Showing 66 results

Barford, Churt, Farnham. - Bertie Russell has written to him about Trevelyan's tragedy ["Cecilia Gonzaga"], which he 'evidently enjoyed', saying that he quoted Murray as 'saying that blank verse was "played out"''; if someone had told Murray this when he had just finished a poem in blank verse, it 'would stick in [him] like a thorn!'. Is therefore writing quickly to say that all he meant was that he currently has a feeling that he does 'not know how blank verse ought to be written', and cannot write it himself without suspecting he is 'imitating some particular style - Tennysonian, Elizabethan, Swinburnian, Browningist'. Does not feel quite the same about heroic couplets, which 'after being ridden almost to death, has [sic] had a long time of neglect in which to get fresh again'. Blank verse is 'clearly best for a play'; sends best wishes to Trevelyan.

131 Banbury Road, Oxford. - "Sisyphus" is 'delightful and extraordinary'; has only just read it as when it arrived he was about to leave for Italy and by mistake it did not go with him. Likes it better than anything else by Trevelyan he knows: 'so individual... has such a strange blend of grotesqueness and beauty running through it - very Aristophanic in some ways'. Though the 'queer broken-backed metres... bothered [him]' for a while, they fit the theme. Is a little disappointed in the 'Artemis-chastity point': even he 'would not have accepted such an oath, and Sisyphus had much more knowledge of the world than a don'. Wonders about performance: no doubt Trevelyan has music; to Murray's taste 'music will bedevil and ruin it' but others would not agree. Would be expensive if there is much music; if not, suggests sending it to Charles Strachey or to GBS [George Bernard Shaw] for the Stage Society. Does not know Trevelyan's address, so is sending it to his brother [George?].

11 Edwardes Square W.8. - 'Amalgamation' [the forming of the League of Nations Union] has been a great worry, but it is clearly necessary for the LNS [the League of Nations Society, of which Dickinson was a member. The 'other association' [the League of Free Nations Association] knows how to run propaganda campaigns, and he thinks in general their aims are the same; certainly Murray and Wells want the same, even McCurdy. Their literature is bad, and their policy of the 'League now' has been turned down by Wilson and Grey, who is to be the Union's president and said the right thing on almost every point. Hopes Bessie will not be too suspicious about the amalgamation, though he understands her fears. Is still playing the [chess] game with Bob, who seems very happy. Asks if she is staying on at the Shiffolds. Is glad Julian is happy, but fears she will be lonely. Almost dares hope for the end [of the war].

82 Woodstock Road, Oxford. - A 'great surprise and pleasure' to receive Bob's "The Foolishness of Solomon". Has been reading the "New Parsifal" again with 'great enjoyment', and set an extract for Greek comic verse in the Ireland [scholarship at Oxford] exam: 'Nobody did it very well', or he would have sent Bob a copy.

82 Woodstock Road, Oxford. - Has had a great 'pleasure and surprise': left a book parcel unopened on his table for four days as he thought he 'knew the American who had sent it'; when he finally opened it today he discovered it was the "New Parsifar"; thanks Trevelyan; it is 'delightful'.

Yatscombe, Boars Hill, Oxford. - Thanks Trevelyan for his 'charming little gift "From the Shiffolds"': theses 'ancient fragments of wisdom' are much more interesting than 'the ordinary Christmas poems'. Menander is 'really wonderful as a critic of life' though he may be 'monotonous' as a playwright.

28, Rue de la Tourelle, Boulogne sur Seine. - Thanks Trevelyan for the trouble he has taken over [Nicholas] Roerich's 'case', as she thinks it has become; would make her very happy if through her own and Trevelyan's efforts he was able to go to his wife, who is very ill and anxious. Has had a letter from her manager in America, who wants her to play Medea in English in January 1931, and asks her to get G[ilbert] Murray's translation - the Brentano's [bookshop] in Paris should have it - and study it carefully. Has replied she would like to play the part, but said that Trevelyan has started to work on the play and she much admires his translation of [Sophocles'] Antigone. Asks whether he might be finished 'towards the end of the year', and whether he could send an extract to her manager to 'persuade her how much better you are' and to herself for encouragement and to see if she can understand it; would be better if he sent it to her first, but gives Helen Arthur's name and address. Is very sorry that she could not come to see the Trevelyans; hopes she will see him in Paris and maybe Roerich too.

Yatscombe, Boars Hill, Oxford. - Had 'real pleasure' from Trevelyan's "From the Shiffolds": he seems to be able, unlike 'so many of the writers of "vers libre"' to compress 'a real thought into a short rhythmical statement' worthy of consideration. Expresses a mild criticism of one part. Likes the 'bits of Menander especially'.

Yatscombe, Boars Hill, Oxford. - Very glad to see another "[From the] Shiffolds": likes Trevelyan's translation of the Hymn [to Demeter] very much. Is sometimes bothered by Trevelyan's 'inverted accents', but thinks [Robert] Bridges 'would have approved of them'. Agrees that it is 'the most beautiful of the Hymns.

Wallington, Cambo, Northumberland [struck through], Morpeth. - Thanks Robert for the "Hippolytus" [Gilbert Murray's translation of the Euripides play?]. Has heard from Caroline about Robert's "Sisyphus [: An Operative Fable]" and is keen to see it. Glad to have Robert's account of Bessie; hopes the 'Northern air' will help her as it did Paul.

The Shiffolds, Holmbury St. Mary, Dorking. - Writes in support of the candidature of his friend [Hasan] Shahid Suhrawardy for a vacant post on the League [of Nations] Secretariat: has known him well for about twenty years and thinks him 'the most intelligent Indian' he has known, though lacking in ambition. Mentions that his uncles are politicians - one [Abdullah al-Mamun al-Suhrawardy] has recently died - and his father a retired High Court Judge in Calcutta. [Robert] Bridges and Walter Raleigh thought highly of him. Has a very good knowledge of Indian and European politics; is by no means a fanatic, often finding Hindu liberal politicians more sympathetic than 'his own Mahommedans', and by temperament and having lived in Europe is 'very detached and international' in outlook, as well as 'generously democratic and pacifist'. Expects he has written to Lord Lytton and Harold Williams, who supported his application for a similar position a while ago; the objection was then that he was not in touch with Indian feelings, but he has lived in India for some time since then.

Hallington Hall, Newcastle-on-Tyne. - Is here arranging about the takeover of the house by the [Royal] Air Force for the duration of the war, a 'small thing, in this doomsday', but one he would have 'minded a year ago'; doubts whether Janet will be able to live here again, and he loves the house. Encloses a letter from Gilbert Murray: in response to the appeal to help Mrs [Elena] Vivante, George has written to the Home Office about her husband [Leone] and two sons [Arturo and Paulo], but does not know them personally. Believes that Bob knows Leone Vivante well, so asks if he could write a letter as suggested in the first part of Murray's letter, which Elena can use in her attempts to secure to get her husband and the son now on the Isle of Man [Arturo] released. Bob could either send it to Elena, or to Gilbert Murray, or to George himself, who plans to add a letter of his own about the 'known anti-Fascist fame of the family (Lauro de Bosis' death etc). Notes in a postscript that he 'hardly dare[s] to think about Holland - and Bessie. The world is a worse nightmare than imagination could have devised'.

Writes from St Beatenberg, 'near Interlaken, on a hill side looking over the lakes of Thun.' Announces that he and his wife are going to Baden on the following Saturday, in order to try the baths and waters there. States that he has derived much good 'from mountain air and complete idling'. Reports that [Gilbert] Murray has been with them most of the time, and that he has proved to be an excellent companion. He has now gone home, and Miss [Jane] Harrison has joined them. She is 'probably to carry off Helen to the mountains' when he and Mrs Verrall go to Baden. Reports that they spent nearly three weeks about the Lake of Lucerne, and have been in St Beatenberg for about ten days. Refers to the weather and the scenery, and his activities.

Reports that they follow the newspapers, and that letters from England bring reports of Sidgwick from time to time. Presumes that he is at [Aldgate], but sends the letter to Cambridge 'for safety.' Refers to Frank Sidgwick's poems. Discusses hotels and the difficulty of making acquaintances in them. Reports that his wife is 'fairly well', and hopes that Baden 'may supply something for her.' Does not think that she will go to Paris. Announces that they will not be going home until September, and states that the house is at Sidgwick's service until then.

Monastery Farm, East Lulworth, Dorset - first lot of reviews [of "The Origins of Attic Comedy"] are favourable, the Anodos vase, reason for overemphasis on stock masks - no individual masks in Old Comedy, different rites behind tragedy and comedy, history of tragedy, politics very exciting, hopes "Army versus the People" will die down.