Heard Mám playing for the first time Schumann’s Sonata in G. It is a glorious work. It and Chopin’s Valse in A haunt me all day and put a sort of colour into my work, which is, I am afraid, rather bad for my concentration. Bought a chicken in town again for Miss O’Brien was coming to dinner, and she cannot eat ordinary meat. After despairing of her arrival for ½ hour we began dinner. Then, of course, she came. Bargained 20 more stamps off Brian in the blazing sun. After tea cycled to Arthur, and got 6 more from him. Aunt Elsa is very good. She gave us a pot of jam and plants, and lent Mám ₤1. Mám’s money has completely ebbed, and we haven’t heard from Páp for 3 weeks! We don’t know when he is coming home, whether to-morrow or Sunday or Wednesday. As I walked through town, I noticed how the streets were packed with young people, all whistling jazz. When all classes are pervaded with a craze, it certainly cannot be for the good, and jazz, as Sir Hamilton Harty described it, is ‘noisy, sensual and incredibly stupid’.
