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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.
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).
Please click here for general restrictions concerning Merton's correspondence.
See also "Carey, Arthur Graham" file; and see also published letters from Merton to Coomaraswamy in The Hidden Ground of Love, pp. 125-133.
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.
This Record Sub-Group is not divided into Series and is arranged chronologically.
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. |
1960/12/24 |
TLS to Merton |
Mr. Graham Carey has explained to me something of what to do regarding the piece of writing |
|
«detailed view» |
| 2. |
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 |
✓ |
«detailed view» |
| 3. |
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 |
✓ |
«detailed view» |
| 4. |
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 |
|
«detailed view» |
| 5. |
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 |
|
«detailed view» |
| 6. |
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. |
|
«detailed view» |
| 7. |
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. |
|
«detailed view» |
| 8. |
1961/02/12 |
TL[c] from Merton |
Many thanks for yout [sic] two very rich and stimulating letters, and the additional notes. |
✓ |
«detailed view» |
| 9. |
1961/02/18 |
TALS to Merton |
You must tell me what you prefer as a form of address, so that I may not blunder- |
|
«detailed view» |
| 10. |
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, |
✓ |
«detailed view» |
| 11. |
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, |
|
«detailed view» |
| 12. |
1961/03/15? |
TNS to Moore, Alvin |
Dear Alvin: give me your personal reaction to this letter, its confidential! We have been |
|
«detailed view» |
| 13. |
1961/03/18 |
TLS[x] from Moore, Alvin |
Thank you for sharing the interesting letter from Thomas Merton/ Frater M. Louis (I believe). |
|
«detailed view» |
| 14. |
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 |
✓ |
«detailed view» |
| 15. |
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 |
✓ |
«detailed view» |
| 16. |
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 |
|
«detailed view» |
| 17. |
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 |
✓ |
«detailed view» |
| 18. |
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 |
✓ |
«detailed view» |
| 19. |
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, India Letter 1943/12/00]
«detailed view» |
| 20. |
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?]
«detailed view» |
| 21. |
undated/no/no (#03) |
other |
COOMARASWAMY, ANANDA KENTISH, prodigious scholar and authority on Indian, Persian, and Islamic |
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[biography of A. K. Coomaraswamy from the New Catholic Encyclopedia, Vol. 4: pp. 296-297 / verso: selected works of A.K. Coomaraswamy]
«detailed view» |
| 22. |
undated/no/no (#04) |
other |
On Being in one's Right Mind [-] Review of Religion, November 1942 (pp. 32-40) |
|
[annotated typescript of the article by A. K. Coomaraswamy, "On Being in one's Right Mind" for Review of Religion, November 1942 with a note from Doña Luisa Coomaraswamy to Merton - probably sent to Merton in 1961]
«detailed view» |
| 23. |
undated/no/no (#05) |
other |
DONA LUISA COOMARASWAMY |
|
Shannon's biographical information on the Ceylonese art historian
«detailed view» |
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