8, Grosvenor Crescent, S.W. - Glad to get Elizabeth's letter; thinks Julian will prosper even more with warmth and sunshine. She is recovering, though too slowly; hopes to go down to tea as Annie [Price?] is coming to see her. Mary and Pauline entertained her yesterday; wants to have them painted, probably in miniature. Sir George is reading "Mr Polly" [H. G. Wells: "The History of Mr Polly"] aloud to her, which is very amusing; is reading [Samuel Butler's] "Erewhon" himself, which she will return when he finishes it. Would very much like to see Elizabeth if she comes up again; glad she has 'put things right with nurse'. Nice 'to have a little W.L.A. [Women's Liberal Association]'; likes that the work 'brings one into contact with people you cannot reach in any other way'; was never able to do 'charity visiting' and there are 'such nice women in the WLA'. Asks if Elizabeth would like to represent the Upper Wansbeck W.L.A. at the Council meeting on 10 and 11 May; could put her up. Has sent five pounds to the People's Suffrage Society [Federation?] since she 'approve[s] their principles, though... cannot be bound to one plan'. Asks in a postscript whether Elizabeth has a photograph of Julian.
19 M[anchester] St, W.1. - Is 'sure to be here Wednesday'; asks if a visiting time of 4 pm would suit her. Thanks her for her letter; wants to re-read it, 'but it has fallen on to the floor!'. If 'G[eorge] M[acaulay] T[revelyan]'s morality has gone sour' his own 'sensitivity is certainly doing likewise; as the date of his 'release' from the clinic 'recedes and recedes', he is 'seeing all its faults'. His wound 'went wrong again this morning' and he is back in bed. If her car is free when he is ready to come out, he 'might be very glad of it'; he has offers of transport from both Hilton Young and Leonard Woolf, but seems likely to lose them through delays. indeed he has 'certainly lost Hilton's, as he goes away in it on Thursday'.
Had a good long letter from Bob at Grasse; he seems to be 'enjoying himself' and to be 'entertained by H. G. Wells'. He himself is reading Paradise Lost 'with pleasure': it suits his mood, which is 'gloomy yet unable to contemplate realities. God's frightful muddles: his inability to make either Hell or Eden work:... his readiness to throw Christ into the soup - what a puerile yet what a terrific universe!'. Is also reading [his own] Abinger Harvest, 'though not alas on Worthing Pie'; it is a 'real comfort' to him that it has come out just now, is liked by his friends, and by many of the critics.
May D. [?Dickinson] has been to tea, at a time when Morgan was sitting up. Robin Mayor is visiting again soon: 'what a warm hearted nice chap he is'. Has 'quite lost the feeling of dryness' Mayor used to give him. Is very lucky to have 'friends in various generations', a good fortune which Bessie also shares. Note up the side of the letter saying that her letter has been picked up from the floor; his reply 'is not nearly nice enough for it, but shall go' all the same.
Postscript dated 'Sunday evening' [29 Mar] saying that he has had 'good and surprising news': MacDonald says whatever the state of the wound, he will be able to travel on Thursday; Leonard Woolf could therefore take him in his car. Will see her on Wednesday.
Alderley Park, Chelford, Cheshire.—Montagu’s calm response to the Government’s defeat seems justified. Sends news of the Asquiths and other friends. Is going to Stanway tomorrow, then to Rounton. There will be a large party at Alderley at Christmas.
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Transcript
Alderley Park, Chelford, Cheshire
Dec 11th 1912
Since I wrote to you last I’ve had another letter {1}, you’d just heard of the defeat, I am surprised at your calmness, I should have expected you to have been in a fever about it. You were perfectly right not to be excited as things have gone, for I dont believe it has done much harm, (beyond the tedious loss of a fortnights valuable time) everyone has almost forgotten that there ever was a Banbury amendment or that all the Tories howled everyone, including the Speaker, down.
You mention a “cryptic” remark of mine, I havent a notion what it was, but I am sure that far from having an obscure meaning it had probably none at all. You cannot get it sufficiently firmly fixed in your mind that the simplest and most foolish meaning is as a rule the right one to attach to my remarks! I am sorry Peel is a bore, but in spite of it you seem to be having great fun and doing and seeing most delicious things. Everything in England has been very dull, so dont believe the papers if they say it hasnt. I’ve just come back from London where it was quite fun, not varying in the smallest degree from the usual course of things. I saw a lot of Violet, a little of the P.M. and the usual amount of Bongie, Mikky, Bluey Geoffrey etc. Violet’s friendship with Geoffrey still continues to make good progress, dont when you write to her say you hear that she is quite converted, it would be quite enough to make her fall back into her old way. The Prime seemed in very good spirits whenever I did see him, one night dining at the House with Bluey he was at his very best, most lovable and most foolish, His “Muse” as he chooses to call it, has burst into song again, which is always I think a sign that he has superabundant spirits and vitality. Has Violet written to you, I know she is on the verge of it, anyway you will have heard that she is going to America with Lady Aberdeen for 3 weeks, starting on the 19th. Isnt it a good plan, but I’m glad its she and not I. Margot is over the moon about it, but I am afraid she may be disappointed as to the result of the journey. Margot is not very well I think, she seems rather crusty and edgy, and doesnt feel at all well. I wish something could be done about her and for her.
I am fixed here for two days for a beastly ball tomorrow and then I go to Stanway (Cynthia) which ought to be fun, a party of Professors and H. G. Wells. My horse is still lame to so I have to get along as best I can by borrowing and hiring which is sad work. After Stanway I have to go to Rounton to stay with my cousin Gertrude {2} which hangs very heavily on me, I shant like it at all. We have a vast Xmas party coming here, Bongie, Mikky, {3} Francis Henley as well as all my brothers brothers in law sisters sisters in law and all their family, I shall enjoy that once my acting is over, which blackens even the rosiest outlook.
This letter will reach you just between Christmas and New Year so I shall send you compound good wishes for both occasions. I hope 1913 will bring you masses of good luck.
I am sorry for the dullness of this letter.
I saw Conrad the other day who sent you his love.
Yrs
Venetia
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{1} MONT II B1/56.
{2} Gertrude Bell.
{3} Comma supplied.
Wallington, Cambo, Northumberland. - Very glad for Elizabeth's letter; has been pleasant to think that 'while Mamma was away from me, she was with you, as I know how much you are to each other'. Has finished "Kipps" [by H. G. Wells] and likes it 'exceedingly'; it is very funny, but there is also a 'curious pathos about it'; thinks it in all ways better than "[Love and] Mr Lewisham" though that is good too. Has just started "Grub Street" [by George Gissing], which Elizabeth had read aloud. Is nearly 'out of Grub Street' himself as he has almost finished writing his own book.
The Royal Hotel, Weymouth - Cannot help with the Review; envies her husband 'the high self respect that concentrates his work & leaves these jobs to other people'.
Wallington, Cambo, Morpeth. - Asks Robert if he knows the whereabouts of a copy of [Dickens's] "Barnaby Rudge", and the "Harrow Atlas of Ancient Geography" which he very much misses; has found an entry in the list of lent books indicating that Robert had these, but the initials have been crossed out. Has just finished Conrad's "Rescue"; seems a 'strange delusion' that people consider him out of the ordinary, and rank him with writers such as 'Arnold Bennett, Wells, Mrs Sidgwick, Shaw, Kipling, and Stevenson'; he is of course clever, 'but he does not know how to tell a plain, or an impassioned story'; read "Chance" aloud to Caroline, which amused him despite 'the upside down of the narrative', but can read nothing else of his with pleasure. Sends birthday wishes.
Wallington, Cambo, Morpeth. - Thanks Robert for having arranged the altered subscription for the National Liberal Club [see 46/237]. Has also been thinking about [H.G.] Wells, having carefully re-read "The New Machiavelli"; thinks him 'cleverer than ever', but has 'never read a less defensible book'; there are things he would rather discuss with Robert than write 'which fall morally below anything [he knows]', though many of Wells's other books are 'wonderfully good'. Thinks no-one ever wrote 'so many books of auto-biography so varied' as Wells.
The Shiffolds, Holmbury St. Mary, Dorking. - It is a 'great pleasure' to be home from Spain, and to find Bessie and Julian well; Julian has 'improved in many ways since the summer, and is much stronger, and also more vigorous mentally'. His current 'chief interests' are astronomy and 'making architectural plans'; therefore, he is much looking forward to the visit next week Bessie's cousin Jan Hubrecht, who 'will tell him all about sun-spots'; also to the visit of Robert's friend [Kenneth] Croos tomorrow, who 'was one of the architect of the Mission des Amis' in France. Bessie reads Wells' new Outline of History to Julian in the evenings, which 'seems quite well done'; so far however, they have 'only reached the beginning of the Pleistocene or thereabouts'.
It has been a 'great pleasure' for them to read [Theodore Roosevelt's] correspondence in Scribner's [Magazine]; thinks the 'strongest feeling' he got from Roosevelt's letters is what 'for what of a better word [Robert] would call his charm'; that indeed is his 'chief memory' of Roosevelt from when he met him at Welcombe. Roosevelt's 'wide reading and interest in everything would have made him interesting in any case', but it is 'something more personal than that, something which made any difference of opinion or point of view seem of little importance.
Had a good time in Madrid: got to know 'some quite interesting young men, and laid the foundation of at least a literary knowledge of Spanish'. Is preparing a 'book of translations from Lucretius', which will in total come to 'rather more than a third of the De Rerum Natura. Sends ;ove to his mother.
The Shiffolds, Holmbury St. Mary, Dorking. - Sees there is something in his father's last letter [12/276], which he 'ought to have answered at once', about his National Liberal Club subscription. Spoke to the Secretary last winter, and agreed that in future Robert would be a 'country member'; the subscription is therefore three guineas, not six. His 'domicile is in the country', and he is 'very little in town' so it was 'quite unnecessary' for him to have been a town member recently.
There is a delay with the publication of his translation, Lucretius on Death, but hopes to send it in two or three weeks. The weather is 'as bad, if not worse, than ever'; they are however all well.
Adds a postscript saying that they are reading Wells' Mr Polly; likes it 'almost as well as Kipps, which it somewhat resembles'.
Welcombe, Stratford on Avon. - Very sorry about Julian's illness; Caroline will be glad to hear from Elizabeth tomorrow. Glad Robert is seeing some plays. Enjoying a visit from George; he has been interesting about the '[Sunday?] Tramps', so they appreciate Robert joining them; George agrees with him that Robert's "Parsifal" ["The New Parsival"] is 'charmingly poetical below the surface' and sometimes above it. Sir George surprised he did not 'catch' [Well's] "The New Machiavelli", as it is "pure Aristophanes'. Despite being so 'ill and pulled down', he is working almost more pleasurably than ever before, only has 'three more paragraphs to write'.
2, Cheyne Gardens, S.W. - Bob's letter [14/203] 'moved [him] very much'; is too distressed to answer it properly, and 'the mugwump is not morally in a position to hold his own against either side'. Has 'never admired Charles more', and thinks he and the anti-war side have a 'most useful part to perform', but can currently go no further. Sets out his own position: since Britain in the war, he believes that it is vital to win it, and therefore does not want to say publicly what he feels about the policies which led to it since this would be discouraging; feels quite differently than Charles and Bob about Belgium, being 'thrilled' by the heroism of its people, and appalled by German forward planning and railway building; also cares more for France than Bob does, thinking 'the German nation and culture and soul can survive a beating' but it France has 'another 1870... they will never hold up their heads again', and the fear of German hegemony is enough to overcome even his 'great fear of Russia'; objects to the systems of entente and alliance as much as ever, which have created this 'universal catastrophe... out of a genuine local quarrel'; fully recognises the danger of Russia ending up as the strongest power, but the German threat is a 'more pressing and locally nearer danger', and though the Germans are 'no doubt afraid of the Slavs' the course they have followed to protect themselves - the partition of Poland, the 'land policy in Prussian Poland', and the attack on France through Belgium - is 'to say the least, unfortunate'.
Does not think the British are blameless, but believes that they are 'on the right side' and must win, or the 'world will be far worse than it was before, and even worse than it will be when we have won!'. Agrees with much of what Charles and his friends say and thinks someone should say it, but does not believe it is 'any more the whole truth than the Wells point of view', though Charles, [Edmund] Morel, [Ramsay] Macdonald and Norman Angell are each 'worth 20 of Wells'. May be going out to Greece and the Balkans with Noel Buxton and Basil Williams next week, as Britain is trying to 'reconstitute the Xtian Balkan League', though in some sense he feels 'it hardly matters what one does or thinks in this doomsday'. Asks Bob, however much he disagrees with George, to believe he is 'absolutely heartbroken and think it far the greatest catastrophe in human history', and that his feeling about 'the Sartor passage' ["in Carlyle's "Sartor Resartus" against war] is 'even stronger than it was; however, unsure whether the world can truly 'adopt complete pacifism and survive' when there are 'devils' like the Russian and German militarists in power. Greatly admires Bob's letter and respects his views, and 'despise[s]' his own, but 'can't help it'.
Since he thinks that George is 'not quite in sympathy with the views which many of our friends hold' about current events, he is setting out 'the main reasons for taking a strong line' against the Cabinet's past and present actions, and he fears also its future ones. Has just had an argument with [Maurice] Amos, whose 'vision and perspective' seem to be ‘distorted’. He himself believes that 'war between civilized people is absolute insanity, and nothing else'; the Balkans may be 'another matter' as 'there probably people like fighting and have less to lose'. Completely agrees with the passage in [Thomas] Carlyle's "Sartor [Resartus": 'What, speaking in quite unofficial language, is the net purport and upshot of war...?''], but people like Amos, 'nearly all the nice, intelligent, reasonably peaceable, anything but brutal people' do not realise it, so do not see 'the whole foreign-politics, diplomacy, honour of the nation etc game' as a 'colossal system of humbug [and] wickedness'. A few people realises, and express themselves 'with passion like [Bertrand] Russell, or more calmly like Charles'.
Belgium is the 'stumbling block' for many good people, including their father; Bob thinks that 'whatever the fault of Germany', it is clear that Britain is 'directly responsible for the destruction of Belgium', since the Cabinet for selfish reasons 'encouraged the Belgians in the attempt to keep the Germans out'; as Charles says, if the concern for Belgium had been real the advice should have been 'to let the Germans through under protest'. Believes that Germany views itself as fighting for its existence against Russia, and therefore against France, which the British, 'who bombarded Copenhagen [in 1807] should understand'; expects the Germans are right that the France would have tried to invade through Belgium if they had had time, which the British would not have prevented. Thinks Britain had no right to go to war for Belgium, and that it was used as a last moment excuse 'to make this unrighteous war of diplomatic national hatred into a "righteous" war for a small oppressed people". Having talked to people like Amos and [Bernard] Berenson he detects a 'vague indefinable suspicion and (though it is not usually admitted) dislike and even hatred of Germany and Germans', with nobody able to say what the Germans were going to do against Britain or France [before the acceleration of hostilities]; once France committed the 'folly' of binding themselves to Russia, he grants that they had 'some reason to be afraid', but Britain had 'no such cause'.
Perhaps 'any other cabinet minister would have been as bad' as [Sir Edward] Grey, but it is through trusting him and the 'foreign office fools... the least trustworthy people in the world' that Britain allied themselves with France rather than Germany. Cannot feel calm about Britain's 'subservience to Russia'; sees 'reptiles like Wells defend Russian tyranny now' and supposes that the Czar is now going to be a 'national hero'; it was he who 'directly caused the war by his mobilisation'. Feels that if Germany was a 'menace to European civilisation' so was France, or Britain; Russia is another matter, and one which George has himself warned about; wonders how he, as a historian, can believe that Germany’s actions do not stem from ‘arrogance, or… desire for hegemony’, but from ‘fear of Russia, and therefore of Russia’s friends’; courage is ‘the last thing’ George lacks, so he must be following ‘some scruple of conscience’. He himself has not trained himself to ‘write effectively’, except in verse, but regrets that George, ‘a writer as influential as any in the country’, after beginning so well, hesitates when he could be leading opinion to the good.
Recognises that ‘blame must be distributed all round’, but while he is inclined to criticise Russia more heavily and George Germany, he sees it as their ‘absolute duty to put all the weight of blame earned by our country upon her, as outspokenly and fearlessly as possible’ and to work for the future, as Charles and others are doing.
8, Grosvenor Crescent. - Has just received Robert's letter from Anuradhapura; envies him his time at Ceylon [Sri Lanka]; must have been a 'wonderful treat' to travel through the southern scenery at the speed of a motor car. He himself has gone from Rome to Ostia in a motor, but could not just enjoy the scenery as 'one had to identify the details', and never really 'smelled the tropical fragrance' except once in a 'tikka-gharry' a mile or two from Point de Galle'. Not surprised that Robert is thinking about his return; hopes he will have a 'real sight' of China; expects 'Pekin [Beijing] would be more memorable than anything in Japan'. Notes that Robert has had 'something of a surfeit of Indian art'. They 'shuddered over the crocodile' which would have made Robert 'famous in death'. Elizabeth is coming to spend a couple of nights with them tomorrow. Well's "Marriage" is 'interesting and pleasing.. a very clever man writing to put himself right with the world'.
8, Grosvenor Crescent, S.W. - Delightful to meet Bessy by chance in the London Library; good that she can mend Julian's toys 'αυτόχειρ' [by her own hand]'; has just been reading about 'Frau Bucholz's attempts at domestic art-workmanship' [in a book by Julius Stinde]. Agrees with Robert about 'the Bernard Shaw in old days. The artist is always good. The egotist always detestable'. Thinks he heard that Shaw 'disapproved of Well's recent goings on'; as George says, it is bringing 'old literary scandals... home.. and you see what they really are.' Very interesting about Verrall and the Professorship [the new English professorship at Cambridge].
Pixton Park, Dulverton.—Has arrived to find Mary alone with her children. Praises the estate, and discusses arrangements for a dinner next week. Asks for news of the strike and Montagu’s fight with the M.P.B. [Man-Power Board]. Is planning to go to Knole, via London, on Saturday, and encourages Montagu to combine a visit there with his visit to Maythorn. Is working on her counterpane. Suggests shopping for some cocks.
West Hackhurst, Abinger Hammer, Dorking. - Has refused to take the pledge [committing members of the National Council of Civil Liberties to distribute 'seditious' speeches made by Ramsay MacDonald during the First World War and the 1926 General Strike at Aldershot army camp in protest against the Sedition Bill] and offered to resign from the presidency. Asks if she knows of a short-hand typist. Had a good lunch with Wells and persuaded him to speak at the meeting [of the NCCL] on the 18th. Gives the address for Bob to send a donation to the Council, though he may share the scepticism of C.A. [Clifford Allen].
West Hackhurst, Abinger Hammer, Dorking. - Asks for help dating an enclosure [a letter from Bessie?] written in either 1917 or 1918. Has another 'un-yeared' letter for the same month, to H.G. Wells, but prefers to 'bother' Bessie. Also encloses Bob's manuscript. Is getting on satisfactorily with the book [his biography of Goldsworthy Lowes Dickinson?].
Grand Hotel, La Croix de Cavalaire, Var, France. - Has so far been 'very lucky' with the weather; this is a 'beautiful place', he thinks more so than 'most better known places on the Riviera'. The hotel is 'fairly comfortable', and though large, does not hold too many guests. About the only English people here are Noel Farrer and his wife: he is Lord Farrer's brother, and Robert and Bessie know him them slightly. They are 'both very keen liberals, and very pleasant people to see something of'.
The only other people he knows are 'two old French Protestants, Mr & Mrs Ott', whose villa is about a mile away; he and Bessie made 'great friends with them here three years ago. Mrs Ott was 'once quite a fine singer and a beauty, and was a great friend of Nietszche', as well as knowing 'Wagner and all that set'. The Otts are 'very cultivated and intellectual people'; he occasionally sees them at their villa, or here.
Bessie writes that all is well with her and Paul. Robert expects her cousin Louisa Hubrecht will by now be with her. She is also looking forward very much to his mother's visit. Hopes his father has now recovered completely from his 'fall on the ice'. Asks him to thank his mother for her letter, which came yesterday. Happily, has had better news of Helen Fry since coming here: it is very likely she will recover soon from this attack; it is 'the future that causes great anxiety'.
Saw Charles briefly in London, who seemed 'very cheerful and ready for the fun'; Robert 'hope[s] it will be fun; it certainly ought to be. [He] can't say much for the Lord's case, if Earl Percy's is the best defence that can be made for them'. Will please Charles that 'Land Valuation is included in the program': Robert only wishes his brother 'were at the Local Gov[ernment] Board to help in working it out'.
Has just finished [H. G. Wells'] Kipps, and much enjoyed it: there might not be 'quite enough story' for it to be at its best throughout, and some things may have been 'more in place in Wells' [Modern] Utopia or Mankind in the Making, but it 'ain't a bad book - reelly, as Kipps would say'. Sends love to his mother, will write to her soon.
The Shiffolds, Holmbury St Mary, Dorking. - All well with Bessie and baby Paul. The thaw is 'very complete now': they had had enough of the snow so are glad; last night 'was quite a hurricane'. Tomorrow is going up [to London] to lunch with Roger Fry, who has returned from London. Bessie has started reading to herself: [H. G. Wells'] Kipps; Robert still reads to her after dinner, usually Keats' letters.
Hopes his parents are well and 'will have nice weather now'; will write soon about paying a brief visit to Welcombe. Hopes Wallington is free of snow now. The V[aughan] Williamses at High Ashes, and Mrs Vaughan Williams at Leith Hill Place, have influenza, so Bessie cannot have visitors at the moment, Does not expect they will get it themselves, but they have to be careful. Sends love.
Spade House, Sandgate. - 'Very many thanks' to Trevelyan.
11 Edwardes Square W.8. - 'Amalgamation' [the forming of the League of Nations Union] has been a great worry, but it is clearly necessary for the LNS [the League of Nations Society, of which Dickinson was a member. The 'other association' [the League of Free Nations Association] knows how to run propaganda campaigns, and he thinks in general their aims are the same; certainly Murray and Wells want the same, even McCurdy. Their literature is bad, and their policy of the 'League now' has been turned down by Wilson and Grey, who is to be the Union's president and said the right thing on almost every point. Hopes Bessie will not be too suspicious about the amalgamation, though he understands her fears. Is still playing the [chess] game with Bob, who seems very happy. Asks if she is staying on at the Shiffolds. Is glad Julian is happy, but fears she will be lonely. Almost dares hope for the end [of the war].