36 H P M
11th August, ‘73
My dear Derek,
Thanks for your nice piece of tapestry and yr kind words on the poem. Yes, B and B have spread me around their pages, and you didn’t do so badly y’self. They had a hell of a lot of pieces to use up. British Books News and T.L.S. have sent more novels – inc a most interesting one that denounces the I.R.A.: Shaun Herron’s THE WHORE-MOTHER. Just as well I am reviewing it anonymously, as the I.R.A. would not thank me for what I have to say. God knows what they might do to Herron.
Roy has kept me informed of a horrible and surprising event. Freddy Vine has been charged with the manslaughter of his wide (she died last December – just before Christmas). There have been 2 hearings of the case, in Banbridge (a small town south of B’fast), and the case has been adjourned for a fortnight. Freddy has been remanded on his continuing bail of ?1,000 and his passport confiscated. I wrote to him to say that I hoped he would be acquitted and to
