Hugh McCrae - letter received from Norman Lindsay, ca. 1922

MLMSS 6159

fonds

ca. 1922

125158

1 folder - 0.01 Meters
Textual Records - (manuscript)

Norman Lindsay (1879-1969) was born in Creswick, Victoria. Primarily noted as an artist (painter, etcher, cartoonist, sculptor, illustrator and model-maker), he also wrote novels, essays, literary criticism, art appreciations and reminiscences. He worked for the Bulletin magazine from 1901 until two years before his death.
Hugh McCrae (1876-1958), poet, was born in Melbourne. Influenced by Norman and Lionel Lindsay, he sought a living by freelance writing and illustration. Norman Lindsay illustrated some of McCrae's poetry collections: `Satyrs and Sunlight' (1909, 1911), `Colombine' (1920) and `Idyllia' (1922). `Idyllia' was a limited edition containing 15 of McCrae's poems and 5 etchings by Lindsay.

Letter in ink (one leaf, written on both sides, torn in one corner) from Springwood, undated, discussing the arrangement of the poems and illustrations to be published in `Idyllia'. Also describes the `miserable business' caused by Sydney Ure Smith, in which Smith engineered the sale to George Robertson of Lindsay's letters to Bertram Stevens. These letters contained the `outcries of [Lindsay's] past warfare with [Robertson]' and Lindsay had wished to destroy any letters which would be painful to Robertson. Despite the unfortunate sale, Lindsay and Robertson remained on good terms.