The Rudolf Steiner Archive

103

Edith Maryon to Rudolf Steiner

Sculptor's studio, Goetheanum,
May 17, 1922

Dear and esteemed teacher!

I have just returned from Basel and heard about the uproar in Munich. It is just what I feared. I couldn't understand why it was so dark – and thought that noise and disturbances must have occurred as well. I am very glad that you left. But I am still worried about the rest of the lectures, because these people might be traveling with you, so please be very careful everywhere, especially in Leipzig. I hope that other gentlemen will travel with you and that you will not be walking alone. Please be very careful. I hope to have news soon about the rest of the lectures. Goodbye.

With my warmest regards,

Edith Maryon

113

Edith Maryon to Rudolf Steiner

Sculptor's studio, Goetheanum,
October 14, 1922

Dear and esteemed teacher,

The program seems to be as follows:

November 7: departure from Hook
1-8 Nov. London an.
2-9 Thu. Rehearsal Evening Royal Academy Dramatic Art:
3-10 Fri. Rehearsal
4-11 Sat(1) Performance 8:30
5-12 Sun. Rehearsal Evening
-13 Mon(2) Performance 8:30 (2 programs)
7-1 4D. Evening performance
8-15 M.(3) Performance 8:30
9-16 D.
10-17 F.(1) Performance 7:00 Steimway Hall.
11-18 S.(2) Performance 3:00
12-19 p.m. (3) lecture 3 p.m.
13-20 m.
14-21 p.m. England (if desired)

Baron Rosenkrantz thinks that they might receive invitations from theater managers if the eurythmy is well received. With Miss Wilson, they already have fourteen people. It's a shame that they didn't put on the Pied Piper, it's always well received, and they could easily put on Goethe, especially in this venue! Perhaps it is not too late for the first performance? The people at the consulate say there will be no difficulty in having the passports extended in London if you wish. I don't have any more information about the eurythmy permit, but I asked again in London today. Next week, you may have to be a little more forceful in the event that they still do not come.

I will be very glad when you come back; it is quiet and restless here, few people, but a lot of cleaning to do, and in between, phone calls and endless letters to write, I actually get nothing done.

I fear that we will have a somewhat difficult time in London; it seems as if general parliamentary elections are just around the corner, then everyone thinks and talks about nothing else and everything is topsy-turvy. Patrons for England are provisional.

A.E. (No idea who A.E. is!) Albert Edward??
Miss Sybil Thorndike (addressed to)
Lady Louisa Lodor
The Duchess of Grafton
The Lady St. Helier
Miss Lena Ashwell
M. Edmond Holmes
Miss Manda Royden (pastor)
Miss L. Bayley (Polytechnic.) Education.

This brochure is being sent around and seems to me to be a good preparation.

The letter made me very sad. It is truly terrible that people have so little understanding and enthusiasm, and without these two [things] one does not make rapid and firm enough progress despite the exhausting and excessively long and heavy work. You can't be everywhere at the same time, you need reliable and energetic colleagues. I think Hartley is not clever enough to have noticed much. Here he mostly admires Blümel's lessons at school.

I must post this letter right away, so just send my warmest regards.

Edith Maryon

130

Edith Maryon to Rudolf Steiner

Sculptor's studio, Goetheanum
Dornach near Basel, 11 May [1923]

Friday afternoon

Dear and esteemed teacher!

Just a few lines to greet you on my arrival in Kristiania. I am a little worried that this address may be wrong because it does not include the name of the city, so I am wondering whether I should write 'Kristiania' somewhere on the envelope.

I hope you had a good trip and [I hope] that the fur coat was taken (it is still very cold here, today I had to heat). I very much hope that the cough is now completely cured?? I am always the same; because the sun is shining, I will be in the studio for an hour. During this time I think a lot about the story of Job, because I have a very strong feeling that it will be the same for us as for him — after so much suffering, everything will be restored to us, and even more will be added, not the same beauty of the building, but still a different beauty. A second summer time should come for us. Don't laugh at that! I believe it will. We need the good times again, and the world needs another Goetheanum, however little it deserves or understands it for the time being.

I send you my warmest thoughts, and Bauer will take the letter to the post office and send my greetings.

Warmest regards

Edith Maryon

132

Edith Maryon to Rudolf Steiner

Sculptor's studio,
Goetheanum,
[May 12, 1923]

Saturday afternoon.

Dear and esteemed teacher,

the letter from Stuttgart has just arrived; I was very happy to hear that you arrived safely, although unfortunately there is no news about the cough and the fur coat??? Here the weather is disgusting, wind, rain and cold, today I could only go out for five minutes around the house – then another downpour came. Otherwise I am the same. I really can hardly understand how the A.G. can still sleep; if one has any strength, one should truly awaken now. Hopefully the Norwegians are less dreamy! and that something hopeful is happening there.

Warmest greetings

Edith Maryon

Miss Bauer asked me to send her regards.

149

Rudolf Steiner to Edith Maryon

Ilkley, Hillside
August 12, 1923.

My dear Edith Maryon!

This evening I gave the second “special address” of its kind. It was similar to the one I gave in the chapel at Oxford. Yesterday was the sixth regular educational lecture. Now there are five more to follow. Today a number of teachers – actually female teachers – from the course came to see me as a deputation; they wanted to discuss the plan of a real Waldorf school. The committee that was once formed to transform the King's Langley School now consists only of Mrs. Drury-Lavin; everyone else has resigned. They consider the plan to work with Miss Cross to be hopeless. She is very saddened by this. But it seems as if some people are now showing commendable energy. The current lectures seem to be contributing to an understanding of many things.

Otherwise, things are going really well here. I hope that this is also the case for you and that your health is improving. I am grateful for the letters I receive. I will write down the address again for later: Penmaenmawr Grand Hotel (North Wales).

Please do not worry that difficulties might arise because of the sad news now coming from Germany. Careful arrangements are being made for the return journey, and no delays are expected. So please do not worry about that and do not be anxious. But on the other hand, what is happening is unspeakably distressing. Unfortunately, it could have been foreseen; no one wanted to believe it.

Warmest regards

Rudolf Steiner

151

Edith Maryon to Rudolf Steiner

Sculptor's studio, Goetheanum
Dornach near Basel, Aug. 15, 1923

Dear and esteemed teacher,

Today it is very hot again, in the afternoon there was a lot of wind and maybe a storm will come. It is Friday and very quiet.

This morning Miss Günther left. She has had a lot of pain in the last few days and was (according to Miss Stolle) often absent; around 5 o'clock in the morning she gently passed away. Stolle was with her. Dr. Mitscher told me that Sister Johanna should arrange everything for her. It is probably a relief for her after such a long illness. Dr. Wegman and Mr. Steffen are dealing with what needs to be done later, I now hear. Miss Bauer is feeling better; she was even in town. I am a little better, only the great heat is a little trying for the heart, so I do as good as nothing until it cools. Hopefully it is not too hot in Ilkley? Soon the first half of the long time will be over.

Thursday. The storm came, but was not very great, but today it is considerably cooler and fresher.

The letter was delivered this morning because no one collected anything from the post office yesterday, which was a holiday. I am very glad that everything is going well. I heard from Miss Wilson (about Miss Lewis) that it was cold and wet in Ilkley last week. I hope you complain if there are not enough warm blankets in the room, as it will probably be necessary at Penmaenmawr. It is often very fresh there, and hotels often don't take enough care of it, and I have some mistrust regarding the current course instructors - I mean their ability to have everything in order at the right time. Please complain and don't catch a cold, please don't forget to check what is available in the room. This letter should also arrive on Saturday. I haven't seen the program yet.

Yes, the news from Germany is all very, very sad, one can only be sad.

But I am pleased to hear that some enthusiasm, understanding and energy can be found among the course people. If they could just get a proper school going, you would be a bit rewarded for all the effort. Miss Wilson writes some details about the strong impression the lectures make, but it all depends on the personality of the people; Miss Cross was unfortunately unable to get anything done.

I don't know when you will give your lectures if there is no program; will they all be improvisations, including the eurythmy?

Warmest thoughts

Edith Maryon

152

Rudolf Steiner to Edith Maryon

Ilkley in Wharfedale (Yorks)
Hillside, August 16, 1923

My dear Edith Maryon!

So far, everything has gone well. Thank you very much for your letters. But the assumption that the lecture reports will be written in a way that a journalist can understand is quite unrealistic. Baroness Rosenkrantz is doing it with Dr. Wachsmuth, and the journals are then accommodating and taking them up. Today was the penultimate (tenth) lecture. I have just come from it. This afternoon there will be a presentation of eurythmy. It seems that the first presentation of eurythmy was well received after all. Those of us who were sitting among strangers said that the strangers were particularly enthusiastic. I will talk about the eurythmy figures that have already been set up tomorrow, when people will have seen the eurythmy again.

I try to give a vivid picture of Waldorf school teaching in my lectures. And it seems to me that the understanding is good.

Now I hope that the health situation there will continue to improve. In this expectation and sending the warmest thoughts,

Rudolf Steiner,

I have just received a message from
Dr. Wegman
that Miss Günther has died.

Address later:
Penmaenmawr
North Wales Grand Hotel

I still do not have a program.

153

Edith Maryon to Rudolf Steiner

Sculptor's studio, Goetheanum
Dornach near Basel, Aug. 17, 1923

Dearest teacher,

It seems that the brief thunderstorm on Wednesday did a lot of damage in Basel, and also in Arlesheim due to hail, but not here. There is no news today. I am a little worried about the return journey. I don't agree with travel romanticism. When something like this happens on the outward journey, one is uncertain about the return journey. Also, I don't understand how both gentlemen had so little presence of mind that they both continued their journey comfortably instead of at least one of them getting off at the right moment. With me that would not have happened.

So far I have not received a Penmaenmawr program from anywhere, is there still none available? Hopefully the journey there tomorrow will go well. Are you satisfied with the Ilkley conference? I think you are now in the middle of the last lecture there.

Sunday. Yesterday was windy and stormy, and today the sky is cloudy. The welcome Thursday letter arrived yesterday evening. Some of the newspaper articles could well have been written by Baroness R[osenkrantz], but I had hoped that some were independent. Too bad if they are not understood in English. It really seems like an insult to me that you still haven't received a program; it's very inconsiderate when everything is done without courtesy and order!

So they managed a London eurythmy performance after all. Dr. Wegman was here, she is leaving on Monday but will stay two days in Paris and two in London before arriving somewhat late in Penmaenmawr. We say: why have a center in Dornach if you always work in the periphery? After this all-too-long period, there is the eternal round of Stuttgart, Holland, Vienna, Stuttgart, the north and so on! America is probably next.

Nevertheless, I am glad that you think the first eurythmy performance went well, but even more so that there seems to be some understanding of the lectures. I only hope that something practical could grow out of it, that somewhere in the world it could be a little more beautiful. The ugly news and sounds from everywhere are so depressing and distressing.

I have received a lot of newspaper clippings, but I think you probably have them all.

I am trying to work through my old papers, but I haven't got very far. I see I have to pull myself together more and wipe out bad moods.

Now that I know absolutely nothing about Penmaenmawr, I must think and hope the very best.

Warmest regards

Edith Maryon

157

Rudolf Steiner to Edith Maryon

Penmaenmawr, North Wales
August 23, 1923

My dear Edith Maryon!

I am doing well here. My lectures are daily at 10:30 in the morning. In these lectures I can speak purely in terms of anthroposophy; in Ilkley I used a system of speaking about education to say something to people that would not irritate them too much at the beginning, in order to teach them anthroposophy indirectly. This is what a group of our friends consider to be the right approach. I myself am of a different opinion. I know that our education is only understood when people first receive anthroposophical concepts. That is why I am actually glad when the events take on a character like here in Penmaenmawr. To achieve this character, Dunlop has made every effort. I did not understand why he was actually attacked a little tactlessly by Miss Groves yesterday at a discussion evening. She, who was the chairwoman, asked him in front of the whole assembly, which was doubled up with laughter, that is to say, some individuals: why he had chosen Penmaenmawr, why he did not want eurythmy here, why he had come here two days before the start and so on. Now he was the one who wanted the eurythmy from Dornach, while the others thought the extremely naive performance of the Kings Langley children was sufficient. In reality, everything went well. The lectures, which could be quite esoteric, were followed attentively. The first eurythmy performance, which was on Wednesday evening, was a great success. The program was as follows: my lecture in the morning, In the afternoon rehearsals, in the evening at 8 o'clock discussion. During this discussion I answered questions the previous days; today (Thursday) Dr. v. Baravalle and Dr. v. Heydebrand spoke about educational matters, which were very well represented in the context of anthroposophy, in addition to the less tactful things of Miss Groves.

I understand quite well that when our people work as they do, unfortunately we will have to go to the periphery for a long time to come. It is clear to me that Dunlop does not learn much from Dornach about what Miss Groves, Collison and so on say about it here in England.

There is no printed program. Everything is being decided on the spot over the next three days. Only my lectures are scheduled in advance. Dunlop, for his part, speaks elegantly and advocates anthroposophy in such a way that, if he had other intentions, he would be a poor representative of them and of anthroposophy. The fact that the hotel is not particularly comfortable (but it is the “best” here) is counterbalanced by the fact that the spiritual legacy of ancient Druidism is everywhere in evidence; this gives a very esoteric atmosphere. And so I lack nothing here, except dear Dornach. I would always like to be there. (There is no reason for any anxiety.)

I now hope that her health continues to improve and send my warmest thoughts,

Rudolf Steiner

Thank you very much for the letters that arrived.

161

Edith Maryon to Rudolf Steiner

Sculptor's studio, Goetheanum,

Dear Teacher,
Dornach near Basel,
Aug. 29, 1923
What a wonderfully beautiful sky tonight: blue at the bottom, then various shades of gold, above countless white golden little clouds, then later the gold turned reddish gold, with a large red fish with a long pink cloud tail. Quiet, beautiful atmosphere. The mountain walkers are returning, Steffen is passing by, lost in a poetic dream. I really liked the little sketch of the view from your window, but I wonder why you don't have a sea view? Usually the best rooms are on this side. Is it one of the inconveniences of the hotel that the better rooms are given to other guests?

Oh, how I would love to be in Penmaenmawr so that I too could feel this old Druid atmosphere! But I am very happy that you can have these experiences, they must be extremely interesting and valuable.

Thursday. There was a lot of windstorm during the night, so I didn't get much sleep. I kept thinking about the strange Druid experiences you are having there now; I hope to hear more about them later.

I don't understand why people there have to argue about the school question and behave badly!

I am sending this letter to London – I think you will probably be there on Saturday evening. I would like to know when you plan to arrive here? Hopefully Stuttgart will be left out this time after such a long absence.

Please don't romanticize the journey and don't catch a cold. Thank you very much for the letter. I send

my warmest thoughts

Edith Maryon