Item 67 - Letter from Henry Sidgwick to his mother

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Reports that his hay fever has improved somewhat, so he can 'behold the face of nature without sneezing therein'. but that he does not intend to travel immediately. Intends to be 'hanging about London' towards the end of July, 'seeing the Academy, going to Eton, examining at Harrow and so on.' Announces that he will go to the Lakes with Trevelyan on 10 August for a short time. Asks his mother to inform him of what she is doing, and of her plans. Undertakes to come to visit her in the autumn; 'the latter part of September.' States that he is 'reading now pretty hard, and very much enjoying the complete freedom and leisure. Reports on the cleaning and painting and possible gilding of their Hall, which activities are being carried out under the 'civilizing influence' of the new Master [W. H. Thompson]. Announces that they are 'actually going to dine on chairs' after the vacation. Remarks that 'Mr. Martin unwillingly yielded to the irresistible tendency of the age of luxuriousness.'

Reports that the Italian [funds] are maintaining themselves, much to his surprise, and that his speculations have not been very successful, but he is better off than certain of his friends who 'put into certain banks.' Refers to the '[inquiry] inflicted by the ruin of Agra and Masterman's bank'. Asks her to tell Arthur that he is sending him a set of papers that Roche Dakyns forwarded to him. Hears that William is still in Oxford, writing. Wishes that he himself was writing, and intends to begin very soon. Reports that 'Trevelyan has some fresh book on hand.' States that they have 'taken rather a fit of writing at Cambridge'; that two or three of his friends have got books on hand. Announces the presence of a poetess in Cambridge: Mrs Webster, who has 'just translated the Prometheus of Aeschylus rather well', and of two or three novelists; 'one writer in the Times, two in the Saturday Review etc etc.' Refers to the fact that Lord Derby 'is to be Premier', and laments that his own chance of 'getting anything good has gone by'.

Part transcription in Sidgwick, Arthur, and Sidgwick, E. M, 'Henry Sidgwick'. London: Macmillan, 1906, p 149.