Chilswell, Oxford. - Has not yet read "Sisyphus", as he has been 'dreadfully busy', but his wife has found it 'very entertaining'. Has just sent his "Memoir" of R. W. Dixon to the publishers; this has taken him a long time and involved much correspondence. Thanks Trevelyan for the book and the letter; is answering the latter at once to say he is 'not Edmund Gosse' so Trevelyan should not imagine he sits 'in a seat [of judgment?]'. Thinks 'any experiment in quantitative verse shd do good in calling attention to the fact that accent & quantity are different'; recently had a conversation with a university professor of Latin who was unaware of rules about accents in that language. Lent his essay on Virgilian rhythm to Desmond MacCarthy a couple of months ago, who wanted to see whether it could be printed in the "New Quarterly"; has not heard from him further and will ask for it to be returned. Hopes "Sisyphus" will be successful.
Goodman's Furze, Headley, Epsom. - Has got copies made of the correspondence between his father and her husband, which he sends, along with the twenty-two original letters she lent him from his father to her husband, and some from his mother and sister which he has not had copied. He also sends seven letters from her husband to his father and a copy of an eighth, the original of which was stuck into a book. Most of the letters were written in 1927 and 1928, and formed part of a series of letters preserved by his father from those to whom he had sent proof copies of the "Testament of Beauty". Has pencilled years on undated letters. He has no record of the comments and criticism which her husband made on this poem, and asks she would be willing to lend him the proof copies in which these were made. He also asks if he could be given the chance to acquire the letters if she ever thinks of parting with them.
Chilswell, Nr Oxford. - Writes on behalf of his mother after the death of his father to thank Trevelyan and his wife for their letters of sympathy. Until quite recently, they expected his father to have some years' enjoyment of life still, but he seems to have wanted the end to come 'quickly and peacefull, as it did'. His father was very grateful to Trevelyan for the close attention he paid to his later poetic 'experiments'.
Chilswell, Boar's Hill. - Kind of Trevelyan to ask for consent before printing an extract from a letter from her husband; glad for him to use it, though he should be sure to give the date, as her husband's 'rules & theories about quantitive verse' altered a little with time. Enjoyed reading Trevelyan's paper this morning; would like to keep the book for a little longer as there are some other papers which interest her.
Chilswell, Boar's Hill. - Thanks Trevelyan for the copy of Suhrawardy's poems, which she has shared with Elizabeth. Expected them to be mystical, so was a little disappointed with the love poems. Likes "In the Earth unbroken", "The Cotswolds" and "In Russia". Does not have Suhrawardy's address, and asks Trevelyan, when he next writes, to thank him for remembering her with a copy; hopes she will see him when he comes to England. Has taken an interest in a blind man, Harry Booth, son of an unemployed Yorkshire miner, who won a scholarship to Oxford and wrote a B.Litt. thesis on "Robert Bridges and the poetry of today". Hopes he can get better work than reading Braille proofs, 'very tedious and ill-paid': thinks he could teach well.
Chilswell. - Good of Trevelyan to let her know about the Busch Quartet concert; she hopes she will be able to go. Hopes his wife is better. Looks forward to seeing them when next at Abinger.
Chilswell. - Has signed 'the document' and sent it on to the next donor, Percy Withers. Very much enjoyed the evening she spent with Trevelyan and his wife. Praises the letter written by "H. B".
Chilswell. - Thanks Trevelyan for the long letter about the scansion of the '"busilie" line [from Bridges' version of "Priam and Achilles", see 1/190]; unfortunately it is now too late to reverse her changes. Defends her position a little. Robert used to discuss English quantitative verse with her a great deal. Wishes she had consulted Trevelyan.
Chilswell. - Discussion of the scansion of a line in her husband's translation of "Priam and Achilles" ["Iliad" xxiv 339-660] which she has altered during editing. Was pleased to see Trevelyan and his wife the other day; she and her daughter hope they might meet again should anything bring them to Oxford.
Chilswell, Boars Hill. - Thanks Trevelyan for sending "Rimeless Numbers". Apologises for not replying sooner: she has been busy reprinting her husband's prose. Was interested in the prosody of the hexameters. Mentions several poems which pleased her. Invites Trevelyan to visit if he is ever near.
The Shiffolds, Holmbury St. Mary, Dorking. - Is sorry for leaving behind the books; thanks her for sending them on. Has tried to find out about the symbol of the serpent biting its tail: copies out a passage from [Edward Burnett] Tylor's "Primitive Culture; mentions the article on serpent-worship in the "Encyclopaedia Britannica" by S. A. Cook; and cites the treatment of the snake in Frazer's "Folklore of the Old Testament". Also discusses her husband's wish to use 'Sapph' as a diminutive for Sappho, which Hermann supports, and talks about the possible influence of the Lesbian dialect; however, he feels 'Sapph' might look odd and more like a misprint. He and his wife very much enjoyed their visit to the Bridges. Is very glad to have seen the later poems of their daughter [Elizabeth].
21, Theatre Road, Calcutta (on University of Calcutta printed notepaper). - Has tennis-elbow from playing badminton. The books [his "Essays in Verse"] arrived at the beginning of the week: they are beautifully printed and he is very grateful. It is sad they are a little too late to help him get the jobs he wanted, but he may not have succeeded anyway. Is glad Trevelyan has sent copies to the people he mentions: does not see Desmond MacCarthy's name on the list; hopes he will send one, as he would much like to hear his opinion. Asks for copies also to be sent to: [Marie] Germanova: Edwyn Bevan: Brian Lunn: Amelie Brázdová; [Monica] Bridges or Elizabeth [Daryush]; Alison Hooper of Monkswood, Great Hallingbury; Malcolm Muggeridge at "Time and Tide"; Mrs Ikramullah; Simone Téry; and B [Bev] Kalitinsky. Is negotiating with Macmillans to try to bring out the book in India. Would be good if Trevelyan could have a hundred copies sent over; asks what the book should be priced, in shillings. Feels much closer to Trevelyan now there is airmail. Will soon have out a book of essays about art, called "Prefaces" since 'all knowledge we possess is a preface to real knowledge... the Indian idea'. Is also bringing out the first of a series about Bengal folk art which the University is publishing under his general editorship. Saw Tagore a fortnight ago when he came to stage 'one of his new social plays', which Suhrawardy appreciates; he spoke 'very affectionately' about Trevelyan; he is disturbed about Japanese aggression in the Far East, contrasting the Japanese and Chinese instinct to court death like moths to the flame with the Indian 'habit of slow annihilation of self'; he has had to shave his hair and beard after his illness and so sees few people but 'still appears beautiful'. Asks Trevelyan to let him know readers' opinions of his book, particularly Bessie and Julian's.
A postscript notes that he has only received five copies of the book, though Trevelyan had said he was sending fifty; asks if Birrell and Garnett could take some copies for sale to 'curious Indian students'.