Carey, Arthur Graham, 1892-1984

Scope and Content

Merton and Carey discuss the philosophy of art, especially sacred art. At the time of correspondence, Merton was working on the manuscript of the book "Art and Worship," which was not published. Some of his articles on sacred art appeared in Good Work.

Biography

Arthur Graham Carey was the founder of The Catholic Art Quarterly, later known as Good Work.

Usage Guidelines and Restrictions

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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.
31930

Series List

This Record Sub-Group is not divided into Series and is arranged chronologically.

Container List

Click icons for links: ✓="Published | Library Record", ✉="Scanned" | 🗷="Scanned, Viewable Only at Merton Center"

#	Date	From/To	First Lines	Pub ✓	Notes
	y/m/d	Merton		Scan ✉
1.	1957/11/09	HLS to Merton	May I trespass on your time with a comment on a few sentences or two in your Notes on Art, which I	✉	«detailed view»
2.	1959/12/29	HLS from Merton	The other day my friend, Victor Hammer, of Lexington, showed me the book of W. Shewing recently	✉	Walter H. Shewring's Making and Thinking / Dr. Ananda K. Coomaraswamy / Victor Hammer and Eric Gill «detailed view»
3.	1960/01/04 (#01)	TLS to Merton	Thank you for your letter of December 29th. I have a few extra copies of Making and Thinking	✉	sending Walter H. Shewring's Making and Thinking / Dr. Ananda K. Coomaraswamy / change of name from The Catholic Art Quarterly to Good Work «detailed view»
4.	1960/01/04 (#02)	TL to Merton	Thank you for your letter of December 29th. I have a few extra copies of Making and Thinking		sending Walter H. Shewring's Making and Thinking / Dr. Ananda K. Coomaraswamy / change of name from The Catholic Art Quarterly to Good Work «detailed view»
5.	1960/01/04 (#03)	other to Merton	Spiritual Authority and Temporal Power in the Indian Theory of Government [-] 1942		[bibliography of Ananda Coomaraswamy works] «detailed view»
6.	1960/02/04	TLS from Merton	It was very kind of you to reply so promptly to my last letter and to send the Shewring book,	✉	[on loan since 2001 and accessioned in 2016] «detailed view»
7.	1960/02/13	HLS to Merton	Thank you very much [...] for your book of poems, which arrived about a week ago. I am very glad	✉	Dr. Ananda K. Coomaraswamy - Spiritual Authority and Temporal Power, "the Kingship Book" «detailed view»
8.	1960/02/27	HLS from Merton	I just want to acknowledge safe receipt of the books and pamphlets and to say that I will make good	✉	[on loan since 2001 and accessioned in 2016] «detailed view»
9.	1960/12/15	TALS from Merton	This letter is shamefully overdue. For months I have been hoping to sit down and write you something	✉	[verso contains some drawings in pen, likely by Carey - no anotations by Merton] Dr. Ananda K. Coomaraswamy / Good Work / sculptor Peter Watts - art of Eric Gill / Disputed Questions «detailed view»
10.	1960/12/20	HLS to Merton	Thank you very much for your letter of the 15th. I am very glad that you found the Coomaraswamy	✉	Doña Luisa Coomaraswamy (widow of Ananda K.) and her son Rama Coomaraswamy / Catholic Art Association / Disputed Questions «detailed view»
11.	1960/12/21	HLS to Merton	This is just to report the safe return today of the John Stevens [...] book and to say that I had	✉	[1 page letter and 4 handwritten pages of Latin poem "Carmen Natalicium" by Walter Shewring, a tribute to Ananda K. Coomaraswamy] Walter H. Shewring's Making and Thinking / Eric Gill «detailed view»
12.	1961/01/03	HLS to Merton	Thank you very much indeed for the gift of your book on Bl. Gueric's Christmas sermons.	✉	Carey's interest in the Aristotelian causal clarifications / Merton's article on A. K. Coomaraswamy / Peter Watts sculptures at Gethsemani «detailed view»
13.	1961/01/17	TLS from Merton	It was indeed kind of you to put me into contact with Dona Luisa Coomaraswamy.	✉	[on loan since 2001 and accessioned in 2016] «detailed view»
14.	1961/02/02 (#01)	HLS to Merton	I am very grateful for your letter of January 17, and apologize for replying so late and on such	✉	finding people to write for Good Work - many contributors have died or are aging - almost all current contributors are overseas / Merton's Jubilee article on Confucius / problems of using Aristotelian theories of art, but the unavoidability for Carey of using this theory / Aquinas' "recta ratio" «detailed view»
15.	1961/02/02 (#02)	HLS from Merton	I am very sorry for the delay in getting these pictures of Peter Watts' work to you.	✉	[on loan since 2001 and accessioned in 2016] «detailed view»
16.	1961/02/09	TLS from Merton	Your good letter came yesterday. I am pleased that you should think me capable of what you ask, but	✉	[on loan since 2001 and accessioned in 2016] Kung Tzu (Confucius) / Shaker ideals of craftsmanship - Shaker Tree of Life / Good Work - attempts to get other Gethsemani monks interested versus "infatuation over technological advance" at monastery / Peter Watts - sculpture of St. Bernard / "Theology of Creativity" for American Benedictine Review / article on Zen and art «detailed view»
17.	1961/02/22	HLS to Merton	Many thanks for your letter of February 9th. I expect you are right to postpone writing for us	✉	Shakers - groups for preservation of Shaker art and the feasibility of founding a Shaker-like community in the 20th Century / Peter Watts «detailed view»
18.	1961/02/23	HPCS from Merton	Many thanks for the pictures of P. Watts' scultures which returned safely. I expect the article will	✉	[Merton dates the postcard "Mar 23" but postmark is February 23, 1961 - verso: "Muttergottesikone, Russisch, Verlag Ars liturgica, Maria Laach"] sculptor Peter Watts / Merton's desire to write an article on the Shakers / Dr. Ananda K. Coomaraswamy / Victor Hammer «detailed view»
19.	1961/03/27	HPCS from Merton	The back numbers of The Catholic Art Quarterly have arrived and I am deeply grateful. They fill	✉	[date from postmark - verso: "Sacristy - The Crucifixion (Umbrian School XV cent.)"] sculptor Peter Watts / Merton's desire to write an article on the Shakers / Dr. Ananda K. Coomaraswamy / Victor Hammer «detailed view»
20.	1961/04/12	HLS to Merton	Please forgive me for not answering your p.c.s. before this. I think very well of your plan	✉	regarding Merton's idea to put together a book of aphorisms and short extracts about Ananda K. Coomaraswamy printed by Victor Hammer / Peter Watts / asking Merton to be a contributing editor for Good Work «detailed view»
21.	1961/05/02	HLS from Merton	The presentation of Peter Watts in the latest Good Work is excellent.	✉	[on loan since 2001 and accessioned in 2016] «detailed view»
22.	1962/02/21	HLS from Merton	I think I will offer the whole of the Letter to "Cross Currents" and see what they say and do	✉	offering last part of "A Letter to Pablo Antonio Cuadra concerning Giants" for Good Work - publication of essay in Sur (Buenos Aires) - Pablo Antonio Cuadra's poems and his scholarship in Nauhuatl art and archeology - Suzuki dialogue / Doña Luisa Coomaraswamy - Ananda K. Coomaraswamy's piece on the full meaning of Dharma / Merton's essay on Clement of Alexandia and his poem "Hagia Sophia" and print of it by Victor Hammer «detailed view»
23.	1962/02/no?	TL[c] from Merton	I have been reading your letter "Concerning Giants" in the February Blackfriars.	✉	[letter undated, but Merton responds February 21, 1962] asking to publish "A Letter to Pablo Antonio Cuadra concerning Giants" in February Blackfriars / Catholic Art Association meeting in Santa Fe, 1963 - hoping to use Merton's essay and to thank Fr. Bede Griffiths - hoping Merton could be in Santa Fe for conference / Doña Luisa Coomaraswamy often speaks of Merton «detailed view»
24.	1962/03/03	HLS to Merton	Many thanks for your letter of Feb'y 21. Doña Luisa says she has just the ticket on Dharma	✉	hopes Merton will write a piece on the inappropriateness of devotions to "Christ the King" - meaning of kingship and tyranny - Coomaraswamy's book on kingship / Merton's pieces on Clement of Alexandria and on Hagia Sophia «detailed view»
25.	1962/04/14	TLS from Merton	Do please forgive me for keeping you waiting for an answer. I wanted not only to think	✉	[on loan since 2001 and accessioned in 2016 - contains handwritten notes (by Carey?)] «detailed view»
26.	1962/04/18	HLS to Merton	Many thanks for your letter of the 14th. I am writing to Pruden about the crucifixes,	✉	hoping for an article by Merton on the Shakers for Good Work to run with Merton's photographs / John Biggers' book of drawings of Ghana - Ananse / Bede Griffiths attending 1963 Catholic Art Association meeting in Santa Fe - invites Merton to attend / Gog and Magog article «detailed view»
27.	1962/05/11	TLS from Merton	Thanks for your good letter and the information about the possibility of using the Dunstan Pruden	✉	[on loan since 2001 and accessioned in 2016] Dunstan Pruden crucifix for dormitory cells / support for independent peace candidate for Senate, H. Stuart Hughes - irony if he won based upon "the help of a contemplative monk and an artist both of whom are strong traditionalists and largely unpolitical [sic] animals" «detailed view»
28.	1962/05/21	HLS from Merton	I am returning this forthwith. It is a good form of editing and I am perfectly content with it.	✉	«detailed view»
29.	1962/05/23 (#02)	HLS to Merton	Many thanks for the quick return of the copy. It goes to the printer this afternoon.	✉	Pruden crucifixes «detailed view»
30.	1962/05/23? (#01)	TLS from Merton	I liked this piece by Dom Bede very much. It would be wonderful if he could come down here when he	✉	[no year given / approximated by context] Dom Bede Griffiths / Merton's recent article from The Catholic World ("Christian Culture Needs Oriental Wisdom" or "Two Chinese Classics") «detailed view»
31.	1962/06/27	TLS from Merton	I have not yet acknowledged the check for the article, which came some time ago.	✉	[on loan since 2001 and accessioned in 2016] «detailed view»
32.	1962/07/28	HPCS from Merton	The crucifixes are very fine. I am now pleased with their simplicity and spiritual quality	✉	[date from postmark] «detailed view»
33.	1962/12/12	TL[x] from Merton	I think you would be interested in a foundation of Cistercian Nuns that has been made out	✓	Cistercian nuns in California [Redwoods Monastery] / explains why he cannot attend art conference in Santa Fe «detailed view»
34.	1963/11/24	HLS from Merton	I have not heard from you since the telegram, but I presume you got my reply all right although it	✉	«detailed view»
35.	1963/11/29 (#01)	HLS to Merton	Thank you for your letter of the 24th, and forgive me for not answering your telegram before this.	✉	needed to shorten Merton's article on sacred art to 1,600 words - found seven pictures to illustrate Merton's seven points - sending ms. for his approval «detailed view»
36.	1963/11/29 (#02)	HL[d] to Merton	Thank you for your letter of the 24th, and forgive me for not answering your telegram before this.		[copy/draft of letter] needed to shorten Merton's article on sacred art to 1,600 words - found seven pictures to illustrate Merton's seven points - sending ms. for his approval «detailed view»
37.	1972/07/11	TL[c] from Laughlin, James	I have before me your letter of June 26, addressed to the Abbot of Gethsemani, which has been		gathering Merton's correspondence with Coomaraswamy for a book by S. Dusaj Raja Suigam on Ananda Coomaraswamy / sending correspondence request to the Thomas Merton Center «detailed view»
38.	undated/no/no (#01)	TNS from Merton	Your letter arrived this morning after I had written to you yesterday. I shall look forward to	✉	on Carey hosting Peter Watts «detailed view»
39.	undated/no/no (#02)	HNS from Merton	Here is the text - I made a few slight alterations. Could I please have some extra copies -	✉	asking use of Carey's illustrations in book «detailed view»
40.	undated/no/no (#03)	other to Merton	1. So much of what Merton writes is good! Only on p. 199 does he show that he does not yet	✉	[seems to be Carey's assessment of Merton's manuscript of his proposed book, "Art and Worship"] «detailed view»
41.	undated/no/no (#04)	other[x] Merton	+ for Graham Carey [-] Thought you might be interested [-] Please forgive misprints [-] T. Merton		[copy of the title page of "Notes on Art and Worship" with inscription for Graham Carey - see Sub-Section D.9 for original] «detailed view»
42.	undated/no/no (#05)	other[x] Merton	+ for Graham Carey [-] Cordial appreciation in Xto Jesu [-] T. Merton		[copy of the title page of "The Pasternak Affair in Perspective" with inscription for Graham Carey - see Sub-Section D.9 for original] «detailed view»
43.	undated/no/no (#06)	other[x] Merton	+ for Graham Carey in Xto Jesu. T. Merton		[copy of the title page of "The Catholic and Creativity" with inscription for Graham Carey - see Sub-Section D.9 for original] «detailed view»

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