GERAINT'S STAY AT LOWER FARM DAGNALL HERTFORDSHIRE PART 2

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 Geraint's stay at Lower Farm was to prove not only profitable, the author writing three novels whilst there, ‘’the summit of his achievement as a writer'' (Geraint Goodwin by Sam Adams) but also pleasurable, as illustrated in letters to Edward Garnett, who was a reader for Jonathan Cape at the time, and a distinguished writer of the period.  These letters were published in The Anglo-Welsh Review Vol. 22 No. 49 dated Spring 1973 under ‘’The Geraint Goodwin-Edward Garnett Letters by Rhoda Goodwin.  These letters endorse Geraint's love of the countryside, and the area surrounding Lower Farm today is still beautiful.  Ashridge Forest (then Ashridge Estate) and the lower road skirting Whipsnade Zoo are ablaze in the autumn with rich colours.  His mother and stepfather were the inspiration for his love of hunting and fishing which is endorsed by the following extracts from the letters to Edward Garnett.   Letter from Lower Farm dated Aug. 14. 35   ‘’I thought I should be up in London this week, and intended leaving a brace of partridges at 30 Bedford Square which I should be very glad if you would accept.  Instead I will send them through the post tomorrow (Monday).  I shot them on Thursday so they will soon be alright.''   Edward Garnett's response is in his letter from 19 Pond Place, Chelsea S W 3 dated Sept 12.1935   ‘’Dear Goodwin,   Many thanks for those partridges - my favourite bird - which I brought from Bedford Square and cooked yesterday in a casserole.  They are delicious eating.''   Whilst living at Lower Farm Geraint was to read on Garnett's recommendation, Richard Jefferies' writing and was able to find similarities with himself.  In Geraint's letter to Edward Garnett Nov.7.35 he writes ‘’ I have been looking into Jeffries ‘’Amateur Poacher.'' Grand Stuff.  All that background is very nearly mine.  It doesn't change.  Some of the technicalities of ferreting I brought into the novel.''   He continues in his letter dated Nov.10.35 ‘’I say it without shame but I have only just come to Jeffries.''  Geraint had always pictured Jeffries as a Naturalist armed with microscopes and camera and ‘’to whom the whole rude, exhuberant pageant of life is a closed book.  How greatly I was mistaken I am now finding out.''  Geraint quotes Jeffries ‘’Yet woods and fields lose half their interest without a gun - I like the power to shoot, even though I may not use it.''  Geraint had ‘’glimpsed the man'' and in his letter dated Nov.15.35 writes ‘’I think I can see Jeffries clearly for a variety of reasons.  His background might have been mine….''  Geraint continues his interest in hunting in another letter dated Nov.12.35 where he writes of his mother referring to her ‘’gusto for life…..'' ‘’plunging into a sea that is almost a storm : walks 5 mile over a mountain through all sorts of bogs and then, at a mountain lake with the water ice cold, walks in up to her waist and goes fishing for hours.''  Sadly there is no sea or mountain lake at Dagnall, but when his mother visited them at the farm I feel sure would have enjoyed the shooting that would have been available.    

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