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Joyce (James, writer, 1882-1941)

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autograph manuscript, 9pp., first page chipped at edges and browned, n.d.; and 12 pages of loose notes by Harmsworth on Joyce, 4to(21 pieces)

***Harmsworth's impressions of Joyce. An account of Harmsworth's drawing of Joyce's portrait and their subsequent relations. "Joyce was a restless sitter [he was also nearly blind at this time]. No sooner had I begun to study the eyes and forehead than these were covered by his hand and I examined the mouth, whereupon the hand (with its numerous, apparently symbolic, rings) descended again to the lower half of the face. This ballet, or battle, continued for three hours and reduced me to that state of dithering ineptitude known to all portraitists who are not temperamentally related to the Rock of Gibraltar. Further sweating on my part availed nothing: my nerve was gone. As if he knew I was wasting my time and his, Joyce now drew from his pocket a sheef of galley proofs. He handed me a bunch of them and asked me to oblige him by reading to him, since he could not do so for himself. I floundered inharmoniously through a chapter of Work in Progress (Finnegans Wake), and understanding nothing but its relevance to the Battle of Waterloo. 'Keep right on; don't stop!' Joyce commanded whenever I was at a loss to pronounce a word. At first he was attentive; then he began to grin; soon he was slapping his thigh and laughing aloud - not, as at first I thought, at my inadequacy, but at his own jokes." - Desmond Harmsworth. .

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