Charles E. Burchfield (1893-1967)

enough. There of them are of such doubtful character, that I hope to do new one of the same size, in the hopes of justifying a frame. ; Got out the notes on “Tower of Babel” the first of the week, and for a few day was filled a false enthusiasm. It all came to nothing. However, I still think this is a powerful idea, one that someday will enable me to sum up all my ideas on the modern industrial city. At present my notion of its details are too nebulous, – – it still is all literary, and not visual. I think that, by the trial and error method, that I have proven that the first rough draft I made two years ago is the best, as regards shape and composition. It is exasperating: I look at this sketch and think – “there it is, all ready to state, why can’t I begin? Am I lazy; is my life too confused, should I enter into the disagreeable task of gathering loads of material, making false starts etc etc – or is it, that I am simply not ready to do the work; – have not digested it yet? (I seldom know whether I am lazy, or genuinely not ready to work.); I have also gotten out the “Irondale” idea, the “Bearded Hill” and “Heat Lightning.” – of these, the Irondale is the most complete – in fact, there is little the matter with the 1920 version – except that it suffers from a too-squarish composition. ; Tuesday – M.A. (who is learning to drive) drove me down to Java-Village to get red raspberries. Arthur went along we bought a bushel of the berries. And to me, a bushel of such a wonderful fruit, seems like something fabulous. There were