Letter handwritten and signed by John Galsworthy. Galsworthy, John

Two page handwritten letter, on the Nobel prize-winning author's 14 Addison Street stationery. Addressed to "My dear Whelan" who is Frederick Leman Whelan (1867-1955), Fabian socialist author and founder of the Stage Society. Galsworthy declines an invitation to speak as "April to June are my quiet months for steady work in the country." and ".public speech.simply paralyzes me." He expresses gratitude that Whelan liked his play "Strife" which had just opened 10 days prior to the date of this letter. Galsworthy recommends that Whelan consider Basil Dean's (1888-1978) newly written work "The Love of the Multitude" for production by the Stage Society. He also laments that they refused to produce "Cannan's 'Lapages'.[a] most promising English work, when good plays are so scarce."Gilbert Cannan (1884-1955) was employed as a secretary to J. M. Barrie. A relationship developed in 1909 between Cannan and Barrie's wife Mary Ansell, and following a high-profile divorce, she and Cannan were married in 1910. This could explain in part why the curtain remained closed on Cannan at the Stage Society. The letter is folded into fourths, and has minimal edge soiling. The mailing envelope did not survive.