Showing 12 results

6 Erskine Hill, Golders Green, N.W.11. - His letter was sent off before he really finished it; has 'much more to say'. Knew the poem about G.L.D. [Goldsworthy Lowes Dickinson] already: it gave him 'intense pleasure' and he is glad to have it 'in permanent form'. Is 'quite delighted' with the poem to Desmond [MacCarthy]. Bob's work is 'solid' and 'well worth enshrining in a solid form''; already had "The Death of Man", "The Pterodamozels" and a couple of others. Is 'working away, but behind the scenes' except for his pamphlet ["The case for an early peace"] and the 'occasional speech'; does not know if it will do any good, but hopes so'.

Emmanuel College, Cambridge [Headed notepaper; address underlined and exclamation marks added]. - Glad Bob's '"Experience as a lawyer"' will allow him to visit next Sunday. Everyone is cheerful, 'flourishing on [their] old lines', but they 'expect "a sop"' such as Bob to be thrown them once a week: 'this week's sops were [Bertrand] Russell and his brother [Frank]'. Saw [Nathaniel] Wedd this morning for breakfast and a walk, who was 'quite all [George] had hoped or expected'. Has decided not to speak again at the Union, which is 'an inexpressible relief'. 'Great revolutions' here this term: there was 'a lady at MacT[aggart]'s "Wednesday evening" last week', and an exhibition [scholarship] has been started for history at Trinity; this is important as previously there have only been third year scholarships, which do not attract the best students; in the exams last May everyone in both years got thirds; the college have received a gift of two thousand pounds from Lord Derby. Inberg{??] has come up and is "flourishing"; [Frank?] Elliott is 'developing into the most delightful of fellows". Notes in postscript that he has 'found the kettle holder'; gives an account of the battle [of toy soldiers]; lists 'our table' as consisting of [Edward?] Marsh, [Maurice] Amos. [Ralph] Wedgwood, [Ralph] V[aughan]-Williams, [George] Moore, [Henry Graham] Dakyns, [Harry] Watkins, George himself, and his Harrow friend [Charles] Buxton.

Whingate, Peaslake. - Likes Bob's style in his "Epistles" 'increasingly, and thinks the form good; it manages to 'introduce argumentation, which is generally... a mistake in poetry'; Bob's [translation of] Lucretius had the 'same tone'. It is 'pleasant to read', though he expects it cost Bob 'toil of craftsmanship perhaps travail of soul'. Sees Bob in the epistles as 'a wise, & mature, elder brother' who sympathises with the reader's 'infirmities' since he 'feels his own'; he does not seek to force agreement on the reader (Buxton quotes Browning, "One Word More"), but is 'gently persuasive' and allows the reader to doubt when he '(perhaps)' doubts himself. Bob is no 'more sceptical' with age, nor 'less sweet and gentle and inclined to reconciliation', which Buxton appreciates as 'a (would-be) Quaker'.

All this applies to a certain extent to the two new poems as well, though they are different to the epistles and have 'vast & terrifying' subjects. Has been discussing the same question, about civilisation and books, with V. [his sister Victoria?], [his wife] Dorothy and [daughter] Eglantyne: he has been claiming that no great harm would be done if historic buildings and old master paintings were 'bombed out of existence', but that ideas must be cultivated and books kept, so the people living in Bob's 'little green settlements would not be civilised men'. Knows that he is taking Bob too seriously. The '"Piers Plowman" vision' poem is a more serious piece; remembers the theme of Bob's earlier poem; thinks he remembers Goethe saying that even the devil 'could be (or did he say would be?) redeemed in the end'; does not know what to think himself, but Bob seems to him to present the theme correctly. Would like to learn why Bob wants to '"deflate" the rhetoric of an earlier handling'; this might illuminate Milton, Goethe and Meredith's practice in their own later years; sympathises with the feeling though does not know why, as he has never succeeded in finding 'any essential difference between "Youth" and "Age", though everyone says there is'.Values Bob's 'assertion that there is [underlined] a sprig of Justice and Lovingkindness among common men, which will somehow assert itself'; doubt about this is 'the most terrible scepticism of all'. Thinks this 'declaration of faith' is the modern equivalent of the creeds of Athanasius and others.

Returns Bob's two poems with thanks [no longer present]; also includes a few chapters of his "Essay" ["Prophets of Heaven & Hell: Virgil, Dante, Milton, Goethe : an introductory essay" ?", with an outline, to show what he 'dream[s] of' writing; Bob should not trouble too much about it, but any comment from him would be 'highly valued', and there is no great rush.

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'.

Welcombe, Stratford on Avon. - Hopes that Robert and Elizabeth are 'getting on with their preparations for going abroad', as it will do them good to be away from home for a while [after the death of their son Paul]. She and Sir George are 'better for the quiet' at Welcombe; they talk often about Paul, and Sir George says he often dreams of him, and of Robert as a small child. Thinks this has brought them 'all nearer together': perhaps the worst thing is knowing how unhappy Robert and Elizabeth are. Thinks she has never expressed to Robert all she feels for him, bur is sure he knows she understands his trouble, and how thankful she would be if she could comfort him. Took a long drive yesterday, and discovered Preston on Stour, a 'curious old village'. Buxton's book about Turkey ["Turkey in Revolution"?] is 'certainly amusing'; she also has the new Carlyle letters to read, though Sir George is 'rather averse to them', thinking 'the controversy should be allowed to die out'. He is reading Fererro to her, and translating parts of Suetonius 'which are most amusing'. Hopes Robert found some good books to take abroad at the London Library. Sends love to Elizabeth, and asks him to let her know how she is.

Garden Corner, West Road, Cambridge. - Swanton's book will be very useful, and is 'very good "mindfeeding"; thanks Bob for the loan. Has 'much sympathy with CRB [Charles Roden Buxton?]', and generally agreed with him until the war began; now, however, thinks 'an appeal for a Conference' without terms agreed in general beforehand would only 'make the French and neutrals think we were giving in'; fears Hitler would not consider the 'sort of terms CRB suggests' at the moment, though that time may come.

Hotel Carron, Fionnen [Fionnay], Val de Bagnes. - Is relieved to answer Bob's letter after struggling with Searle's letter. Has been here alone for a week after a week of 'stirring adventure and sightseeing with Charlie Buxton' in Switzerland and Italy; Buxton has now left and George has a week by himself to 'digest the whole of last year, which has been a year of great "mercies"' as they would have said in the 17th century, or '"developement [sic]" as we say in the 19th'. Is 'living on Shelley, Plato, and the Hebrew prophets'; neither a Hellenist like Bob nor a Christian like Buxton can 'feel the Old Testament'; has got the 'idealization of mountain walking and climbing' out of Plato's "Republic". Hopes to see some of Bob's poems when they next meet; wonders how the 'great Greek legend' is getting on.

West Hackhurst, Abinger Hammer, Dorking. - Will think about what she asks, as no-one is in his mind at the moment; the sum she suggests is very moderate. Thanks Bob for his letter: was about to write about the C.A.s [Clifford Allens] and is glad to be able to help. Has sent £10 to [Charles Roden] Buxton and will send more if the Allens go to Egypt; suspects that they will not have time with only six weeks and a visit to Aulla [to the Waterfields?], though he wishes they could. Reference to the manhunt, and to Bob Trevelyan's consumption of claret and orange brandy. Has visited [Sebastian] Sprott in Nottingham; saw little of the town but did go to a gallery and saw 'an excessively beautiful picture by an 18th century Frenchman - name Liotard, I think'.

Hotels Seiler, Zermatt; addressed to Trevelyan, 8 Grosvenor Crescent, London. - Describes his room looking out on the Mattherhorn and his reading matter; will be here for about a week until [Charles] Buxton leaves, when 'shouldering [his] rugsack [sic]' he will 'plunge into the unknown'. This is a 'nobler place' than he could ever have dreamt of. Is preparing a letter.

Hotel Todi, Thierfehd, Glarus, Switzerland. - Will have to 'break the golden rule' Bob gave him last year, that the person at home should write first to the one abroad. [Charles] Buxton has gone home after their extensive travels together; George is staying for a fortnight's study. Enjoying his best health for a year; describes his daily routine; is reading Homer and Vergil 'in the original at last', and talking with one of his fellow-guests in French, a young lady 'whose heart he has won' by bringing her back some golden lilies from the hills. Has realised 'the horror of distance': would not be able to bear the distance from 'one's country' if it were not for 'swift locomotion'. Often thinks 'the poem of the greatest horror remains to be written': it would describe a man propelled to the moon who can see the earth but is unable to return. Wonders whether Bob is working on his novel at Wallington.; he is very interested to see what his brother will eventually do; is sure he will 'work out his own salvation' and does not want advice, but wishes he would 'take to "one sided" history', that is 'telling the story of some great movement sympathetically, not critically or scientifically'. Is writing another lecture for Cambo about England in the 14th century; much enjoys writing 'for an uncritical audience after Cambridge'. Expects to hear that Charles has been elected [as MP for Lambeth North] tomorrow; thinks Charles's health is now good enough to 'allow of his success in life'.

13a Hanover Terrace, Ladbroke Grove W.11. - Enjoyed a recent visit. Hopes she has been able to make up her mind about Bedales: thinks it more likely that Julian will be happy there than at Harrow. A note about typewriting problems. Has read Buxton's book about Russia ["A Russian Village"?] and found it a 'delightful' counter to the usual picture given of that country.

Seatoller. - Expects Bob is enjoying himself abroad. Is having a good time at Seatoller with [Maurice?] Amos, [Ralph] Wedgwood and [George] Moore; Vaughan Williams left a few days ago; he and Wedgwood 'bathe in Cambridge pool every morning'; Amos and Wedgwood work hard for their triposes, while Moore chiefly reads "Jane Eyre" and other novels, and George 'all sorts of jolly books', none for his tripos. They are all getting on well, even better than at Stye since there is not the 'slight distance between Moore and Wedgwood'. They go up the mountains in the afternoon; he and Moore, as 'the Wordsworthians of the party' went over to Grasmere and Rydal; describes Dove Cottage, de Quincey's extension to it, and S.T.C. [Samuel Taylor Coleridge]'s house. Declares that there were 'men in England then', also naming Scott, Shelley, Byron and Keats. George got his scholarship; does not seem fair that Wedgwood has not, while they give one to someone like Charlie Buxton 'of very ordinary ability' in their first year; thinks this is 'bolstering up classics'. It is however a sign that the college is doing 'their duty to history' that there is now an entrance scholarship for it. Is glad at a personal level that Buxton has a scholarship: he and George will have plenty of money to go abroad in the long vacation now. Elliott has not got a scholarship, but is spoken of as 'certain' next year. Had a nice letter from Bowen; German measles is active in [Grove] house. Asks Bob to write to him about the novel if he needs someone to discuss it with: he knows the plan and beginning, and will keep it secret. Wedgwood is a really good rock climber. Notes in postscript that he will be seeing Moore's brother [Thomas] in London again next week, so Bob should write there.