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The Shiffolds, Holmbury, St. Mary, Dorking. - Thanks his father for the fifty pounds which Bessie says he has paid into Robert's account; it is 'very kind... to go on paying it'. Julian returned to school last Friday; Robert thinks now he will be 'quite happy there'.

Went to the dinner in honour of Basil Williams last Tuesday, which was a 'great success': George, as chair, 'made a very good speech' including reading out 'a letter dated from Westminster Abbey, from Chatham [Pitt the Elder, subject of a biography by Williams, buried in the Abbey], regretting he could not be present, and saying many nice and true things about Basil in his best eighteenth Century grand style'; George also 'read a telegram from Rhodes [Cecil Rhodes, also the subject of Williams biography], very characteristic, I should think'. [J. L.?] Hammond also made a 'very good speech, and so too did Basil himself. The whole thing was a very genuine and spontaneous tribute, without a false note from any side'.

Bessie asks him to thank his father for his letter. Robert has finished reading the Plutus [of Aristophanes] and is beginning the Pax. Sends love to his mother, and to Aunt Annie.

Knight's Croft, Rustington, Worthing. Dated Sept. 13 1916 - Regrets he does not have the time or vitality to set [Paul Hyacinthe Loyson's poem translated by Frazer, 'For a Scrap of Paper'] to music; asks if he remembers Lord Kitchener and Cecil Rhodes on 'that exciting day at Oxford', now 'both gone!'

Shelford.—Discusses arrangements for a forthcoming dinner of the Royal Society.

(Dated Monday.)

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Transcript

Shelford. Monday. Ev.

My dear President,

Telegram to hand—This is very annoying; it was such a real good toast list.

I think now it will be best to ask Lord Salisbury to propose the toast instead of replying to it—& to “couple” your “name” with it. Your response as being that of an official of the Society can be quite brief & without sitting down you can go on to propose the Medalists†—this will save us a speech and we have a quite long enough list {1}

But Harcourt’s failing puts us in another corner—With the Lord Chancellor & Harcourt both speaking the way was clear to ask Ld Ashbourne—this from your telegram you have done. But it will look onesided to have Salisbury & Ashbourne as against Chancellor.

If he falls out we certainly ought to ask Shaw Fevre {2}—in fact we ought even if he accepts, & Rhodes fails—perhaps even if Rhodes does not fail. Let me know what you think.

I go up to Burlington House on Wednesday to finally arrange table—shall be there from mid-day onwards—Please write to me there your opinion of the above & if you have to wire on Wednes. wire me there—Perhaps you will authorize me to write in your name if necessary. On Wednesday we shall know more definitely who is coming, & what answers you have had—& we must then do our best & I will write to whom we may decide on, if there is need. If may be desirable for me to wire you on Wednes. aft, & get an immediate reply—perhaps you will arrange for this

Ever yours
M. Foster

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Letter-head of the Royal Society, Burlington House, London, W. Kelvin was President of the Society from 1890 to 1895, and Foster was Secretary from 1881 to 1903. The letter concerns arrangements for the Society’s annual anniversary dinner on Friday, 30 Nov. 1894, at which the Lord Chancellor (Lord Herschell), the Marquess of Salisbury, and Lord Ashbourne, all mentioned in the letter, were present (see The Times, 1 Dec. 1894, p. 10).

{1} Foster’s suggestions were adopted. See the Times article cited above.

{2} G. J. Shaw-Lefevre, who had attended the dinner in 1892 (The Times, 1 Dec. 1892, p. 6).

† Sic.

Knight's Croft, Rustington, Worthing - Regrets he does not have the time or vitality to set [Paul Hyacinthe Loyson's poem translated by Frazer, 'For a Scrap of Paper'] to music; asks if he remembers Kitchener and Rhodes on 'that exciting day at Oxford', now 'both gone!'

Includes a printed copy of the Vice-Chancellor's oration "Centenary of Cecil Rhodes and Jubilee of the Rhodes Scholarships" in July 1953, a letter from Sir Edgar Williams dated 28 Jan. 1955, seven letters from Lord Elton dated Feb. to June 1956, and one letter from Margery Perham dated 3 Feb. 1959.