Letter from James Ivory, New York, New York, to Ruth Prawer Jhabvala, Delhi, India, 1971 November 7 : typescript signed.

Describing his recent "exhausting Sunday" riding bicycles in Central Park with Lillian Ross and then dining with her and William Shawn; wondering what additional activities will be expected of him since he offered himself as surrogate godfather to Ross's son Erik [in Merchant's absence]; mentioning how Shawn described seeing "the Prime Toad" on television and being unimpressed; describing seeing "that Handel opera, Julius Caesar"; telling her "I'm so glad you liked the Chaudhuri film" and wishing he knew at what stage the film currently was; asking about Jhabvala's recent time in the U.K., what she did and who she saw, Catherine Freeman in particular; mentioning the post-partum depression she was experienceing when he first met her; telling her he has bought a new pair of boots which will "keep me from scratching my leg"; promising he will see a doctor for the rash on his leg; noting that he will be going to Texas soon "for my hommage [sic]," and tonight he is "putting up Cary and Edith Welch"; asking her not to forget to send him her brother's address in Oxford, and asking what she did and saw while she was there.