[Rudyard Kipling to his secretary Janet Coates.] Autograph Letter Signed ('Rudyard Kipling'), from Switzerland, giving instructions regarding his home Bateman's, and describing his wife's indisposition.

2pp, 12mo. Bifolium. In fair condition, lightly aged, and folded twice. Small blot affecting two words on second page. Unpublished. According to Pinney, Coates had started work as Kipling's secretary in June 1909. Written in a hurried hand, in parts difficult to decipher. The letter begins 'Dear Miss Coates | I enclose herewith a note for Moore [the Kipling's chaffeur] which will you please forward to his address.' Kipling suggests that if Moore should 'care to come down & vote at Burwash' he will 'pay his travelling expenses'. He next turns to his wife, who 'has been very ill ever since we came and is still in bed so that we have not had a very gay time of it'. He is sending the present letter 'to Batemans where we hope that all is well and that Miss Blaikie [Mary Blaikie] has recovered.' Mrs Kipling asks him to thank Coates for her 'kindness in looking after Miss B […] It would have [?] Mrs Kipling much more if she had left left [poor?] Miss Blaikie [?] alone with only the servants good & well intentioned as she knows them to be.' He concludes by explaining that 'swelled glands' is a 'part of Mrs Kiplings trouble', together with toothache. 'She counts herself as very fortunate in having three hours of sound [?] per diem'. See Pinney, vol.3, for Kipling's letter of the following day, 6 January 1910 , to his wife's mother Anna Smith Balestier, describing the progress and nature of his wife's indisposition.