CD One: 49:17

David Niven reads the world’s most famous love letters

Originally released on Roulette R-25034 in 1958

1. Mark Twain to Livy (Olivia Langdon) 28^th November 1868

2. Napoleon Bonaparte to Josephine 26^th June 1796

3. Franz Liszt to The Countess 1^st May 1856

4. Abraham Lincoln to “The Other Mary” 16^th August 1837

5. Percy Bysshe Shelley to Mary Godwin 5^th September 1814

6. Henry VIII to Anne Boleyn 15^th May 1528

7. Gustave Flaubert to Louise Colet 8^th August 1846

8. Richard Wagner to Minna Planer 23^rd May 1835

9. Ludwig Van Beethoven to “The Immortal Beloved” 6^th February 1818

10. Robert Browning to Elizabeth Barrett 10^th January 1847

11. Edgar Allan Poe to Mrs. Sarah Helen Whitman 24^th January 1840

12. Robert Schumann to Clara Christmas Eve 1838

13. Noël Coward and Margaret Leighton perform the Interlude from George Bernard Shaw’s 1928 play “The Apple Cart: A Political Extravaganza”.

Coward and Leighton reprise their roles in Shaw’s comedy as King Magnus and his Mistress, Orinthia from the Coronation Year Production of 1953.

Originally released as one side of Caedmon TC 1094 in 1958

CD Two: 61:43

The Shaw-Terry Letters read by Dame Peggy Ashcroft and Cyril Cusack

Originally released on Caedmon Literary Series TC 1108 in 1959

1. Shaw: There is a song of Schubert’s 6^th April 1896

2. Terry: I wish I could write neatly August 1896

3. Shaw: It is downright maddening 28^th August 1896

4. Terry: Very well then 3^rd & 7^th September 1896

5. Shaw: This will never do 16^th September 1896

6. Terry: The timeing plays 18^th & 22nd September 1896

7. Terry: Well, it was pretty bad again 23^rd September 1896

8. Shaw: Now this is positively my last letter 25^th September 1896

9. Terry: On, you perfectly charmed being 26^th September 1896

10. Shaw: Oh dear! You’re given me an attack of sentiment 12^th October 1896

11. Terry: Oh, mayn’t I throw my arms round you 13^th October 1896

12. Shaw: I am really sorry about the ears 15^th October 1896

13. Terry: You are very gentle and sweet to me 17^th October 1896

14. Terry: I’m just going to read your Candida 18^th October 1896

15: Terry: I’ve cried my poor eyes out 19^th October 1896

16. Shaw: Ah, why, why, WHY 5^th November 1896

17. Terry: “Plainly and bluntly” you are a great silly Dear 6^th November 1896

18. Shaw: Ah, faithless, jealous 16^th November 1896

19. Terry: Oh I see you, you two 24^th November 1896

20. Terry: I’m better to-day thank you 4^th December 1896

21. Shaw: Very well: I’ll come on Thursday 5^th December 1896

22. Terry: When I wrote “Perhaps you and Miss T” 7^th December 1896

23: Terry: I’m afraid you took my last words 8^th December 1896

24. Shaw: Just three lines 8^th December 1896

25. Terry: Curious. I couldn’t open your letter 7^th June 1897

26. Shaw: Do you read these joggled scrawls 14^th June 1897

27. Terry: I wonder will my half century 3^rd July 1897

28. Terry: Don’t you think you have been treating me rather ill 7^th September 1897

29. Shaw: The books of plays 5^th January 1898

30. Terry: You have hurt your foot! 25^th April 1898

31. Shaw: Patient much worse 15^th May 1898

32. Terry: To receive four visitors 17^th May 1898

33. Terry: Married...How splendid! 1^st June 1898

34. Terry: Dear Mr. G.B.S. 22^nd June 1898

35. Shaw: If thou canst come to Witley, Ellen 20^th April 1899

36. Terry: No one but Shaw 3^rd August 1899

37. Shaw: Alas! Dear Ellen 4^th August 1899

38. Shaw: I want you to face the fact 9^th February 1900

39. Terry: The question is not of Brassbound but of BEEF! 2^nd November 1900

40. Shaw: The story about the steak 3^rd November 1900

41. Shaw: My feeling about 8^th November 1900

42. Terry: What exciting news! (Some time in) December 1900

43. Terry: Dear Bernard Shaw-Sunday so near! 14^th December 1900

44. Shaw: Mr. Bernard Shaw’s compliments 3^rd April 1902

45. Terry:  “Mr. Bernard Shaw has been approached” 5^th April 1902

The cover shows Terry’s country homes Smallhythe Place in Kent and Tower Cottage in Winchelsea, East Sussex.