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Royall Tyler to Mildred Barnes Bliss, January 20, 1936 [2]

Finance Ministry

Budapest

20.I.36

I’m delighted to hear your plans,Mildred Barnes Bliss and Robert Woods Bliss were in Europe in the winter of 1936 and the spring of 1936. Mildred Bliss had been very ill with pneumonia in Prague and Royall Tyler was sent for from Budapest. See Edith Wharton to Beatrix Jones Farrand, April 4, 1936, Edith Wharton Collection, Yale Collection of American Literature, Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library, Yale University. The Blisses visited Edith Wharton at Ste. Claire in April before sailing for Naples and journeying on to Rome. See Edith Wharton to Beatrix Jones Farrand, April 4, 1936, and April 17, 1936, Edith Wharton Collection, Yale Collection of American Literature, Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library, Yale University. From there, the Blisses visited Mary and Bernard Berenson at their estate, Villa I Tatti, near Florence. On June 2, 1936, Elisabetta (“Nicky”) Mariano (1887–1968), Berenson’s librarian and secretary and later his lover, wrote Edith Wharton: “I got quite into the habit of having very pleasant conversations with Mr. Bliss, as I was put next to him at one lunch party after the other (also at Airfa) and found him very agreeable. I liked her less, she seemed to me affected and priggish but as all her friends praise her so much there must be certainly very delightful qualities under that ‘rare bird’ surface:” See Nicky Mariano to Edith Wharton, June 2, 1936, Wharton mss., Elisina Tyler correspondence, box, 11, The Lilly Library, Indiana University, Bloomington. dearest Mildred, and also about the Greco.HC.P.1936.18.(O). Bill will be so pleased.Royall Tyler sent his son to Spain to report on the painting in February 1931. See letters of February 5, 1931; February 6, 1931; and March 14, 1931, in which Tyler notes that “Bill is keeping in touch with [the dealer] Sánchez, and will wire me if and when the owners of the Greco decide to allow me to see the picture.” I’ve had a letter from him saying it seemed still more beautiful this time than it did beforeSee letter of February 6, 1931. and he greatly hopes you’ll get it.

Just one thing, I beg you. Do you plan to visit Vienna before coming here about the 25th Feb., or to come here first and go to Vienna afterwards?It is unclear what cities Mildred Barnes Bliss visited. She contracted pneumonia in Prague and was very ill, and Royall Tyler came to be with her from Budapest. See telegram of January 20, 1936 [1]. It would suit me better (as well as advancing date of reunion) if we could meet in Vienna before you come here, and come on here together. But it would help me much to know which it will be, well beforehand—before you leave for the North, if possible.

Fond love, dearest Mildred.

Yrs

R. T.

I’ll have a feuille de route“Roadmap.” for USSR ready for you, to reach you before Feb. 3.

 
Associated People: William Royall Tyler
Associated Places: Budapest (Hungary)
Associated Artworks: HC.P.1936.18.(O)