141 - William Butler YEATS (1865–1939)

William Butler YEATS (1865–1939) Set of 2 handwritten letters in English, in an envelope, addressed to Jurgis Kasimirovitch BALTRUCHAITIS (1873–1944), dated June 27 and July 10, 1911. The letters discuss Jurgis Kasimirovitch’s choice regarding which of Yeats’s plays he will translate into Russian: -“My agent has sent me a copy of your letter of June 10. I have told him that you are free to choose whichever play you like. At the same time, I am eager for you to have my latest work in hand before you make a final decision on that little play. I wrote it many years ago and have never staged it myself. (...) I have always found that when I stage my own work, I have to rewrite it in many ways. I cannot judge that little play; it toured successfully in the United States, but did not seem to work for me in Dublin, where, however, the production was completely off. I have written to my publisher to find out whether he has certain stage editions of my most recent work ready for the reader. If so, I will send them to you. I am gradually going through my life’s work and adapting it for the stage, in which I have now gained considerable experience. I am currently reworking a long play from my youth called *The Countess Kathleen*, and will let you see a copy when I can. Gordon Craig has created some set designs for my later work." -"I promised to send you some small books containing the stage versions of various plays of mine that are performed at the Abbey Theatre in Dublin. I am sending you five small books and will send you two more in a few days. Each of these versions is the result of many performances and constant rewriting. “Cathleen Ni Houlihan” is a personification of Ireland and is very popular, but would probably be incomprehensible except in a country grappling with a burning national issue. It has been staged with a revolutionary purpose in India, and I’ve been told, in Poland as well. We perform “Deirdre” regularly. We haven’t performed “The Shadowy Waters” for a year or so, but we’ll revive it in a few months. (...) “On Baile’s Strand” fell out of the repertoire due to the loss of an actor essential to the production, but it will be revived shortly. Craig wrote me a very enthusiastic letter about it the other day. Choose whichever you like, but be sure to see them all before you decide. I have longer plays, but once I’ve sent you two more of these little books, you’ll have seen all my one-act plays.” MC Provenance -Jurgis Kasimirovitch Baltruchaïtis (1873–1944), Lithuanian diplomat and poet. -Their son, Jurgis Jurgissovitch Baltruchaïtis (1903–1988), historian. -His wife, Hélène Baltruchaïtis (1908–2004), née Castel-Focillon, daughter of Henri Focillon (1881–1943). -Then by descent.