To José Sastre González
Via S. Stefano Rotondo, 6
Rome. August 13, 1943
Today, on the day of the second bombing of Rome, I have received your letter of July 25. I understand why you think about “the difficult moments” that I must have had here, but I have nothing new to report and am calm, without changing in any way my daily routine. You must realize that I live in a convent which is at the same time a hospital. Everything is in order, and if any misfortune should strike this house, help could not be closer. This area of the city is neither downtown nor full of industry; it is made up in large part of gardens to the south of the Colosseum and the Lateran. If a bomb should fall here it would be by chance and I do believe that we will come out of the war unharmed.
Naturally the mind suffers when it hears talk of so many horrors, but at my age, knowing that I am useless, I find solace in my books and my philosophy, as though it were a matter of ancient history. Besides, everything that is happening in the world is out of the ordinary. I often remember my father’s ideas and imagine what he would have said about all of this.
You mustn’t think about trips. That would upset me much more than the noise of the bombs, or of the anti-aircraft artillery, which is the one that hurts the ears most.
As far as health goes, I am well and I have hopes of living long enough to see how this tragedy ends. For you and the whole family a strong embrace from your uncle.
From The Letters of George Santayana: Book Seven, 1941-1947. Cambridge, MA: The MIT Press, 2006.
Location of manuscript: Sra. Eduardo Sastre Martin, Madrid, Spain