MERTON'S CORRESPONDENCE WITH:
Coomaraswamy, Doña Luisa, 1905-1970
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Descriptive Summary
Record Group: Section A - Correspondence
Dates of materials: 1960-1963
Volume: 24 item(s); 66 pg(s)
Scope and Content
Graham Carey had suggested to Doña Luisa Coomaraswamy that Merton write a memorial for Ananda K. Coomaraswamy (1877-1947). Merton wants to take his time and write something reflective and that demonstrates the influence his work had on Merton's view of sacred art and different mystical traditions. This file includes original letters to Merton, carbons and photocopies of Merton's letters, a typescript by Ananda K. Coomaraswamy, and an exchange of letters between Doña Luisa Coomaraswamy and Alvin Moore.
Biography
Doña Luisa Coomaraswamy was the widow of Ananda Kentish Coomaraswamy, a scholar of Indian, Persian, and Islamic art, who saw a unifying truth underlying major religions of the world. Doña Luisa took the responsibility of organizing his papers after his death and attempted to collect some of his unfinished projects for publication as a book of collected writings. She died before finishing this project, but Roger Lipsey edited a two-volume set of his papers published in 1977 (source: The Hidden Ground of Love, p. 125).
Usage Guidelines and Restrictions
Related Information and Links
See also "Carey, Arthur Graham" file; and see also published letters from Merton to Coomaraswamy in The Hidden Ground of Love, pp. 125-133.
Other Finding Aids
If the person in correspondence with Merton has full text records in the Merton Center Digital Collections, there will be a numeric link to them below.
Series List
This Record Sub-Group is not divided into Series and is arranged chronologically.
Container List
| Series | Date | Type | To/From | First Lines | Pub | Full Text | Notes |
| | 1960/12/24 | TLS | to Merton | Mr. Graham Carey has explained to me something of what to do regarding the piece of writing | |
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| | 1961/01/13 (#01) | TL[c] | from Merton | It was a great pleasure to learn that Graham Carey had spoken to you about my project and an even | Yes |
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| | 1961/01/13 (#02) | TLS | from Merton | It was a great pleasure to learn that Graham Carey had spoken to you about my project and an even | Yes |
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| | 1961/01/23 (#01) | TALS | to Merton | Many thanks for your kind letter of the 13th. I have to answer at once or else your letter gets | |
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| | 1961/01/23 (#02) | TL | to Merton | Many thanks for your kind letter of the 13th. I have to answer at once or else your letter gets | |
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| | 1961/01/25 (#03) | TLS | to Merton | I expect I ought to address you as Father, unless this is so, please correct me. This is a P.S. | |
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| | 1961/01/25 (#04) | TL | to Merton | I expect I ought to address you as Father, unless this is so, please correct me. This is a P.S. | |
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| | 1961/02/12 | TL[c] | from Merton | Many thanks for yout [sic] two very rich and stimulating letters, and the additional notes. | Yes |
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| | 1961/02/18 | TALS | to Merton | You must tell me what you prefer as a form of address, so that I may not blunder- | |
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| | 1961/03/08 | TLS[x] | from Merton | This is just a note to ask you a question and a favor. Victor Hammer, of whom you know, | Yes |
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| | 1961/03/14 | TLS | to Merton | Give me a few days to think on the matter. And I think if you write on the same subject, | |
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| | 1961/03/15? | TNS | to Moore, Alvin | Dear Alvin: give me your personal reaction to this letter, its confidential! We have been | |
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| | 1961/03/18 | TLS[x] | from Moore, Alvin | Thank you for sharing the interesting letter from Thomas Merton/ Frater M. Louis (I believe). | |
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| | 1961/05/01 | HLS[x] | from Merton | This is just a note to tell you that I really will answer your fine letters of two months ago | Yes |
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| | 1961/08/27 | TALS[x] | from Merton | It is months since I have heard from you. I have been intending to write and have not had time | Yes |
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| | 1961/09/01 | TALS | to Merton | I hasten to make a brief answer, in reply to your's [sic] of Aug. 27th., otherwise, weeks will flow | |
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| | 1961/09/24 | TALS[x] | from Merton | Certainly you are right about "doing nothing" and all things coming out of it. And that we ought | Yes |
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| | 1963/12/18 | TLS[x] | from Merton | This Christmas note gives me a chance, with much confusion, to return an offprint of AKC that you | Yes |
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| | undated/no/no (#01) | other | | INDIA LETTER [-] The purpose of this letter is to promote in the United States an interest | |
| ["Dharma" by A.K. Coomaraswamy, Vol. 4, No. 12 of newsletter, <u>India Letter</u> 1943/12/00] |
| | undated/no/no (#02) | other | | Pamphlets by A.K.C. that may be borrowed from G. Carey | |
| [a listing of pamphlets by Ananda K. Coomaraswamy that Graham Carey loans out - annotations by Doña Luisa Coomaraswamy and Merton?] |
| | undated/no/no (#03) | other | | COOMARASWAMY, ANANDA KENTISH, prodigious scholar and authority on Indian, Persian, and Islamic | |
| [biography of A. K. Coomaraswamy from the <i>New Catholic Encyclopedia</i>, Vol. 4: pp. 296-297 / verso: selected works of A.K. Coomaraswamy] |
| | undated/no/no (#04) | other | | On Being in one's Right Mind [-] <u>Review of Religion</u>, November 1942 (pp. 32-40) | |
| [annotated typescript of the article by A. K. Coomaraswamy, "On Being in one's Right Mind" for <u>Review of Religion</u>, November 1942 with a note from Doña Luisa Coomaraswamy to Merton - probably sent to Merton in 1961] |
| | undated/no/no (#05) | other | | DONA LUISA COOMARASWAMY | |
| Shannon's biographical information on the Ceylonese art historian |
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