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The Shiffolds. - Very kind of his mother to send him the [birthday] present of three pounds; will 'spend it chiefly on books' and tell her what he gets. May 'spend part on trouser-stretchers, which Bessie is very anxious [he] should have'. His hand is getting better [after a fall on the Lake Hunt, see 46/316], but 'still bandaged, so writing is a little difficult'. They have several guests: Mrs and Mrs Sanger; their daughter, who 'has just left Bedales; and Dickinson, 'who is here still'.

Also here is Rodker, who will publish Robert's Theocritus translation this autumn. This autumn, or next spring, the Hogarth Press will publish 'a small book of new poems' by Robert [Poems and Fables]. Knows little as yet about the performance of his Aeschylus translation by Oxford undergraduates [the Balliol Players]; they performed it 'much in the same way last year', but he never himself saw it. Will try to see a performance this time, maybe the Winchester one; doubts they do it well, from what he hears, 'still it may be an interesting experiment'. Has had nothing to do with it beyond letting them use the translation. Met 'the young man who plays Agamemnon at Athens this year. He seemed a nice fellow', but Robert does not know whether he can act. They use his '1922 edition... not the condensed version... for the Cambridge performance'. Will write to his father when he returns from London; goes there on Thursday for the [Apostles] Dinner. Sends thanks to him for his letter [12/365].

Witham, Somerset. - Has been a 'shamefully long time' replying to Trevelyan's letter, and apologises: the letter reached him just before his exams, when he was working very hard and all his spare time was taken up with rehearsals [for the Balliol Players' tour of the "Curse of the House of Atreus", using Trevelyan's translation of the "Oresteia". Now has time for the first time to write, on the way from Wells to Corfe. Hopes that Trevelyan will be able to come and see them at Winchester; thinks they will be performing in the Warden's Garden; does not know the name of the agent, but if Trevelyan is in Winchester he will be sure to see their posters up. The performance in Wadham College, which he regrets was the only one in Oxford, was 'excellent'; they then travelled to Bath a week later. The lorry they had hired broke down at Chippenham, with three of the company: the others had already arrived in Bath and got everything ready, and it was not until the performance time had arrived and they were 'insane with anxiety & fury' that they received a telephone message letting them know what had happened. Explains how they managed to cut the play to perform it 'in flannel trousers and shirt sleeves'; coming on ;again & again in different parts, male & female'. The "Agamemnon" was 'most comic' since the 'poor man who was leading the chorus' could only remember 'about one speech in three' from when he had taken the part last year. The audience were very kind; some of them even came to Wells last night to see the performance done properly. It went very well there and at Glastonbury; the audience at Wells was over 300, though they had been told it was 'impossible' to get an audience there for anything, and the setting in the Bishop's Palace garden was 'perfect'. Is not playing Agamemnon this year as he is 'wanted in the chorus', but is still the lead Choephore as well as Apollo, which was 'thrust' on him at the last moment. The costumes are 'perfectly lovely', and the whole thing is 'infinitely better than last year'. The breeches arrived safely; thanks Trevelyan for sending them.