c/o J.H. Stone, Warden's Lodge, Chepauk, Madras. - Have been here since 10 January, staying with Dickinson's old Cambridge friend [Joseph Henry Stone] in the educational department. They have lunched with the Pentlands, and he called again on Lady Pentland this morning; they seem to like it here, and have been 'very busy entertaining and seeing people'; their children also seemed well. Lady Pentland sent 'many kind messages' to Robert's parents, and to Molly, Charles and their children. She showed Robert the banquet hall where there was a picture of his grandfather [Sir Charles Trevelyan], though he did not think it very good; there are some 'quite good earlier portraits of Governors', and a 'rather dull Watts'; also an 'ugly one of Grant Duff', and a good one by Dickinson's father of Lord Napier. Robert and Dickinson have been to hear the commission [the Royal Commission on the Public Services in India] and may go again today; it is 'almost impossible to hear anything' due to bad acoustics, but they have met several of the commissioners. Likes R[amsay] Macdonald 'very much'; he and [Gopal Krishna] Gokhale seem the 'ablest men on the commission'. Have also met Sir T[heodore] Morison and Sir V[alentine] Chirol, both seem 'sensible men'. H[erbert] Fisher has not yet arrived; fortunate for him, as 'the commission must be a great bore'. Wishes they did not have to see so much 'second rate Anglo Indian society here'; their host is 'amiable, but rather dull'. Going to see the Seven Pagodas [at Mahabalipuram] tomorrow, before joining 'a Mr Bedford, a civilian, in his camp near Salem'; will stay several days before going on to Trichinopoly and Madura[i?], then to Trivandrum in Travancore and on to Ceylon [Sri Lanka]. They will probably leave Colombo for Java on 14 February, a week later than he had hoped. The post and where to write next. Will finish packing now and go for a 'last look at the sea'; as it is a holiday, 'everyone is strolling about in their most brilliant shawls and dresses; the Madras crowd is 'the most picturesque' he has yet seen. Finishes the letter on the evening of 15 January. Is quite looking forward to a week in camp. Has been to dinner with the Pentlands, who are 'admirable hosts'.
Queen Anne's Mansions, Westminster, S.W. Dated August 21st, 1905 - Will gather the information Frazer requires, concerning substitutes for executions in China; agrees that the practice is not done by Europeans.
P.&O.S.N. Co., S. S. Caledonia. Dated March 12, '11 - Doesn't think his previous letter should be published without corroboration; thinks he wrote to Sir Robert Hart.
Admiralty Yacht, off Colonsay.—She enjoyed Ardgowan, but the guests at Penrhôs have been dull. While the yacht was at Holyhead she went for walks with Winston, whose opinion of Montagu has improved. She has sailed with them as far as Colonsay, and will go home on Tuesday. Asks about his stay at Hopeman, and discusses Dorothy’s engagement. Some friends will be at Penrhôs when she returns, but afterwards her family will be alone till they leave for Alderley in early October.
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Transcript
Admiralty Yacht
Off Colonsay Sept 10th 1913
Thank you so much for your letter which I loved getting and meant to answer ages ago, but I’ve been leading such a dull life since I left Ardgowan (where it was quite fun owing to Geoffrey and Mrs Ridley whom I found) that I hadnt the heart to inflict an account of it on you. The only people at Penrhos were Gertrude Bell (as usual most full of dewdrops about you also old Chirol in the same state of mind, it sounds a dreary kind of compliment to have repeated, but really it means a good deal as those two very rarely admit any good in a political head of a department) then when she left Barbara MacLaren (very nice and restful to live with) and Bear Warne {1}. He got terribly on my nerves after a week’s tête a tête, for it was practically that, by his blatant, pretentious stupidity I could hardly bring myself to speak to him with decent civility, he never begins to understand what one means. You can imagine what a relief the advent of the yacht was on Saturday {2}, she stayed two days at Holyhead, both marvellous golden sunny blazing days, and I had two long walks with Winston and very good talks to him. He is in very good form just now very happy and full of schemes. He likes you very much now. Then Sunday night we left and after a dull day at Barrow in Furness arrived here yesterday morning. A most wonderful, lonely enchanted place, with delicious sandy and rocky little bays looking quite glo-rious yesterday in brilliant clear weather and even to day full of charm and mystery in spite of thick obliterating Scotch mist. We stay here I hope till Sat then move South to Greenock. On Tuesday I go home. I am always very happy here, I love the life with long intervals of {3} of drifting about and then one goes to divine inaccessible places. Did you have fun at Hopeman {4} and what did you think of the place and of Margot and of them all generally.
Dorothy. Arent you thrilled by her engagement {5}. Did you know about it before? Do you know him at all. I am astounded by it, I always think he is rather a boring man, not because he’s very stupid but I think he has a dull mind and always rather a boring point of view. If I were married to him I should never want to hear what he thought about anything, and should always be irritated by his opinions. However she seems delighted by him and very happy and as he’s as nice as can be I expect it will be a huge success. I think its larks his being a brewer and a Conservative and an Anti-Suffragist, I wonder if he will be converted. Dont tell Geoffrey what I say, this is hardly a necessary warning as you arent at all likely to.
When are you leaving Scotland.
I shall find such a strange collection of people when I get home, Mikky, Bluey, Mr Wedgewood Benn, Mr Smyth. I wish you were going to be amongst them, then after they go we shall be alone till I leave on about the 6th of October and go to dank Alderley for ever and ever.
There were thousands of things I wanted to say to you when I started writing, but I’ve now forgotten them and the babblement that’s going on makes writing hard.
Your
Venetia
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Written in pencil and ink (see below).
{1} ‘Bear Warne’: reading uncertain.
{2} 6th.
{3} The first sheet, which is in pencil, ends here. The rest of the letter is in ink.
{4} Montagu did not, in the event, go there.
{5} Dorothy Howard had become engaged to Francis Henley. They were married on 14 October.