Showing 33 results

Letter of acceptance for the 1905 Apostles' dinner.

I Tatti, Settignano, Florence. - [Luchaire's?] letter has been forwarded to him; he feels honoured to be asked about the problem of translation. Will reply now, but may give a more detailed answer on his return to England when he can 'consult friends and books'. Does not think the standard of translation in England is high at present; it is usually underpaid, and often taken on by 'unscholarly writers, who do not even write their own language well. Approves of C. K. Scott-Moncrieff's work. Does not know Russian, so cannot comment on the accuracy of Mrs [Constance] Garnett's translations, but they read well; [J.D.] Duff's translations of Aksakof seem first rate; some translations of Lyeskof [?] and other Russians are in 'bad slipshod English' and should be redone. Is told the standard of German translations of Russian is better than that of the English. Praises the translations of Gide by Mrs Strachey [Lady Jane Strachey?] and her daughter [Dorothy Bussy], and especially that of Jules Romain's "Le Mort de Quelqu'un" by Desmond MacCarthy and Sydney Waterlow. Doubts there are many good translations of contemporary French literature, as generally people who wish to read it can do so in French. Knows that a good translation of Valéry's dialogues, by 'Mrs Strachey' [actually by Dorothy Bussy?] and Mr [William] Stewart cannot find a publisher. Almost always finds translations of modern poetry 'unsatisfactory': there is not even a really good English translation of [Goethe's] "Faust", though he admires Stawell and Dickinson's book on the poem. Thinks it is probably not 'worthwhile trying to translate modern French and Italian poetry' except for private satisfaction; has never seen a translation of Russian poetry which gives him an idea of the original. Unfinished sentence in praise of Tagore's prose translations of his own poems.

Strathaird, Lady Margaret Road, Cambridge - Is glad to hear through Lady Frazer that he has recovered his sight; often thinks of Wyse.

Letters on questions of classical philology, many of them related to Duff's work on Silius Italicus' Punica. There are 15 letters, 1 post card and a sheet of notes dated 1921-1933 from A. E. Housman; 20 letters, cards, and notes from W. T. Vesey dated 1931-1932, and a letter from W. T. Heitland dated 4 Jan. 1933, from W. Wyse dated 25 July 1922, and a letter from J. Conington to H. A. J. Munro about his Lucretius dated 1 Dec. 1864.

Pleased for J R M Butler to publish from a letter received from James Duff; returns letter from James Duff to Butler, 28 Jan. 1957, with two photocopies.

Accompanied by a sheet with poetry discussed in the letter.

Thanks Duff for his letter and the Lucan notes; is surprised his 'little bit of translation', which he did when 'Postgate was trying to make [him] believe that blank verse was the proper medium', has had such a good reception. Thanks for Duff's note on Cicero. Is very glad Duff thinks well of his book [The Roman Republic?]; had some good reviews though a 'great Oxford light' recently 'sneered' at him 'as a hunter after pretty phrases'.

The Shiffolds, Holmbury St Mary, Dorking. - Thanks his father for his 'kind letter of welcome home [12/305]'; found 'everything well' here. The [Sturge] Moores will stay a few days longer; they have been 'very good and easy companions for Bessie through the winter. Julian comes home [from school] on the 8th, and the Moores leave on the 10th. He and Bessie are going to London tomorrow: Bessie to Charles and Molly's, and Robert to the Birrells' house; they lunched there last week and found his friend [Francis Birrell]'s father 'apparently in good health, and a most kind and entertaining host'. Thanks his father for the fifty pounds; has just received notice from the bank [Drummonds] that it has been paid into his and Bessie's account.

Not surprised that his father finds Lucretius III.877-9 difficult; discusses a reading by Lachmann, Munro, and Duff which 'makes everything easy' and which he thinks is right, as 'lines in Lucretius are often transposed'; interesting however that his father 'managed to construe it as it stands'.

c/o B[ernard] Berenson Esq., I Tatti, Settignano, Florence. - Thanks his father for his letter, with his mother's, which reached him quickly; thinks 'the posts are working better'. Hears 'quite regularly from Bessie and Julian' who seem to be greatly enjoying themselves in the Netherlands; Julian seems to have 'made great friends with his young cousins', who are a little older.

Has had 'very bad weather' since he came, except for a few days, but 'Italy is delightful in all weathers' if, as now, it is not too cold. Heard a cuckoo this morning for the 'first time [this spring]', and expects he would have heard nightingales by now were it not for the rain. Is glad his father finds 'the Tchekof stories interesting [see 12/317]'; has six other volumes he could lend him when he returns home. Chekhov is 'certainly not at his best in those short sordid stories, though he tells them skilfully enough'; he needed to 'write to make money for his family, and so did quite a good many pot-boilers'. Likes him best when he 'gets hold of a character that really interests him, and gives himself room to develop it a little'. Has a volume of Chekhov, 'all stories about peasants and country priests, which are perhaps more moving than any others of his' he knows, which he could lend to his father; also suggests that if his father wants 'another good Russian book' he should 'get Aksakof's memoirs, in three volumes, perfectly translated by Duff the classical Trinity don'. The London Library has them, but they are 'often out'.

The Berensons send their 'kindest remembrances'; Robert sends his love to his mother, to whom he will write soon. The Uffizi 'has all been rearranged, and the best pictures, such as the Primavera of Botticelli, have been brought from the Ac[c]ademia'; this is 'on the whole... an improvement'.

Strathaird, Lady Margaret Road, Cambridge. Dated June 26, 1912 - Admires his memoir of Cowper.

Postmarked Cambridge. Addressed to Duff at Lady Margaret Road, Cambridge.

Also transcript of letter, Thomas Carlyle to George Otto Trevelyan, 3 Apr. 1876.

Four autograph letters enclosed: James Duff Duff to [G. M.?] Trevelyan; R. St. John Parry to Patrick Duff; A. E. Housman to James Duff Duff; Herbert William Malkin to James Duff Duff.

Duplicated typescript with title, "J. D. Duff of Trinity, 1860-1940."

Includes letters re Trinity College Commemoration Dinner, which was held on 5 December

Strathaird, Lady Margaret Road, Cambridge - Congratulates Frazer, noting that it's a great day for Trinity when two Fellows receive the Order of Merit on the same day.

Includes 8pp offprint of lecture by Sir J.G. Frazer titled 'The Scope and Method of Mental Anthropology', Science Progress, April 1922.

Includes a preface to the translations of H A J Munro and photographs of Lord Adrian

Trinity College, Cambridge. - Sends a copy of FitzGerald's letter, 'or of the part of it Munro had written out on the flyleaf of his book'. Does not understand the penultimate sentence, but has copied it correctly, and is unsure whether the last sentence 'belongs to the letter or not' as there are no quotation marks at the end.

With extracts from the FitzGerald letter on separate sheet, on Lucretius

Two letters from J. D. Duff: one in 1929 putting off the suggestion to sit for a portrait, another in 1931 agreeing that he "cannot refuse to face it now" with three letters from Tegetmeier about the portrait in 1932 with suggestions of another artist, Farquaharson Small, whom the College apparently tries and fails to contact, with another suggestion of an artist, Archie Gitts.

Congratulations on engagement.