[Pound, Ezra- Autograph Letter Signed, Pre-Raphaelite Association] ALS from Pound to Helen Rossetti Angeli, daughter of William Michael Rossetti

Three pages, 1949. A sprawling, witty and provocative letter written by Pound early on during his extended stay at St. Elizabeth's hospital (12 years, from 1948-1859) to Helen Rossetti Angeli, the daughter of famed Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood co-founder William Michael Rossetti. Written in pencil on the full opened face, with two notes perhaps by HAR, and then on both flaps on the verso, with two wrap-around portions also possibly by HA Rossetti. A lengthy and fascinating letter. "Dear Mrs. Angeli, Thanks v. much for yo/ volume. but must protest no jacket yr/sister Olivia being certainly more alive than anyone in Italy definite purf, not jacket vs not all brit/publrs/ are of the line of Barabbas & born to be damned- perhaps the very printing machinery in England [side flap] Yeats' definition of yr island 'The only country where a man will lie WITHOUT being paid for it' endemic [side flap] lie DOWN not being able to bear the Truth. cordially Ezra Pound." Pound has also placed in the body of the letter, at right angles to the text, "POUND." A fascinating letter, meandering as it is perhaps clinical in revealing Pound's somewhat shaky mental health. Addressed by Pound on Air Mail letter: "Mrs. H. R. Angeli, co Hamish Hamilton, 90/ gr Russel st, London W.C. England." and postmarked May 14, 1949. Provenance: Directly from the William Fredeman Pre-Raphaelite Collection.