[Edward Lowbury, physician and poet.] Two Autograph Letters Signed (both 'Edward') to the playwright Christopher Fry, regarding various topics including his poetry and Fry's praise of it.

Both items in good condition, lightly aged, as is an enclosure to the second letter, a photocopy of Lowbury's pamphlet 'A Letter from Hampstead'. ONE: 24 September 1969. 2pp, 12mo. In envelope addressed to Fry at his East Dean home The Toft. He is grateful for Fry's letter praising his collection of poems 'Figures of Light'. He continues: 'Several people have asked me about the red light; I am half sorry now that I did not include a footnote to explain the obscure reference (though perhaps it gains in other ways by giving the reader a bit of a puzzle!) One friend asked me if I meant a hospital, a cinema, a brothel, a psychiatrist's house, - or Death? By a curious paradox (disturbing to me as a doctor!) I did have Death as well as the Doctor in mind when I wrote those lines.' He is considering rewriting the poem 'if it is to appear in print again', but is glad Fry 'liked it in spite of the obscurity'. He concludes on a personal tone, regarding his wife Alison and her brother and Lowbury's father-in-law 'Andrew', i.e. the Scottish poet Andrew Young (1885-1971), and a party at Yapton. TWO: 24 November 1987. 2pp, 12mo. He begins by explaining that he is sending Fry a copy of his 'little book, VARIATIONS ON ALDEBURGH, which the Mandeville Press brought out in April: it has some attractive drawings by Donald Fairhall'. (The book itself is not present.) He continues with reference to a book which was published by the Keepsake Press on the same day as the other, titled 'A Letter from Hampstead'. Both books have sold out, but he was sent the copy of the first by the publishers. He explains that he is sending Fry a photocopy of the second book (which is present here). He explains that it is 'the fourth in a series of “apocryphal letters”, the others being by (supposedly by) historical characters', whom he names. He explains that the previous volume, regarding 'Queen Caroline Matilda of Denmark – the youngest sister of George III, married to the mad King Christian vii […] is illustrated by John Bratby, with some rather nightmarish pictures!' He ends in anticipation of 'receiving the material for me to send to the actors, after we have discussed “casting”, etc. for 15 December'.