Letter from Mildred Bliss to Mrs. Walter Blount, Yacht "Sunshine", c/o Wilson Line, Washington, D.C., October 3, 1939 Digital
Scope and Contents
Copy of typescript letter from Mildred Bliss to Mrs. Walter Blount (Mabel) says Mildred received a very charming letter enclosing "A Pagan's Prayer". She asks Blount who wrote the prayer. Mildred is glad to have it, not only for itself but because Blount's mother-in-law [Lucia Blount] used to like it. Mildred says she and Robert Woods Bliss "feel her [Lucia Blount] shades gathered into the oaks of Dumbarton for all time and want to learn as much about her as we can." Mildred's delightful friend, Mrs. Arthur Woods is trying to write Dumbarton Oaks' story for them and everything they can find which brings up the essential charactertics of its "anima" is grist to their mill. Mildred is so very glad Blount felt that the great oaks, the big bronze beech tree and that most lovely Japanese maple were thriving. Mildred, too, has a passion for trees as has her husband and she reports they have made many sacrifices to do their best by the noble ones at Dumbarton Oaks. Mildred says she shan't forget Blount's offer to come and read to her some day when she has fallen by the wayside. "Nothing could be more healing than to hear that lovely voice of yours. But now that the Four Horsemen are galloping madly over the face of the earth, one cannot even afford the time to be a convalescent." The pressure of life was intense the last few weeks in Georgetown and this summer Mildred purposely neglected her desk for a month so as to get back some sense of enjoyment, and now the great catalcysm has engulfed them so she does not know when one will again be able to lead a civilized existence or indeed for that matter to harbor movie talks. "There is nothing so toxic as fear and hatred and the present situation is going to unleash those two downbearing emotions in the hearts and minds of us all." Mildred and Robert offer kind messages to Walter Blount and Mabel. She thanks Mabel for her very graceful letter. Mabel's letter to Mildred is: E4:Blount 1939.06.14.
Dates
- Creation: October 3, 1939
Creator
- Bliss, Mildred Barnes, 1879-1969 (Correspondent, Person)
Language of Materials
Materials chiefly in English with a few items in Greek, Latin, French, Italian, or Spanish.
Conditions Governing Access
An appointment is required for access to these papers. To request an appointment, fill out the online form: http://www.doaks.org/research/library-archives/access-and-hours/schedule-an-appointment.
For research queries, contact the staff of Image Collections and Fieldwork Archives (library@doaks.org).
Extent
23 boxes (Approximately 2632 items including correspondence, expense reports, invoices, estimates, deposit records, book lists, newspaper clippings, newsletters, and plant lists.)Creator
- Bliss, Mildred Barnes, 1879-1969 (Correspondent, Person)
Subject
- Blount, Mabel P. S. (P. Slappey), 1886-1987 (Recipient, Person)
- Blount, Lucia Eames, 1841-1925 (Person)
- Blount, Walter Eames, 1881-1975 (Person)
Repository Details
Part of the Dumbarton Oaks Repository
Dumbarton Oaks holds archival collections in its Rare Book Collection, Image Collections and Fieldwork Archives, and the Dumbarton Oaks Archives. The collections include: the papers of noteworthy scholars in the three fields that Dumbarton Oaks supports (Byzantine, Pre-Columbian, and Garden and Landscape); image collections depicting objects or sites of topical interest to scholars in the three fields; Beatrix Farrand’s personal archive of letters and original drawings that document the development of the Dumbarton Oaks Garden; and institutional records and architectural plans and drawings documenting the history of Dumbarton Oaks. For more information about hours and to make an appointment to consult any of the collections listed here, please fill out the request form: https://www.doaks.org/research/library-archives/schedule-an-appointment