Tex : A chapter in the life of Alexander Teixeira de Mattos

In Short

This biographical portrait chronicles the final years and vibrant mind of Alexander Teixeira de Mattos, renowned across Great Britain and the United States as the premier translator of his era. Through an intimate exchange of wartime and postwar letters with author Stephen McKenna, the book captures a man of astonishing industry who balanced government service at the War Trade Intelligence Department with translating classic European authors like Fabre and Maeterlinck. It preserves his sharp gallows-humor, eccentric daily routines, and enduring passion for literature until his passing.

The Story

The account opens by establishing Alexander Teixeira de Mattos's towering reputation as the foremost literary translator of his time, celebrated for rendering French, Dutch, and Scandinavian works into exquisite English. As World War I unfolds, Teixeira joins an embryonic government censorship and intelligence initiative that evolves into the War Trade Intelligence Department, advising the Foreign Office on prohibited exports. Despite working grueling hours—rising at five in the morning to translate before putting in a full day at the department and winding down with evening bridge—he maintains a lively, erudite correspondence with the author.

As the war progresses into 1916 and 1917, Teixeira navigates recurring health crises, including bronchitis and a distinct conviction that he will die on April 21, 1917. When that day arrives, he survives, writing humorous gallows-humor notes about music-hall songs and his worsening ailments. The following autumn brings the terror of London air-raids, which he observes with sardonic detachment from his bed, alongside domestic adjustments like dealing with absent cooks and accumulating laundry.

In the postwar years of 1919 and 1920, Teixeira retreats intermittently to Bexhill and Ventnor for his failing health, filling his letters with passionate literary inquiries and debates. He critiques contemporary writers, discusses the rules of capitalization and grammar with schoolmasterly precision, dismisses the literary pretensions of the nineties, and spars playfully with the author over Darwinism and religion. His domestic life is marked by quiet routines, card games at local clubs, meticulous clothing inventories—such as cataloging dozens of shirts and boot-trees—and humorous run-ins with dentists and hotels.

Toward the end of 1920 and into 1921, Teixeira’s correspondence reflects his growing awareness of aging and the loss of contemporaries, noting that a man of fifty or sixty sees friends dying off until he becomes a sole survivor. He continues reading voraciously, evaluating new historical and biographical works like Strachey's Queen Victoria and planning monumental future translation projects. The narrative arc concludes quietly as Teixeira returns to Chelsea from country house-visits in late summer 1921, facing minor dental surgery and health setbacks with resilient wit, leaving behind the memory of a brilliant intellect whose laughter and linguistic mastery echo through his surviving letters.

How It Unfolds

The master translator at work The narrative introduces Teixeira’s peerless contributions to literature, establishing how his tireless labours brought continental masterpieces to English-speaking readers. It details his strict daily regimen of early-morning translation followed by demanding government service, highlighting his unique position as a cultural bridge across Europe and his profound impact on British reading habits.

Wartime duties and air-raids Working within the War Trade Intelligence Department, Teixeira handles complex trade restrictions while managing his persistent health struggles and lead-poisoning hue. When heavy air-raids strike London, he observes the explosions and thunderous disruptions with dry, unflappable humor from his bed rather than seeking underground shelter.

Postwar recovery and literary debates Seeking health and quietude in seaside retreats like Bexhill and Ventnor, Teixeira pours his restless energy into voluminous correspondence filled with sharp critical opinions. He engages in spirited arguments regarding grammar, the abolition of mid-sentence capital letters, and the literary merits of various historical, biographical, and scientific writers.

Domestic eccentricities and declining health Teixeira documents his meticulous wardrobe inventories, bridge club victories, and amusing encounters with local dentists and hotel managers. As aging sets in and acquaintances pass away, he reflects on mortality with characteristic gallows humor while planning ambitious future translation projects.

Final days and enduring echo Returning to Chelsea from country house-visits in late 1921, Teixeira undergoes minor dental surgery and continues his vibrant intellectual pursuits undiminished. The book closes on the lingering resonance of his laughter, capturing a definitive portrait of a rare scholar, devoted correspondent, and irreplaceable friend.

The People

Alexander Teixeira de Mattos wants to preserve intellectual rigor, master foreign literatures, and maintain meticulous personal standards amidst a shifting world, but his ambitions are constantly obstructed by chronic ill health, wartime disruptions, and the gradual loss of his generation of peers. He remains unyielding in his sharp wit and relentless industry, ending his days as a resilient scholar who faces mortality with gallows humor. Stephen McKenna, the author and faithful friend, seeks to capture the living essence and rare humor of his companion through regular correspondence and shared social outings, striving against time and bereavement to immortalize Teixeira’s unique voice. William Campbell serves as a trusted confidant who playfully warns Teixeira that a man who laughs too much cannot gain entry to exclusive clubs, highlighting the strict social conventions of the period. Secondary figures, including his supportive wife and stepdaughter, offer domestic companionship and patient care against the backdrop of recurring illnesses, air-raids, and frequent seaside relocations. Finally, numerous colleagues, club acquaintances, and medical professionals populate Teixeira's world, providing the daily friction and amusement that stimulate his lively intellect and sustain his engagement with life until his final days.

In Its Own Voice

Reflecting on the heavy demands and peculiar mindset required for his craft, Teixeira outlines his guiding philosophy on translation:

With all deference, a translator’s first duty is not to translate. His first duty is to love God, honour the king and hate the Germans.

Describing his meticulous attention to personal property and wardrobe details, he humorously details his extensive collection of shirts and accessories:

My father’s theory was that no gentleman should have fewer than eighty shirts to his name.

Confronting his recurring health problems and his curious premonition regarding a specific calendar date, he remarks on his physical state with characteristic irony:

Yesterday being a fine day, I have caught cold. A bad look-out, executor, a bad look-out!

What It's Really About

The book explores the nature of intellectual legacy and the mechanics of cultural exchange, questioning how an individual can bridge isolated linguistic worlds through sheer discipline and deep linguistic empathy. It investigates the quiet heroism of everyday industry against the backdrop of global catastrophe, examining how professional devotion and epistolary friendship sustain the human spirit through chronic illness and profound bereavement. Furthermore, it probes the tensions between rigid traditions and modern sensibilities, using Teixeira's sharp observations on language, grammar, and social affectations to reflect on the changing fabric of early twentieth-century British society and the vanishing standards of an older generation.

Why Read It Today

Readers who cherish literary history, epistolary intimacy, and brilliant conversational wit will find immense pleasure in this volume. Reading it feels like sitting across a club table from a sharp-minded scholar who alternates between profound cultural insights and absurd, lighthearted anecdotes. What stays with you long after finishing is Teixeira's indomitable spirit—his ability to joke about his own mortality while meticulously cataloging his boot-trees and fighting against the insularity of his era. However, modern readers must navigate certain difficulties, including period-specific references, dated social attitudes, and an embedded assumption of familiarity with early twentieth-century literary figures and European politics. The book does not offer a traditional narrative arc with dramatic suspense; instead, its charm lies in its slow, immersive accumulation of daily details and authentic correspondence. Those willing to engage with its leisurely pace and distinctly turn-of-the-century British flavor will discover a deeply touching and enduringly funny tribute to an extraordinary literary pioneer.