Letter from Joseph Conrad, Orlestone, to Mary Seabrooke Pinker, 1917 October 28 : autograph manuscript signed.

Saying that he hopes her visit to the dentist was not too painful and that he thought of her sympathetically while he was "[h]anging about all morning in the dusty corridors and the grimy dens of the Admiralty;" adding that having lunch with her husband cheered him up, but "next time I shall hire a man to follow me or adopt the practice of the late Dr. [Francis] Hueffer (the father of Ford Madox) who used to go visiting in the country with a tooth-brush and a pair of socks in the pocket of his frock-coat for all luggage. I can't have J. B. P. carrying my bag. And it was no use protesting. He is a masterful personality and indeed when I have to argue with him I prefer to do it by letter, always;" saying that he hopes this letter reaches her before the end of the month; conveying thanks and love from his wife Jessie and adding "She will be radiographed on Monday and the Great Man is coming to see her in the course of next week, and give his verdict;" writing of how delightful it was to see the Pinkers in their home and thanking her for "the charming friendliness of your reception...".