Showing 334 results

Brief account of how Fry inspired a love of art in Trevelyan (previously, like "most Cambridge men.. completely ignorant of art') when they shared a house in Chelsea, and of Fry's life and character. Describes Virginia Woolf's biography of Fry as giving 'a very fully account of him, which seems... not only imaginative and sympathetic, but just and true'.

Describes: his studies at Cambridge; brief time as a pupil in the chambers of T. E. Scrutton, which would have been a 'great privilege and opportunity' if he had only had 'any talent for the law'; a long holiday at Corpo di Cava in southern Italy to recover from influenza, where he began to write a 'long, rambling... romantic modern novel' on the theme of incest, inspired by Ibsen's "Little Eyolf; outdoor composition; his turn to writing poetry, in which he was encouraged by Roger Fry.

Pencil notes at the back of the book sketching out further topics for the autobiographical account, such as [Thomas] Sturge Moore; 'Taormina - Bessie - Mrs [Florence] Cacciola - Holland'; writing the libretto [for the "Bride of Dionysus"] for Donald Tovey; his translation of Aeschylus; Welcombe [his inheritance of the house from his mother?]; at the bottom of this page, the other way up, there is the beginning of an account of a gentleman living 'not long since, in one of the northern counties of England'.

List of names ('T[homas] S[turge] M[oore], C[harles] T[revelyan?], Joan [Allen]') marked with circles and crosses, on inside cover [perhaps a distribution list?]. Draft verse, 'Tender is the night and clear...'. Notes for a talk on Leopardi, including translations. Second list of names ("Rose Macaulat, Mortimer, Moormans…) [distribution list?]. Biographical sketch on Donald Tovey, covering topics such as his habits, methods of composing for "The Bride of Dionysus", other operatic projects of Tovey, his thoughts on literature and sense of humour. Last section. of Trevelyan's essay on "Courage". List of names ('Voltaire? Goethe? Gladstone? Dizzy?'); perhaps a list of possibilities to be included in a piece, especially as it is followed by a conversation between Horace and Thersites. Dialogue between 'Hic' and 'Ille' [unfinished]. List of topics under the heading 'What I believe'. "On Kindness". "On Translating Montaigne". "Disinterestedness". Piece on Chinese poetry. Extract from "Simple Pleasures".

Book also used from other end in: rough notes and calculations on inside cover and first page, including a reference to Virginia Woolf's posthumous collection "Death of a Moth"; translation of Horace's "Ars Poetica" from line 445; nature notes; notes on Roger Fry, including comments on Augustus Daniel, Charles Ricketts etc; essay on a conversation with [Bernard] Berenson ["A Lost Talk"]; notes on Clifford Allen; "Lost Things"; "On Books" and other pieces.

Hopes Julian has reached Taormina by now and is enjoying Sicily, though fears the almond blossom may be over. Has just heard from Nicky [Mariano] that she and B.B. [Bernard Berenson] may go to Zürich at the end of March to see the Lombard exhibition, but will definitely be back by 15 April. Sure they would like to see Julian, and would probably ask him to stay at I Tatti if he wrote to Nicky. All well here: Bessie likes Mrs Alexieff and gets on quite well with her secretary. He himself is 'fairly all right, though sometimes a little out of sorts'. Hopes Julian will like Sicily as much as Goethe did; he was afraid to go to Greece because of brigands, so went to Sicily and 'made up his mind' it must be just like Greece. Tells Julian to ask his friend [Daphne Phelps] whether she is related to his own old friend T[homas] T[ettrell] Phelps, whom he has not seen for years. Expects Julian has been to the Isola Bella, which used to belong to Mrs Cacciola [Florence Trevelyan]; he used to go and bathe there with Roger and Helen Fry. Roger painted a picture of Mount Etna seen through the Greek theatre, which Goldie [Lowes Dickinson] had in his rooms. Hopes Julian's car is 'behaving itself'. Bessie will write soon.

2 Garrick's Villa, Hampton, Middlesex. Is sorry to hear that Trevelyan is to undergo a prosthetic operation; he himself was 'threatened with the same prospect' not long ago. Will visit as soon as he may: 'Holloway does not daunt [him]', as Roger [Fry], when he lived there, stressed how central it was.

List of books on flyleaf, including [R.G.?] Collingwood's "An autobiography". Autobiographical fragment, including Trevelyan's childhood 'courting' of a girl at dancing class, friendships including two 'of an emotional, romantic kind' at Harrow, and thoughts on Keats's "Ode to a Nightingale". Translations: of first part of Sophocles' "Philoctetes"; the "Homeric Hymns to Pan, Dionysus, Aphrodite and Demeter; fragments of Greek New Comedy by Menander, Alexis and Philemon.

Book used from other end in: draft verse [translation?] on inside cover and flyleaf; list of possible topics under the heading "More Windfalls", including '[George?] Meredith', Reminiscences', '[Donald] Tovey'. Draft piece, "On losing one's bearings". Verse, 'Oh sea and shore, dearer to me than life...'. Ideas for "Less Simple Pleasures" under headings such as 'Literary', "Of Friendship', 'Of Walking'. Essay of pleasures of the senses. particularly touch. Piece about Horace and his friendships, perhaps as introduction for Trevelyan's two fictional dialogues about him, or part of the subsequent discussion of conversation. This mentions Goldsworthy Lowes Dickinson, Roger Fry and Donald Tovey (Virginia Woolf and Lytton Strachey are also mentioned but Trevelyan then crosses this out)'; Henry Sidgwick, his father's friend, is mentioned as a 'perfect artist in conversation'. Discussion of philosophical dialogues. Biographical sketch of Thomas Sturge Moore. Piece on aging and desire. Notes on playing chess with Dickinson. Notes on Montaigne. Bertrand Russell and Bernard Shaw. Essay on the self, Buddhism, and change.

Prose note on 'religious and aesthetic emotions'. Verse, 'This love disease is a delicious/delightful trouble'. Translations by Trevelyan of the "Homeric Hymn to Demeter", fragments from tragedies by Sophocles, Euripides, and Aeschylus, an extract from Virgil ["Aeneid"] Book VI, Leopardi's "To his Lady" and "Canticle of the Wild Cock", Simonides 37, an extract from [Homer's] "Iliad" Book 24. Draft essay on aging and desire. Notes, in the style of Trevelyan's "Simple Pleasures". Autobiographical piece about a reading party at Blackgang Chine almost fifty years ago, with Cambridge friends such as Lytton Strachey, Roger Fry, Desmond MacCarthy and George Moore. Draft of "On Inspiration", published in "Windfalls". Translations of Catullus 2, 7, 12, and 50, Tibullus I.1, and Montaigne III.11 and III.6. Dialogue between 'Child' and 'Father'. Note on Saint Augustine's "Confessions". List of contents for the 1948 "From the Shiffolds" pamphlet. Notes for topic 'What does England mean to me?' and on old age.

Notebook used from other end in: list of books including [Beerbohm's] "Zuleika Dobson" and Ransome's "Great Northern?". Draft letter regarding the [re?] printing of Trevelyan's "Collected Works". Passage headed 'p. 15'; since this is followed by a review of Judson's "Life of Spenser", it may be an extract from that book. List of titles of essays, prefaces for translations, biographical pieces (Donald Tovey and C[lifford] A[llen], etc; perhaps future projects for Trevelyan. Draft piece on poets and poetry. Dialogue on the subject of translating poetry; piece "On Translating Greek Poetry", with notes on individual authors and quotations of passages. Pieces on translating Lucretius and the Greek Anthology; notes on translating Homer and Catullus; observations on a 'friendly critic' pointing out that 'too many' of Trevelyan's poems and essays begin with a scene of someone, usually the poet, 'walking meditatively in a wood' or lying beneath a tree. Translation of Tibullus III.19. Draft essay on Trevelyan's feelings about spiders, insects and other small creatures, and snakes; includes mention of a 'great philosopher' [Bertrand Russell or G. E. Moore?] disliking ants immensely.

Thorpeness, Suffolk. - Robert's poems ["From the Shiffolds"] were a 'delightful surprise': it is a great 'comfort... to turn away from the utterly beastly war to poetry, or music or the like'. The world is 'nearly intolerable' and the war 'seems quite interminable'; hopes it has not treated Robert 'too cruelly' and that he has not had too many doodlebugs. They [she and her friend Lady Dorothea Gibb] were 'on their route for many nights', and the guns against them 'made a devil of a row', but it has been more peaceful recently; she sees however that the death toll from the doodlebugs was 'dreadfully high' last month. Is glad Roger [her brother] is not here to 'endure it'. 'Poor Holland must be suffering terribly': expects the Trevelyans are 'longing for news', as she is herself of 'one dear friend there'. Sends some of her 'own products', though quite different to Robert's; he need not read or acknowledge them. Her anthology, "Ruth's Gleanings", is 'obstinately out of print like most books'. Hopes next year will bring 'a happier world in every sort of way'.

Contains: poem, "The Flycatcher", by Sylvia Lynd; "Sicily" by S. S. [Sylvia Sprigge]; "Intellectual Conversation" by Arthur Waley, which mentions Maynard [Keynes], Francis [Birrell], Hugh Dalton, Roger Fry, Gerald [Shove] and Sebastian [Sprott]; sketch in memory of Edmund [not Edward, as on cover] Gosse by Max Beerbohm; poem, "Lying Among the Yellow Flowers", by Kenneth Hopkins; poem, "Complaint", by Diana Lodge.

Material relating to R. C. Trevelyan's "Polyphemus, and Other Poems", including a sketch by Roger Fry; material relating to Trevelyan's translations from Horace, Juvenal and Montaigne.

Monk's House, Rodmell, near Lewes, Sussex. - Was 'delightful' of Bessie to write about Virginia's life of Roger [Fry]; in her comparison of it to a 'piece of music', she appreciated 'exactly what [Virginia] was trying to do'. Virginia is 'not regularly musical', but 'always think[s] of [her] books as music before [she] writes them'; this was particularly true in the autobiography, where there was 'such a mass of detail' that the only way she could manage was by 'abstracting it into themes' which she attempted to 'unite' in the first chapter, then introduce 'developments & variations' before bringing everything together at the end, just as Bessie saw. Thinks she is the only person to have felt what she was trying to do. Was often 'crushed under the myriad details'; found the necessity to mute or only hint at some things difficult; there was also 'always a certain constraint, which one doesn't feel in fiction, a sense of other people looking over one's shoulder'. Very glad that Bessie and Bob, who both knew Roger well, think it is a 'true portrait of him'; Bob 'went all through his life', even though as often happens they did not see each other as often towards the end. Understands Bessie being shy of Roger, she was not 'exactly shy' herself, but 'sometimes felt overpowered, & so, uneasy'. However none of her friends 'made such a difference to [her] life as he did', which she needed to 'keep under' when writing about him.

Hopes they will meet up; they [she and Leonard] will be often in London this winter, but 'everything's difficult now'. Very sorry about Bessie's eyes; asks if it affects her music.

1490260 Gun. Luce, J. M., A Battery B Sub Section, 207 A.A. Trug. Ret. R.A., Devizes, Wiltshire. - Is happy to learn Trevelyan is 'emending Horace'; asks to see the 'iconoclastic epistle' if Joan [Allen?] does not mind. Thanks him for the offer of books. Has seen Desmond [MacCarthy's] article on Roger Fry's biography [by Virginia Woolf]. Agrees that [Dick?] Bosanquet's three most recent poems are most interesting, but none are as original as his first group. Has provided some criticism, at Bosanquet's request, and wishes Trevelyan would criticise his metrical form. Expects Joan has told Trevelyan something of his daily routine, which is fairly monotous, though enlivened by his 'Jesuit and musician friends'. Recently had scores of the Mozart operas sent, and they ran through "Don Giovanni"; next Saturday they will try "The Magic Flute". Sends love to Bessie, Ursula and Julian.

Prose narrative about Coryat's visit to the 'guest-killing mosque at Rai', which shifts to dramatic form for Coryat's encounter with a Stranger who may be Death; story of Coryat continued in pencil, describing his encounter with an old Chinese man and their discussion of will and the spirit.

Two lines of a poetic epistle to Roger [Fry] written after Fry's death; draft account of Helen Fry and her relationship with Roger, probably written to aid Virginia Woolf with her biography of Fry [published in 1940; see also 17/95, 17/96, and 17/97], this includes some unpublished details of Helen Fry's illness such as her fear of her doctor, and the effect of Hubert Crackanthorpe's suicide.

Notebook also used from the other end in: draft verse; another version of Coryat's discussion with the old Chinese man; draft of introduction to the second volume of Trevelyan's "Collected Works", his verse plays; continuation of the 'Coryat' piece, in which the young man is introduced by the Old Man to 'B.R', a 'philosopher and a sceptic' [a hardly disguised Bertrand Russell?, and then reminisces about his childhood friendship with his cousin Miranda; translation of Horace "Satires" 2.3.39-62 and 23 to the end; essay on "Solitude"; essay on Robert Browning; essay on "Juvenilia", which begins by quoting Trevelyan's childhood poem "Oh Hector, I do love thee" [see 23/121/14]; notes for "Simple Pleasures"; notes on bees; short sections of verse, some perhaps translations.

List entitled 'My Friends' on flyleaf, including 'Roger[Fry], Goldie [Lowes Dickinson] and Desmond [MacCarthy]'; list of autobiographical topics written around it and on the inside cover.

Monk's House, Rodmell, near Lewes, Sussex. - Thanks Bessie for her letter about Helen Fry [see 17/97], which is helpful as it supports the 'vague feeling' Virginia is getting from Helen's letters; she thinks 'the dread of insanity must always have been in the background, and probably made her morbid and afraid of people'. It is 'terrible', as sometimes there is a sense of her 'brilliance and a curious individuality'. If Virginia does get anything written [of a biography of Roger Fry], and 'the difficulty increases as one goes on', she will not be able to say much about Helen, but wants to give an 'outline'; what Bob and Bessie have told her is very helpful. Hopes to see them when she returns in the autumn.

Wallington, Cambo, Morpeth. - Bob thought Virginia might like to have 'some additional memories of Helen Fry' [to help with the writing of the biography of Roger Fry], since she perhaps saw her 'from a slightly different angle'. Saw a 'great deal' of Helen when the Frys' children were born and they lived in Dorking, while the Trevelyans were 'two miles away at Westcott'. She was friendly, but they 'never became intimate then', and Bessie 'always felt slightly in awe of her mysterious aloofness'. Their relationship 'suddenly seemed to change when the return of her illness approached', when Helen 'began to talk more intimately about the children', one day visiting Bessie 'to talk about her fear that the doctor and other people would think she was not a good enough mother to the children or wife to Roger'; believes 'this anxiety was a constant trouble'. Saw her 'more rarely' when they moved to London and Guildford. The Frys stayed at the Shiffolds when 'Roger had been disappointed about the post in America [atthe Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York]'; was clear Helen 'took this morbidly to heart', and seemed to Bessie to think 'she herself had been at fault'. Even when their relationship was 'more easy and confidential', Bessie 'still felt her charm as aloof and mysterious'. Goldie Dickinson used to talk about Helen to Bessie 'years afterward', and though he was 'perhaps, their closest friend' and Helen had been 'very fond of him', he always felt Helen 'so mysterious' and wondered 'what she really thought and felt'.

West Hackhurst, Abinger Hammer, Dorking. - Tried to ring up, but the telephone was out of order. Sorry to hear Bessie's news, especially as he was hoping to see her more often. Asks where she is going: he and Goldie [Dickinson] used to like Lyme Regis; Sidmouth has a new public garden laid out by Dartington Hall; he likes Eastbourne the best of the nearer resorts. Asks if she sent a letter to Gerald Heard at the Buckinghams: B. [Bob] is intrigued. Is enjoying Roger's book [Roger Fry's translations of Mallarme?].

His friendship with Roger Fry [presumably written to aid Virginia with her 'Life' of Fry; see also 17/85 and 17/97] in the days when they lived together at 29 Beaufort St between April or May 1895 and the autumn of 1896, when Roger married and Bob moved to Haslemere. Saw little of him before then, and 'knew next to nothing of art and artists', but 'no one could have been kinder in the way he introduced [Bob] to his world', or 'more patient of [Bob's] ignorance'. He was often busy with Extension Lectures on Italian art, and as illustration had 'already collected a great number of photographs' which was much harder then; thinks he had already succeeded D. S. MacColl as the "Athenaeum" magazine's art critic ; he did not therefore have as much time as he wished for painting, but 'worked very rapidly' when he could. He was painting 'several of his best early landscapes' and a few 'perhaps not very successful portraits'. One was of Mrs Widdrington, the 'sister [sic: actually mother] of Sir Edward Grey's wife [Frances]', who was a 'great friend' of Roger's and the mother of Ida Widdrington; Roger had been 'very much in love' with Ida not long before, but 'perhaps wisely, she would not marry him. She was a very vital and amusing girl, who loved hunting, farming and acting' and she and her mother remained friends with Roger for years. After that Roger 'had fallen very much in love, and none too happily, with Kate Kinsella (now Kate Presbitero)'; Bob thinks she 'treated him rather cruelly, not wanting to give him up altogether, and luring him back to her from time to time'. 'Fortunately (or perhaps in the end unfortunately) [because of her mental health' he got to know Helen Coombe while he was living with Bob, and they fell in love with each other. Roger's parents 'strongly disapproved of his becoming an artist' - he told Bob that they had offered him a hundred pounds extra a year 'if he would promise never to paint from the nude', which he 'naturally refused' - and this made him fear they would not be pleased by his choice of wife, so he told them nothing about Helen 'for a long time...' [the rest of the draft is missing].

Is grateful for Trevelyan's letter: asks him to send a post card to 21 Hill Street ["Life and Letters"] with the date of the "New Statesman" issue in which his article appeared. Had himself noticed a resemblance, between [W. H.?] Davis and Herrick since he has been reading the "Hesperides", which he discusses. Knows how much Trevelyan misses Roger [Fry], and says they should 'always keep near each other'.

West Hackhurst, Abinger Hammer, Dorking. - 'Awful news about Roger' [Fry: his death]. Was in London until yesterday, and had seen Helen Anrep and Gerald Heard.

Very glad Julian has been able to get the tax reduced [see 15/85-86]; thanks him for returning the cheque. If Julian ever finds himself in any difficulties, hopes he will always let him know; would much prefer to help him than for him to have 'money worries and debts', especially as he knows Julian is 'quite sensible and economical'. A pity he will have to give up his studio. but expects he can get something not too bad much cheaper. Part of Roger [Fry]'s inaugural lecture for the Slade Professorship appears in the "Times" today; will send it though it is 'too mutilated to be very interesting'. There are 'goodish reviews' of [George] Reavey's Russian translations "Soviet Literature: An Anthology" in the "Times [Literary] Supplement" and "Man[chester] Guardian"; has the book but has not yet read it; it seems well done. Will probably not go abroad until January, though his plans are not yet definite. The Geoffrey Youngs are coming for the weekend. Bessie is quite well, and so is C[lifford] A[llen] at present.

Addressed to Julian at 7 Villa Brune, Paris XIVe, France; forwarded to him c/o Thos Cook, Cannabière [sic: Canebière], Marseille. - Roger Fry has written to him from Hotel Récamier​, Paris; does not know whether he is still there, or whether Julian is in Paris, but if so he might like to look him up. Is reading Madame [Maria] Germanova's 'article to the 19th Century', which is 'rather a forlorn hope'; the "English Review" refused it. Bessie will probably go to the Netherlands on Sunday, having put her journey off due to a cold from which she seems to have recovered now.

Addressed to Julian at 7 Villa Brune, Paris XIVᵉ, France. - Has ordered a copy of Roger [Fry's] book ["Characteristics of] French Art" to be sent to Julian. Will arrive at Paris Gard [sic: Gare] du N[ord] at 18.10 on Monday; if Julian does not have time to meet him at the station, he could come to find him at the [Hotel de] Londres.

Rodwell House, Baylham, Nr. Ipswich. - Thanks Bob for sending a copy of his book ["Rimeless Numbers?"]; will pass on the copy he has already bought. Praises Bob's use of hexameter; thinks he has 'perfected [Robert] Bridges's notion and made it a possible vehicle for a discursive kind of eloquence', though he warns against 'run[ning] on rather aimlessly', using 'very banal phrases' and 'the conventional poetic'. Thinks that 'all distinctively poetical language ought to be banned'. Finds some of the other unrhymed metres difficult, probably as he is 'not so familiar with the classic types they come from'. Asks if Bob has read Peter Quennell's book on Japan; thinks it is very good.

Poggio allo Spino, Consuma (Prov. di Firenze). - Elizabeth sent Julian's letter giving Belgrade p[oste] r[estante] as an address, so hopes this will be forwarded. Glad Julian has had so good a time; expects he will be in Greece by now. Is at B.B. [Bernard Berenson]'s; [Raffaello] Piccoli is here at the moment talking to Berenson about Sir Thomas Browne, whom he has been translating. He is evidently still 'far from well', but seems better today; if Julian is passing through Naples on his rerun from Greece Piccoli hopes he will visit him there. The Waterfields [Aubrey, Lina and their children] are also hoping Julian will come to Poggio [Gherardo] on his way back; he himself spent 'a very pleasant week in camp with them', doing some work on [his translation of] Lucretius and his own writing; they were all very nice, though Aubrey 'as usual was often very cross, chiefly with Lina, who always takes it very nicely'. Everyone seemed to have enjoyed Julian's visit, and he 'had become more or less legendary': Bob was for instance taken to see the rock which Julian 'had split by painting it', and Aubrey had done a sketch of the incident. Cecil [Anrep], who is 'very nice, and knows English much better' is here for a few days. Bob is travelling to Paris on Tuesday, will spend two nights with [Hasan] Suhrawardy and [Maria] Germanova, then go to London on Friday and the Shiffolds on Saturday. [Aleksandr] Kalitinski and Germanova, and he supposes Rex [the dog], will probably go to Prague for the winter; S[uhrawardy] is going to India after spending a few days in England. Kalitinski seemed much better when Bob was in Paris a month ago; while there Bob went to the Colonial Exhibition and saw the Bali Ballet. B.B. and Nicky [Mariano] would be glad to se Julian if he comes to Poggio. Roger [Fry] seems to have been at Florence and to have 'got on quite well with B.B.'.

Everyone hopes Julian will be 'very careful about the dogs' if he goes walking in Greece; he [and his friend Ralph Parker] 'should both have big sticks, as long as possible'; B.B. is sure that 'the young man who was lost on Parnassus' was killed by dogs, though Bob thinks it more likely he fell down a precipice. B.B. thinks Mistra [Mystras] is 'much more interesting' as regards art than Athos, though he has not been to the latter; he is 'very much irritated against Biron [Robert Byron]', who is now writing for the "Statesman", and says he 'talks great nonsense about art'; still, 'one might get a good deal from his book ["The Station, Athos"]'.

Wonders whether Julian will come to England before settling at Paris again; he should find the Shiffolds 'more or less in order'. Does not understand the 'political upset in England', and is reserving judgment until he can see C[lifford] A[llen] and others; T.M. [? ie Thomas Sturge Moore?] writes that Allen is also reserving judgement until the facts, which are 'very complicated', are clearer; Bob however thinks it a 'bad business', and that the Labour movement is 'smashed up for some time'; this is not a 'National Government', but a 'Tory-Liberal Coalition, which may, or may not, have been necessary to save the pound from collapsing'. Hopes Allen will not 'take it too tragically'. Encloses a 'poem in Po Chu I's manner', "Comano" which refers to a wonderful view he, Aubrey and Lina discovered one day; dated Aug 1931.

Furzen Wood. - Originally enclosing 'a review that may interest' which he thinks, on stylistic grounds, is written by Roger [Fry]. Hopes Julian is enjoying the South of France. Bessie seems quite well, and to be enjoying herself in Holland; he himself is not totally well yet, which he has made an excuse for not going to see [Terence Gray's production of his translation of] "Antigone" at Cambridge, though he goes to London to see Donald [Tovey]'s concerts and some of the Russian operas, and is probably doing too much. Negotiations for performance of Tovey's opera ["The Bride of Dionysus", for which Bob wrote the libretto] again next February or March. Doubts if he will go abroad in July, but will probably go to the Lakes with the C.A.s [Clifford Allens] for a while, and must go to see Tovey at Hedenham to get him to 'correct his programme proofs at last'; Bessie could come later if Julian is coming over just then.

48 Bernard Street, Russell Square, W.C.1. - Will not be able to attend the L.A.A. [London Artists' Association] meeting tomorrow: is painting his sister Margery's portrait for Somerville College at Helen [Anrep's] house near Ipswich and has just come up for the opening of the Persian show [International Exhibition of Persian Art, Royal Academy of Arts, Burlington House]. Is not sure whether he should send Trevelyan's communication on to the L.A.A. members: decisions have to be made on solely on the quality of artists' work, rather than their financial position; this is a very difficult time for those who make their living by art. Expects Julian [Trevelyan] is right to leave Cambridge and go to Paris. The Persian show is very good, though he does not think it will hold people as the last three did.

Big Chilling, Warsash, Hampshire. - Much flattered and pleased by Trevelyan's epistle; thinks it even better - in poetical terms, rather than its subject - than the epistle to Desmond [MacCarthy]. The Clarks [Kenneth and Jane] agree with him. Encourages him to write more, suggesting B.B. [Berenson]. Roger [Fry] and Goldie [Dickinson] as 'worthy recipients'. Is enjoying his time as a guest at Chilling: Kenneth is excellent to talk to, and Jane a delightful hostess. Returns to London after paying another visit nearby; hopes Trevelyan will be up at No 11 [St Leonard's Terrace] next week.

Thanks Julian for his letter; fears he will not be able to come to Cambridge next week, as he has scalded his leg; may be able to visit after Julian's tripos [exams], but does not know has long his term lasts. Expects the Waterfields [Aubrey and Lina] would be at Aulla in September, but that is a long time away. He and Elizabeth seem a little nearer a settlement with Roland [Vaughan Williams] about the house: they are holding out for a thirty five year lease, at least one longer than the twenty one year lease he is offering. Hopes Tom [Sturge Moore?] will not be 'too cantankerous at the Heretics [Society]'. Bessie is still in the Netherlands, and seems to be enjoying herself; C.A. [Clifford Allen] is recovering, but 'very slowly'. Thinks Roger [Fry] is painting a portrait in Cambridge and Julian could see him; tells him to ask Goldie [Dickinson] or at King's.

Feels guilty towards Trevelyan: every day means to write to him and then puts it off. Is at Vence with Roger Fry at the moment: they often work together, and often talk of Trevelyan. Asks how [Francis] Birrell is. The weather is quite good; many flowers are growing and the croaking of the frogs in the evening is 'alarming'. Thinks he will definitely be in Paris when Trevelyan comes back from Italy and passes through, to have the pleasure of seeing him. Is not going to London this year. Sends regards to Mrs Trevelyan.

Went to the L.Gr. [London Group] Show yesterday; thought Julian's pictures 'looked very well'; went with [Hasan] Suhrawardy, who also liked them; saw Roger [Fry] who 'thought the water-colour came off best but was interested in the others too'. A 'great thing' to have got them shown, since the 'hanging committee is quite strict and impartial' and would not have shown them just to please [Frederick] Porter. Liked Porter's 'snow picture', as well as Fry's landscape and [Duncan] Grant's still life. Rehearsals [for Robert's "Meleager"] on Wednesday went quite well; Mrs [Penelope] Wheeler likes [Julian's] idea of painting the shrine on the wing-cloth, which will allow more room for the actors, as well as the tomb on the opposite side. Suhrawardy thinks that a 'vaguely suggested image' on the shrine 'would worry the audience', so it should be assumed to be inside; Robert is not sure whether he is right, but thinks Mrs Wheeler will want the image suggested. Has paid Higson's bill for the canvas. Lists the rehearsal dates; supposes that Julian will be able to get the cloths to Oxford by 4 or 5 November. Will come to Cambridge if he can if Julian wants him to; asks if he could send a sketch of his designs. They seem to be finding some costumes which will meet Julian's 'requirements'.