Welcombe, Stratford on Avon. - Beautiful weather; they have always taken their tea outside and sometimes gone for a walk after dinner. They were very sorry to hear about Arthur [Llewelyn] Davies; [his diagnosis with cancer] is a 'sad blow' for his brother and sister and Sir George is 'much grieved' for Arthur himself. Was worth missing the dentist to have seen the Lancaster Churchmen. Glad the [Apostles'?] Dinner has 'got back to Richmond'; 'So old an institution should be kept up in all its parts'; was told recently that the Society had 'come to an end at the University'. He and Caroline are driving out to Broadway, seventeen miles away, today; on Thursday they entertain the Corporation [of Stratford on Avon] and 'people in any public position' and are expecting a hundred and sixty guests. Likes thinking of Robert and Elizabeth in 'that beautiful eyrie' [The Shiffolds]. Notes in a postscript that their guests were 'astonished' by the beauty at Welcombe, 'as they always are'.
Bankes' Arms Hotel, Studland, Wareham. - Has taken rooms for a week at Agglestone House, Studland [Dorset], which is 'rather a beastly sort of "lodging-house"' but it is very hard to get accommodation in this area. Since the station, at Swanage, is around four miles away and transport has to be sent specially it would be 'more convenient and cheaper' if as many people as possible could arrive together. [C.P] Sanger and [Ralph?] Hawtrey come on Thursday; has not yet had any answer from Bertie [Russell] or Crompton [Llewelyn Davies]; [Saxon] Sydney-Turner cannot come. Asks Trevelyan which train he will arrive by, and how much luggage he will bring; would be possible to leave luggage at the station to be collected and walk to Studland.
Letter of acceptance for the 1905 Apostles' dinner.
Wallington, Cambo, Northumberland. - Glad that Bob is settled with a coach, and that Crompton [Llewelyn] Davies is getting on well with Elliott. George shot some rabbits while out ferretting, and enjoyed a battle [of toy soldiers] 'between William the IIIrd and the French very much', though he had no time to help him as he will be very busy until the 'great event' [the general election]. Had a good meeting at Rothbury, and Rossendale will send them on their 'London crusade in high spirits'; hopes they will 'do some good'. He and Caroline are finishing reading Keats's letters aloud; likes to have the poetry interspersed. Lady Frederic Cavendish is staying, and is 'very pleasant'. Signs off by calling Bob 'dear boy', as 'the convict used to call Pip' [in Dickens's "Great Expectations"].
2, Cheyne Gardens, S.W. - Withers has gone to see Philipson today [regarding the legacy left to Bob and George in the will of Florence Cacciola Trevelyan]. Received a letter from Sir George, enclosing some old letters, too late to show Withers before he left; they were sent to George not Bob only as he is in London so nearer the lawyers. Will send on Sir George's letter soon; Withers and Crompton [Llewelyn Davies] will let Bob know the 'contents of the enclosures'. Saw Crompton this afternoon; he has the papers, and 'has the whole affair in train'; will be in touch once the significance of the will of Mrs Cacciola's mother, Mrs [Catherine] Trevelyan, is understood.
Regarding Welcombe, George encloses a statement [no longer present] drawn up by Crompton, which Bob can keep. 'Re the last sentence in the letter, [George] told Crompton to get a copy made at Somerset House' so that Caroline need not be disturbed again. Bob can discuss this with Crompton when he is next in town.
K[ing's] C[ollege] C[ambridge]. - Thinks he will not be able to see Trevelyan if he leaves on Wednesday. Thanks him for the notes on his MS and replies to Crompton [Llewelyn Davies?]; thinks the manuscript will probably need to be revised. Hopes Trevelyan enjoys Florence.
Bessie's letter gave him the news [of Moya Llewelyn Davies' death], which 'is quite shattering'; he 'had no idea she was so ill', though in a recent letter she 'admitted she was not well' and told him not to mention it in his reply. Wonders whether his letter reached her; cannot remember exactly when he wrote.
He 'scarcely knew Crompton [Moya's husband]', and was 'rather frightened of him'. Got to know Moya through George Thomson, and 'gradually became very fond of her indeed'. Has 'managed to write a line to Séan [?]. Heaven knows what goes on inside her or what she will do. It [Ireland] is a lovely land, and those are lovely people, even though we cannot understand them or make them fit our standards'. Wishes Moya had not died - does not think he has even kept any of her letters, and 'they are such good ones'. Supposes they will hear more in time. Cannot find the notice Bessie mentions in last Wednesday's Times, 'It is so distressing'.
Union Society, Cambridge. - Spent all day yesterday [the beginning of term?] 'seeing people and getting [his] pictures and books in'. Has put Bob's books, 'mostly school classics', in the gyp room. Likes his rooms very much: the two places he is 'fondest of in the world are the old court and the cloisters'. [Maurice] Amos is in [Bertrand] Russell's rooms, [George] Gooch the rooms opposite Collins's, and [Henry Graham] Dakyns in the 'tower by the carriage entrance'; these are 'historical stairs', since Horace Walpole visited a friend in Dakyns' new rooms. MacT[aggart]'s lectures will be attended by 'Amos, Gooch, a lady, and Dickinson and Wedd probably'. Has acquired two statuettes of Assyrian kings, copied from originals in the British Museum, which he thinks are 'very fine' and 'almost as original' as Bob's 'Hindoo god was'. Came by the late train, so had no evening in London to go to the theatre. Amos has heart trouble, 'having overworked himself', and may even be unfit to study this year: MacT[aggart] says he is well ahead with his reading and could do his tripos with not much more work if the worst came; his mother is here and George took tea with her and Maurice yesterday. Asks if Bob has any 'gossip or scandal' from [Harrow] Founder's Day. Notes in a postscript that the 'two fellows who live opposite you [ie Theodore and Crompton Llewelyn Davies]' were here recently 'both in great force', Theodore bathed 'on a raw morning with Moore as usual'.
10 Prinse[gracht], the Hague; addressed to Bob at The Mill House, Westcott, Dorking, Surrey. - Hopes Bob enjoys his week in Cornwall; asks if Crompton [Llewelyn] Davies is going too. Is very sorry to hear about Mrs [Helen] Fry's illness; even a slight attack of pleurisy is serious, and it shows how weak she is, at least about the lungs; the amount she smokes cannot be good for her. Thinks the measurements of the box for music [see 9/42] are quite right; asks if the partitions could be taken out to give more room. Will write to thank George and Charles [Trevelyan]. Went to Ambro [Hubrecht]'s lecture about the evolution of the eye last night, 'interesting but hard to follow'. Will talk to her uncle this evening about the wedding since the answer from [Thomas?] Barclay, the Paris lawyer, has come at last; it seems the consul must be present; has had 'another wretched discussion' with her uncle about whether the consul should be invited to the wedding breakfast, which she does not want; her aunt has now talked her uncle round in secret. Has been reading an article in the "Revue de Paris" on 'Flaubert et l'Afrique'.
Welcombe, Stratford on Avon [on headed notepaper]:- Has arranged for a copy of the Pageant to be sent to her: thinks it will arrive before his parents leave Rome, though he forgot to have it sent 'till rather late'. Would have written before, but was waiting to receive her letter to answer it. They are 'all at Welcombe now': Miss Martin [his old governess] has just left, and [Maurice?] Amos arrives today. He himself came on Saturday and leaves on Friday. Crompton Ll[ewelyn] Davies and his sister [Margaret] have been; now staying are [G. L.] Dickinson, [G. E.] Moore and 'Gr Wallace [Graham Wallas?]'. They have had two fine warm days, but wintry weather is now returning; there is a 'fire in the drawing room, and Moore and Dickinson play the piano or sing'. The piano is a 'marvel[l]ously beautiful one'. There is currently general conversation about 'Bobbie Philimore's sudden marriage': wonders if his mother knows Philimore's new wife, 'who was Miss Fitz-Patrick, alias Sister Lucy'; it is 'a regular Shelley business, though in this case the parents have been brought round to approve'.
Intends to go abroad immediately after Welcombe, as he has a cold which he 'can't quite get rid of, and which would probably become bad in a frost'. Thought of going to the South of France, though 'Several friends have strongly advised Tangiers' for the greater likelihood of warmth and cheapness, though he does not think it much matters; wants only 'to be warm, and alone so that [he] may write'.
Had a few days at Failand 'keeping Xmas in the bosom of the Fry family': they 'read Hamlet aloud in the evening, each taking the Prince for an act. George [Trevelyan] makes a most excellent garrulous Polonius, while [Robert? - 'I?' supplied in pencil] shine as ghost and the ranting player'. They all concluded that 'Hamlet's character has no mystery', except for doubting 'how far, if at all, he loved Ophelia'.
The company at Welcombe are 'just off to Chalcote [Charlecote], to walk off a New Year's day plum pudding and Turkey'.
Rounton Grange, Northallerton. - He and George have been to Kirkby Lonsdale, staying at Sedburgh on Saturday night and walking over to Kirkby on Sunday, getting there about half past ten. They 'soon found' [Theodore Llewelyn Davies'] grave 'in the lime avenue which leads from the Vicarage to the Church, and the end near the house and next his mother's'. They 'rather expected' all the family would be in church, but they were at home. Crompton came out to meet them and they went into the garden; he is 'most dreadfully crushed'. Thinks it will 'take all his friends can do to give him proper heart for life again'. The tragedy came when he was 'already badly overworked' - Theo's 'chief anxiety was about Crompton' the last time he breakfasted with Charles ten days ago - and he is 'thin and shrunken'. Hopes he will 'soon be able to have a really quiet time somewhere'. It is hard for them all, he thinks especially for Margaret, but believes Theodore 'was most of Crompton's life'.
He can himself dwell on Theodore's achievements 'to such an extent that I can almost forget what he might have done. He had bettered and even controlled the lives of so many people, set such a standard, that he almost palpably lives on in all sorts of men and all sorts of ways'. Thinks he 'might feel even more the loss of some charming smaller men, whose force was only in their immediate personal contact, and not in the wisdom and sanity of their whole life and action'. Good to know that Theodore was 'having a spell of exceptional cheerfulness and that he died without pain or consciousness'. But there is still a 'greater blank than [Charles] could have believed'.
Has written mainly as he thought Robert would like to know what happened from a firsthand source. Theodore was staying for a few days with his father at Kirkby; they were due to go to London on Tuesday for Lord Lingen's funeral. He went out for a walk that morning, but did not meet his father at the station; his father went on to London without him thinking he would follow. His father and Crompton began to worry when no message came and Theodore did not return to Kirkby. Early next morning they wired for 'the moors to be searched and to Harry to come from Scotland'; there are 'ugly pot-holes a hundred feet deep' on the moors which people have fallen into. The doctor met them at Crickholme station to say he had been found. Charles may have been the first person to know in London, as Theodore's servants 'in their distress' came to North Street with the news.
On going out on Tuesday morning, Theodore had 'dropped in to talk to a radical shopkeeper about Lord Rosebery's speech'; he also called on 'two old ladies, protegées of Margaret's' but they were too ill to see him so the last person to speak to him was 'their little maid'. He went over the fell to the Leck Beck and to Job's Dub, 'a deep pool where they had bathed since they were boys'. He must have slipped or dived badly and hit his head on a rock; they are sure that he was 'temporarily stunned and was drowned while unconscious'. He was found 'some way below the pool', having been washed along by the stream, and they say 'he looked very beautiful on Thursday when they saw him for the last time'.
It seems to have been a 'calm and happy death', after a life 'perhaps not of turmoil but certainly not all smooth and easy, such as we might all wish to die, and such as we shall none of us deserve as much as him'.
14 Barton St. - Trevelyan has done splendidly [to secure the Swan at Fittleworth: see 2/32 and 2/33]. Hopes he has not done wrong in inviting others. Asks if there will be enough room to put up Dakyns (father and son), Whitehead (father and son) and Vaughan Williams. Will be at the Mill House, Grantchester, from Saturday, so Trevelyan should send further correspondence there.
14 Barton St. - Is anxious to hear whether Trevelyan has secured the Swan at Fittleworth, and whether there will be room for the whole party (see also 2/32 and 2/34). As well as the names mentioned by Trevelyan, Henry Dakyns will come, and Sanger is encouraging Dakyns' father and [brother] Arthur to come; Sanger has also encouraged Davies to invite Whitehead, and North [Whitehead] may come too. Davies has invited Vaughan Williams to join them as well.
Grimsby Farm, Long Lane, Coldash, Newbury. - Hopes Trevy has received the letter he wrote to Naples, otherwise he will think Marsh 'rather a beast'. Glad Corpo di Cava was not snowed under, since it has turned out to be 'so delightful'; he himself would have 'preferred Capri for the sake of Tiberius' [see 15/318]. Has just got away from London and finished his first day of work here; his 'flesh crept to such a degree' when he woke on Monday night and started to think about his tripos [examinations] that it 'must have moved on about an inch all round'. Stayed in London a little longer than he should have done because of a 'superior French company' who performed [Ibsen's] "Rosmersholm" and "Master Builder" and a play by Maeterlinck under the direction of M. [Aurélien-François-Marie] Lugné -Poé who 'seems to be a descendant of Edgar Poe'. He is 'a very beautiful man with a pale face & black hair', and reminds Marsh of a 'portrait of some poet', perhaps Poe himself; he 'acts very respectably' and played the Master Builder as 'an American with a straggling beard & a drunken complexion' and 'quite revolutionized' Marsh's idea of the part, since 'the rather vulgar arrogant manner he put on in certain parts' made the character seem more consistent than 'the suavity of Lewis Waller'. Asks if Trevy has ever read Maeterlinck, as it is 'useless to try and explain what he's like' if not; in the 'mixture of great simplicity with an entire rejection of realism' he thinks it goes back to 'the Burne Jones & Morris kind of thing'. Sat next to William Archer, who was 'very nice' to him. Saw many friends at the Ibsen plays: [Erskine] Childers, Crompton [Llewelyn Davies], Gerald Duckworth, J[ohn] Waldegrave, 'the Babe' [William Haynes Smith?] etc. Thinks the Independent Theatre must be 'the worst managed concern in the world': the performances usually begin late 'after the curtain has gone up two or three times, to encourage the audience. You're never safe from the irruption of a cat in the most moving scenes', the actors miss their cues, or the curtain does not go down at the end of the act. The man who is called the Acting Manager [Charles Hoppe] is 'the greatest crook [he] ever met with in a responsible position', who seems unable to sell tickets without asking for assistance and did not even know how many acts there were in "Rosmersholm". Marsh took the Verralls to that play; comments on Arthur Verrall's reaction to theatre: 'he never is, or lays himself out to be, in the least moved by a play' but responds to 'the cleverness or stupidity with which it is written'.
Very glad that George [Trevelyan] got his scholarship, though there was no doubt he and Buxton would; 'very hard luck on [Ralph] Wedgwood. Went to see [Charles] Sanger yesterday in his new rooms at Hare Court. No-one has heard 'anything of [Bertrand] Russell for some time'. Only saw Oswald [Sickert], who had influenza, not serious, once; he has just got 'free from the Werner Company, which has used up the Beauties of Britain, & gone on to Paris [ie, finished publishing "Beautiful Britain]'; hopes he will have time for his novel now. [Maurice] Baring took Marsh to supper with Edmund Gosse on Sunday: a 'most amusing man', whose conversation is 'described in Stevenson's essay on conversation ["Talk and Talkers"] under the name of Purcell. He was in the teakettle mood'. Met [Henry] Harland, the editor of the "Yellow Book" there; thought him 'an awful little man', but 'on getting accustomed to his manner' next day he thought him 'like-able on the whole'. Hopes to go to supper next Sunday with 'the even more distinguished [Robert] Bridges', though he has not read his recent works so 'feels rather ill-equipped'. Met John Davidson briefly recently; he 'seemed a genial and light hearted little man, with a nice Scotch accent'.
The Mill House, Grantchester, Cambridge. - Arrangements for a gathering [at the Swan at Fittleworth, Sussex, see 2/33 and 2/34] over Easter. [Robin] Mayor is named twice in Trevelyan's list; he should also include Henry Dakyns, Alfred Whitehead and North [Whitehead]. Should think by Wednesday there will be room for 'V.W.' [Vaughan Williams], and room for 'Dakyns pere' and Arthur [Dakyns] at any time. The back of the paper seems to show drinks consumed: Norton and Strachey appear as well as names mentioned in the letter.
27 Gledhow Gardens, London SW. - Will go to the premiere of [Trevelyan's] "Meleager" and [Sturge Moore's] "Medea" with [Austin?] Smyth and Maisie Marshall, a classical scholar, costume and set designer who 'clothes the Beecham Opera'. If Trevelyan, Bessie and Julian are free beforehand, he invites them to dine. Hopes Ronny Watkins won't send them home to commit suicide 'as he did the poor old woman' by reciting miserable poetry. He and Smyth saw the "Bacchae" [the Cambridge Greek Play] and enjoyed it very much; he congratulates Trevelyan for his nephew's part in it.
Bryn Awel, Penrhos Feilw, Holyhead, North Wales. - Richard asks his father to thank Trevelyan for the volumes of the "Iliad", which he loves: he is 'fairly cracked about the Greeks and Romans'. Asks if the Trevelyans will remain at 'the Folds' until 'the impending break up of your family life' [on R. C. Trevelyan's going to France with the Friends' War Victims Relief Service].
Has known Robert Trevelyan well for over twenty years: Trevelyan has 'always thought sincerely & conscientiously on matters of conduct, private & public, & behaved accordingly'. Knows that Trevelyan has 'always been convinced that the war was wrong & that it was his duty to refuse to take any part in it'. Llewelyn Davies does not agree with him on this point, but has 'always recongnised & respected his conviction as genuine & as one on which, according to his conscience, he was bound to act'.
Has received a letter from Bertie Russell asking the Trevelyans to send a statement that they consider him to be a good father, and that there is no lack of affection between him, his children, and Miss Spence, to Llewelyn Davies. They hardly know her, but are prepared to do so, and encloses a more formal statement [see 5/291]. They are very sorry for all concerned, and hope that Dora and Bertie will come to an arrangement to share custody of John and Kate.
Solicitor's Department, Central Post Office, London. - He and [?G.E.] Moore have been complaining about 'bloodimindedness and defeatism'. Does not think he could do Trevelyan's dinner credit: will oblige if he insists, but thinks he should find someone else.
Solicitor's Department, Central Post Office, London. - Is flattered by the notice Trevelyan takes of "Arethusa" (see 2/28) and wonders if [Thomas Sturge?] Moore might look at it, but otherwise disturbed by his letter. Asks whether Bertie [Russell] has succeeded in his appeal; has seen nothing about it in the newspapers. Has had a letter from Ottoline [Morrell] about the money but has not yet answered; discusses his feelings on the matter. Thinks the [Apostles?] dinner ought to go ahead, even though it may not be pleasant; otherwise, as Moya writes, 'it would look as if the Pacifist group think they are the Society'. Asks about Silverdale.
5 Barton St. - Bob's 'old woman' [housekeeper] told him when he returned [from Italy?] that a 'young man in a cab with a portmanteau' called when he was away; seems that Edward 'appeared at no 14 [home of Crompton and Theodore Llewelyn Davies] hunting for a lunch'; hopes he found 'a friend or restaurant in time' as he knows his friend needs 'constant supplies... to stave off dissolution', like moles which cannot go without worms for more than twelve hors. Went round to Bruton Street yesterday, but found that Edward had gone back on Sunday; this means he missed meeting 'a rose of Shiraz, the direct descendant of the one which intoxicated Hafiz... You would have had this rose, had you been here' but instead Bob 'took it round to [Roger] Fry, who fell violently in love with it, and fell to painting it' [this appears to refer to the first meeting between Fry and his future wife Helen Coombe]. Supposes Edward is caught up in 'the last act' of his academical careers [final exams]; he should not be 'despondent and doubtful'. Tells Edward to excuse his 'sermons', but not his spelling, as he swears 'never to look at or correct' a letter to him again, 'after the outrageous fables' Edward circulated about his 'beautiful and chaste letters from Italy'.
Fron Isallt, Treaddur Bay, Holyhead, North Wales. - Wishes he could have welcomed Trevelyan at the Bridges, but the house is let to Maurice [Llewelyn Davies], his sister-in-law and daughters; he himself will return to England next week and would like to see Trevelyan to discuss 'the rival attractions of clink, hard labour & work of national importance, including the building of the lofty rhyme' [subsequent to them becoming liable to conscription]. Considers that having married an Irishwoman he himself has become a neutral: Trevelyan might do the same. Has not seen Bertie [Russell] but is very concerned about his situation [Russell's conviction for pacifist activities]. Feels the legal appeal will be of no use, that Russell should make a written statement, and that his friends should concern themselves with the mitigation of the punishment and do what they can to save him from imprisonment. Has been taking steps along these lines with Buckler; from what he hears from Morel, Russell should not suffer six months of ordinary imprisonment. Is enjoying a family holiday by the sea; Richard can walk miles and climb any rocks. Version of the Arethusa legend by Llewelyn Davies originally enclosed.
Three Bridges Copse, Three Bridges, Crawley. - The table and chairs are set up and perfect for outdoor meals. Hope that the Trevelyans will visit them soon.
14 Barton Street,. - Jokingly apologises for calling them 'Bobbie & Bessie' rather than 'Calverley & Elizabeth'. Announces his engagement to Moya O'Connor, and asks if they can recommend somewhere to live, as she won't live in London.
14 Barton Street, Westminster. - Had intended to spend the evening reading Goldie's [Goldsworthy Lowes Dickinson] dialogue, rubbing out his first comments and writing some decent ones, but Theo says Trevelyan has the book. Asks if he could return it as he wants to talk to Goldie next Sunday.
addressed to Trevelyan c/o C. P. Sanger Esq., 3 Hare Court, Temple EC. - Asks Trevelyan, at the request of 'Dora P.' [Dora Pease, later Sanger?] to dine at Patisserie on Monday and then go on to Queens Hall.
c/o Mrs Wilson, Myers Farm, Silverdale, near Carnforth. - Was very glad to hear, from Bessie and his mother herself, that his mother is 'much better' and will probably be able to travel to Welcombe early next week. Also very glad that Julian will be going there with his grandparents for a while, and that he 'makes himself sociable' so that his grandparents like having him. Bessie seems to have had a 'very busy time at Cambo, while Mrs Clarke was away and Mary ill'.
Robert's friend George Moore has announced that he is to marry 'a young lady who recently went to his philosophical lectures at Cambridge. The difference of age is considerable, but such marriages seem often to be very happy'. There is a similar age gap between Crompton [Llewelyn] Davies and his wife, and that 'has been a singularly happy marriage in every way'. Almost all of Robert's 'contemporary friends are now married'.
Has never known 'such continuously bad weather' as there has been since he came here; it is very bad for Robert's 'invalid friend [Gordon Bottomley]', though he is 'better than might be expected'. Will send his father a copy of the new Annual [of New Poetry] when it is published; has ended up having 'practically to do all the business with the publishers, and a good deal of editing too', but it is 'quite interesting work, and Constables so far have been remarkably pleasant to deal with'.
London; addressed to Trevelyan at Copse Cottage, Fernhurst, near Haslemere. - Thanks Trevelyan for his letter and for sending the Browning volumes: he had 'rather hankered' after "Paracelsus". Had less luck with the 'Cambridge Pictures', but feels his way of taking them might have spoiled Trevelyan's fun. He did meet and befriend Edward Carpenter at Cambridge, however.
Hotel Victoria, London, W.C.2. - Very many thanks for Elizabeth's kind letter. 'Dora has been misrepresenting things'. He and Crompton [Llewelyn Davies] talked last night to Ted Lloyd who now knows everything and can tell her his judgment on it.