "Oh!" He said, Those chairs are not to sit in!"
Lawrence wasn’t one for possessions, preferring simpler pleasures. "I am always glad when the real summer comes, and one can go about with light clothes on, and feet in sandals, and not bother about anything."
These video essays are based on the letters of D.H. Lawrence one hundred years ago and are published monthly. To see previous Locating Lawrence videos from 1926, click here, from 1923, click here, from 1924, click here, from 1925, click here.
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