The Life of T.E. Lawrence

A DAGGER believed to have been owned by Lawrence of Arabia is one of hundreds of historic items set to go under the hammer when a museum near Stratford sells off exhibits.

The last time he came was a few weeks before his death. He was riding only a 'push-bike'! He was going, he told me, to get rid of his motor cycle. He could not afford such luxuries. I reminded him that he had the purse of Fortunatus. He had but to lift his hand. But he tossed his head disdainfully. Such a thing as a motor cycle was beyond his means. Alas, he did not stick to this opinion! 

T.E. was an acquaintance of author H.G. Wells. Wells read and praised Seven Pillars of Wisdom before the the subscriber's edition was published and it is believed this helped T.E. gain subscribers for his novel. 

T.E. also published a review of Wells's short stories.

Royal Philharmonic Orchestra - Yehudi Menuhin

T.E. Lawrence owned 10 pieces by Sir Edward Elgar in his record collection at Clouds Hill. The composer was introduced to T.E. in 1932 by his dear friends G.B. and Charlotte Shaw. In December 1933, he wrote a letter of praise to Elgar, requesting a third symphony.

Dear Sir Edward,

This is from my cottage and we have just been playing your 2nd Symphony. Three of us, a sailor, a Tank Corps solider, and myself. So there are all three of the Services present: and we agreed that you must be written to and told (if you are well enough to be bothered) that this Symphony gets further under our skins than anything else in the record library at Clouds Hill. We have the Violin Concerto, too; so that says quite a lot. Generally we play the Symphony last of all, towards the middle of the night, because nothing comes off very well after it. One seems to stop there. 

You would laugh at my cottage, which has one room upstairs (gramophone and records) and one room downstairs (books): but there is also a bath, and we sleep anywhere we feel inclined. So it suits me. A one-man house, I think.

The three of us assemble here nearly every week-end I can get to the cottage, and we wanted to say 'thank you' for the Symphony ever so long ago; but we were lazy, first: and then you were desperately ill, and even now we are afraid you are too ill, probably, to be thinking of anything except yourself: but we are hoping that you are really getting stronger and will soon be able to deal with people again. 

There is a selfish side to our concern: we want your Symphony III: if it is wiser and wider and deeper than II we shall very sadly dethrone our present friend, and play it last of the evening. Until it comes, we shall always stand in doubt if the best has really yet happened. 

Imagine yourself girt about by a mob of young pelicans, asking for III: and please be generous to us, again! 

Yours sincerely,

I did not see Lawrence again for some weeks. It was, if my memory serves me right, in Paris. He wore his Arab robes, and the full magnificence of his countenance revealed itself. The gravity of his demeanor, the precision of his opinions, the range and quality of his conversation all seemed enhanced to a remarkable degree by the splendid Arab head-dress and garb. From amid the flowing draperies his noble features, his perfectly chiseled lips, and flashing eyes loaded with fire and comprehension shone forth. He looked what he was, one of nature's greatest princes.