Letter from Wilfred Bion to Francesca, October 3, 1967. The Other Side of Genius: Family Letters

To Los Angeles

My darling,

It already seems years since you went and this place is a bit desolate in consequence. I hope you are having a good journey. I am churning over the paper and feeling jolly glad I shan't have to give more. Wednesday. The ‘paper‘1 (of course I didn't read it) went off all right. At first I thought no one was coming – only one or two there five minutes before the start. But it filled up. They all stayed (except about three) till past the end and there was no hostile demonstration.

… Your letter has just come in. I am so relieved and glad to have it. You must have been very tired and it is lovely of you to have written to me at once. I felt a bit as I did in the First World War – I couldn't bear to write home because I felt I couldn't think of home. But I was only nineteen then and there was some excuse. I too wish I was with you; it is awful to think you have to do all this load of business by

yourself,1 and I know you must feel it a wretched responsibility to meet all the snags which are sure to crop up without a chance of talking it over. You have not a moment too much time – I feel it is an age to have to wait another fortnight.

Julian rang up – he said he had nearly scored twice in rugger but each time the full back had got him. He seemed to think this very unreasonable! I remember the feeling myself.

I thought the ‘paper’ went well. Of course I spoke direct; too many ‘ers’ I think, but I haven't spoken for a long time and I did not, as you know, relish the circumstances. I think I spoke to the point and a number of people seemed to feel that this time a lot more people grasped the general idea. It might have turned out anyhow – including a boycott. There is no doubt that the Klein Group has been very upset but I think they needed it. But there must have been about 130